COVID-19 spikes in the province not slowing down soon: data

Case numbers were expected to rise as Alberta’s economy reopened, but data show the spike is not slowing down anytime soon. New numbers announced Friday brought the provincial COVID -19 case total over 10,000. Of those, 1,341 are active, 8,567 are recovered and 178 are dead.

Here’s a look at the state of COVID-19 in Alberta.

RISING COVID-19 CASES

Flattening the curve seemed like a lasting possibility come June when active case numbers fell drastically to just 365 at the start of June. It was short-lived.

There are 1,341 active cases in the province and over half are in the Calgary zone, totalling 703. The numbers haven’t been this high since May 11, when 1,361 cases were active. The peak, in late April, hit 2,994 cases.

What’s changed drastically since the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in Alberta is the demographic group contracting the deadly virus. In the last week, people aged 20 to 39 made up about 46 per cent of new cases.

While cases in the Calgary zone form the majority of COVID-19 cases, they don’t represent the highest rate of COVID-19 cases per capita. The South zone’s rate is about 508 per 100,000 people, while Calgary’s is 371.

ALBERTA TESTING CAPACITY

Alberta’s testing capacity has continuously fallen short of provincial estimates — not once coming close to the projected 16,000 tests per day volume projected to begin by June. The highest number of tests conducted in a 24hour span took place on July 11, with 9,995 tests (including tests performed for the same person multiple times).

It has come close to that level of testing twice since, totalling 9,712 on July 17 and 8,735 on July 23.

In May, Alberta Health announced the ministry would funnel $4.5 million to double its testing capacity to 16,000 by the start of June. At the time, tests completed per day averaged 7,000. In late June, the province announced COVID-19 testing would expand to community pharmacies for asymptomatic individuals with hopes of expanding testing to that goal of 16,000 per day.

Still, Alberta is thousands of tests away from its daily target.

In total, 623,442 tests have been performed in the province since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Hospitalization and ICU rates Since the start of July, the highest rate of new hospitalizations has taken place in the South zone, jumping from a 0.5 per cent hospitalization rate (per 1 million) on July 1 to 5.1 per cent on July 23, with 141 active cases.

No other jurisdiction has seen such a significant spike. For comparison, Alberta as a whole sits at a 1.7 per cent hospitalization rate from 0.7 per cent at the start of the month, the Calgary zone remains at 0.9 per cent and the Edmonton zone at 0.6 per cent from 0.7 per cent, respectively.

When it comes to overall hospitalization and intensive-care rates, Alberta has taken a step back in time, almost equalling the height of COVID -19 in April and May. The province has 95 novel coronavirus patients in hospital, 19 of whom are in intensive care — nearing the highest number of admissions since the pandemic began.

It hasn’t been this bad since May 1, with 23 ICU admissions and April 30 with 113 hospital admissions.

Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta’s chief medical officer of health, said Thursday this should be a “wakeup call” for Albertans to follow public health guidelines and protect the most vulnerable.

THE CITY OF CALGARY

Alberta’s largest city accounts for more than 50 per cent of the COVID -19 cases in Alberta, 43 per cent of all active cases and 60 per cent of the provincial death toll. Considering Calgary makes up about 30.6 per cent of the Alberta population, it is overrepresented when it comes to the coronavirus.

There are 11 outbreaks in the city, including the Ride Cycle Gym linked to at least 42 cases, Fire N Ice bar and lounge (23) and FGL Sports Warehouse (minimum 44).

Testing rates, consequently, remain highest in the Calgary zone, representing 42 per cent of total provincial tests at 220,439. Alberta Health Services said the Calgary zone saw a record high on Monday of nearly 7,600 requests for a COVID-19 testing appointment.