Admissions to hospitals and intensive care units have been declining for weeks. The number of new cases and the positive rate in the seven-day PCR test also decreases. “We have overcome this wave in a period of declining transmission,” Copping said during a briefing on COVID-19 on Thursday. “By excluding the arrival of any new variant or sub-variant that behaves differently, we expect to see low transmission rates during the summer, especially as more activities move out.” Public health officials identified 42 more deaths from COVID-19 during the last reporting period, May 31 to June 6. However, the total number of deaths from COVID-19 in Alberta increased to only 4,567 because the 33 deaths previously reported were considered unrelated to COVID-19. As of Monday, 816 Alberts had been hospitalized for COVID-19, including 24 in the ICU. The data show that the number of people hospitalized with COVID is at its lowest level since January 10. the number of ICU patients is the lowest since August 7, 2021. The positive rate in the seven-day PCR test dropped to 15.14 percent, the lowest since December. More virus is expected to be released to the community, as few Alberts are eligible for PCR testing and the data do not include positive rapid test results. Alberta Chief Health Officer, Dr. Dina Hinshaw, who was present at Thursday’s press conference, was essentially echoing Koping, noting that the indicators are declining and that summer is approaching. However, Hinshaw warned Alberts to remain aware of the potential threat of COVID-19. “Learning to live with COVID does not mean forgetting it. COVID-19 still exists in our communities and can endanger us, our loved ones and our healthcare system if we leave it,” he said. “We just need to look at our data to see that there are still cases across the province – and while less and less, there are a lot of Alberts who are seriously ill.” Hinshaw urged Alberts to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and stay home if they develop symptoms.
Two more smallpox cases were detected: Hinshaw
Officials have confirmed two more cases of monkey pox, bringing the total number of cases in the province to four, Hinshaw said. Every person infected with the virus is an adult and everyone is isolated, he said, adding that the overall risk of infection is still low in Alberta. According to Health Canada, monkeypox is a viral disease that enters the body through the eyes, nose and mouth, as well as through skin-to-skin contact. Symptoms include fever. chills; swollen lymph nodes; headache; pain in the muscles, joints and back. exhaustion; wounds; or rash. On May 25, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued public health advice to homosexuals, bisexuals, and other men who have sex with men, encouraging them to be aware of these symptoms. Alberta Health has contacted several community agencies about the risk of monkey pox, Hinshaw said. Based on their feedback, the province provided information to send to their members for information. “I want to emphasize the importance of not embarrassing or stigmatizing any team and, at the same time, providing accurate information so that people can make informed health choices,” Hinshaw said. “This particular approach does not mean that this virus can affect just one community. We are working with these organizations and sharing this current information on risk factors to ensure that people have accurate, timely data about the epidemic.” As of 13:00 MT, there have been 110 cases across Canada, most of them detected in Quebec, according to the Public Health Service of Canada website.
