Edmonton

Alberta reports 24 new COVID deaths as hospitalizations continue to drop

Alberta reported another 24 deaths related to COVID-19 on Wednesday as the province released its updated data from the previous week.

There are 719 people in hospital with COVID — 97 fewer than the week before

Rapid COVID-19 test results are not included in the province's weekly COVID-19 data. (Pippa Reed/CBC)

Alberta reported another 24 deaths related to COVID-19 on Wednesday as the province released its updated data from the previous week.

With 24 more deaths, the pandemic total has reached 4,591.

As of end-of-day Monday, there were 719 people in hospital with COVID — 97 fewer than the week before. The number of COVID-19-positive ICU patients also declined; there are 19 in hospital, compared to 24 last week.

COVID ICU patients have reached the lowest level since July 31 of last year.

The province reported another 1,442 new cases of COVID-19 through PCR testing. The true number of new cases is believed to be much higher since the province doesn't track the number of positive test results from rapid tests and most Albertans can't access a PCR test.

The seven-day average for test-positivity was about 13.2 per cent, down from 15 per cent last week.

As of the latest update, about 81.5 per cent of the province's total population have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 77.2 per cent have had two.

The provincial government lifted remaining health measures related to COVID-19, except for some related to health-care settings, at 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday.