The number of new COVID-19 cases are on the rise across the province, with over 1,000 new cases reported on Wednesday, August 25. The Town of Drumheller has also seen local case numbers climbing.
Despite maintaining low active case numbers locally through the beginning and middle of August, local cases have risen from seven active cases on Friday, August 20 to 12 active cases less than a week later on Wednesday, August 25.
In early May there were over 25,000 active cases across the province; these numbers dropped dramatically to only 560 active cases province-wide by mid-July.
However, the number of active cases has begun to climb over the last month and, as of Monday, August 30 there were more than 11,000 active cases across Alberta. This is the highest number of active cases since May 24 when there was a total of 12,049 active cases reported across the province.
Monday also marked the third day in a row where the province reported over 1,000 new daily cases and, along with climbing case numbers, the number of people in hospital and ICU are also steadily climbing.
On Friday, August 27 there were 308 people in hospital and 64 in ICU; this number rose over the weekend to 401 hospitalizations and 98 ICU admissions as of Monday.
The province announced on Monday third doses of the COVID-19 vaccine will be available starting September 1 for seniors in care facilities, immunocompromised Albertans, and Albertans travelling to areas which do not accept the AstraZeneca or mixed doses of the vaccine.
Nearly 78 per cent of eligible Albertans have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and nearly 70 per cent are fully vaccinated. More than 5.55 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered to date.
Locally, in the Starland County-Drumheller region, some 7,400 people-or 71.9 per cent of eligible area residents-have received at least one dose, and 63.4 per cent are fully vaccinated.
As of Monday, August 30 the Town of Drumheller has 14 active cases. There are three in Starland County, 23 in Kneehill County, and 28 in Wheatland County.
These numbers were much lower only five days prior on Wednesday, August 25, with a single case in Starland, 14 in Kneehill County, and 13 in Wheatland County.
