COVID-19

As of October 3, 2021 the City of Grande Prairie has 550 active cases of COVID-19, and the County of Grande Prairie has 286 cases.

Cases of COVID-19 across the rest of the province sit at 20,674 active cases. 

Hospitalizations are currently at 1,079, and a total of 257 Albertans are in intensive care receiving treatment. 

Crestfallen. That is the word that embodies how some of Alberta's health workers are feeling during the vicious 4th wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Alyson, who asked that her last name not be used, is a healthcare worker in Alberta. She worked in long-term care during the previous waves of the pandemic.

"I've lost empathy for the people who are choosing to ignore our health recommendations," she said. "That's the hardest part, to admit that as a nurse since we're supposed to love and we're supposed to care."

As COVID-19 cases rise in the Emo area, the Northwestern Health Unit (NWHU) is warning residents of an increased risk of COVID-19.  

In a Q&A with the NWHU, Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Kit Young Hoon said that many of the current positive cases can be tied back to informal social gatherings.  

On the day that help will be arriving in Alberta to help the beleaguered healthcare system combat the COVID 4th wave, 4,037 new cases have been reported since Friday.

Friday saw 1,629 COVID-19 cases, Saturday 1,282, and Sunday 1,126.

There are 1,079 people in hospital, an increase of 13 since Friday.

ICU admissions decreased by six for a total of 257.

Sadly, another 27 deaths have been reported since October 1 bringing the total in the province to 2,752.

There are 20,674 active cases in the province.

Despite having dramatically different COVID-19 responses and geographic locations, southern Manitoba communities are lumped together when talking about pandemic responses. 

On Friday, Manitoba's Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Brent Roussin announced new public health orders for all of Southern Health Sante Sud, reducing retail capacity to 50 per cent.

Dr. Brent Roussin says Manitoba is following the "severe" trajectory first modelled in August's Fourth COVID-19 Wave projections.

Out of four possible scenarios, Manitoba is currently sitting at the second-highest case scenario modelling in August projections.

"I think our fourth wave was more delayed than what early projections and shown," Roussin says.

The Northwestern Health Unit has confirmed a total of 17 new positive COVID-19 test results have been found in the region. 

Twelve of the new cases were found in the Rainy River Health Region, and five in the Kenora Health Region. 

Follow up with the persons involved and their contacts has started according to protocol. Anyone who is identified as a contact for these cases will be contacted directly.

At the time of the daily case update, there are 19 active COVID-19 cases connected to the NWHU catchment area. 

While the number of people receiving treatment for COVID-19 in hospital declined Saturday, the number of new cases, and the number of deaths linked to the virus, both went up.  

The provincial government reported Saturday that there were eight more deaths connected to COVID-19. There were also 480 new cases, 86.5 percent of which were in people who are not fully vaccinated.  

There were seven fewer people in hospital, and one less person in intensive care. The update Saturday showed there were 306 people in hospital, 67 of those in intensive care.  

Employees, service providers, and users of Chiniki Nation facilities will be required to have proof of full vaccination by Oct. 29.

At a Sept. 21 meeting, Chief Aaron Young and council agreed to enforce the need for full vaccination to protect the health of its people.

Before this, proof of at least a single dose of the COVID vaccine was required by Sept. 30.

Those unwilling to provide proof of vaccination must take two COVID rapid tests weekly at their own expense, and provide test results.

Alberta vaccine records just got an upgrade in the form of the long-awaited QR codes.

There's one catch though: there's currently no way to scan them.

According to the province, the AB COVID Records Verifier app will be required for that, and it's yet to be launched.

Vaccination records, including the QR code, can be found here.