Alberta's Health Minister Jason Copping has shared some of the COVID data behind the province's decision to remove restrictions.
During a live COVID-19 update on Tuesday afternoon (Feb. 15), the minister showed a graph displaying trends in wastewater data which, according to Copping, shows the end of Omicron's peak in the province.
Aside from the case data, Copping also shared some positive hospitalization trends.
"The number of patients in our non-ICU hospital units remains within their normal capacity and in line with mid-winter levels before COVID. Within the past week, there have been 5,200-5,400 non-ICU patients in total."
"On Sunday, there were 5,250. That's an occupancy rate of approximately 90 per cent of the normal pre-COVID capacity in those units, and it's lower than the number of patients in those same units in January of every year from 2015 to 2019 before COVID."
The data shows the number of COVID patients in hospitals has been on a downward trend since Feb. 7, and with new admissions also dropping, that trend is expected to continue.
Ontario saw a similar trend weeks prior, says Copping.
The province will be keeping a close eye on these figures over the next two weeks.
As of Monday, masks were no longer required in schools and on March 1, almost all of the remaining restrictions are set to be lifted.
"The reopening plan depends on these trends continuing. If they don't, we'll take action as necessary, including reimposing restrictions if we have to. And our success in keeping COVID at bay ultimately depends on following the order of our chief medical officer of health and on vaccination," says Copping.
Currently, there are 1,538 Albertans in hospital with COVID, 123 of whom are in intensive care.
An additional 14 deaths were reported, bringing the total to 3,790.