Alberta reports 1,972 new COVID-19 cases, along with 5 additional deaths, over past 3 days

Alberta reported 1,972 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday, combining data from the previous three days.

The numbers of new COVID-19 cases, active cases and hospitalizations, along with the positivity rate, all are continuing to trend upward. 

Five new additional COVID-19 deaths were also reported over the three days. The individuals — two from Calgary and one each from the Edmonton, north and south zones — ranged in age from their 60s to their 80s.

Here is how the cases broke down over the three days, from Friday through Sunday:

• 473 cases on August 22, out of 5,590 tests completed (8.64 per cent positivity rate)
• 678 cases on August 21, out of 8,403 tests completed (8.24 per cent positivity rate)
• 821 cases on August 20, out of 8,959, tests completed (9.31 per cent positivity rate)

Alberta labs also detected 1,599 cases of coronavirus variants of concern through its screening of positive test results.

There are now 7,777 active cases in Alberta — an increase of 1,068 since Friday's update. Active cases are now at the highest point the province has seen since May 29. 

Here's how active cases break down regionally:

• Calgary zone: 2,438
• Edmonton zone: 2,408
• North zone: 1,158
• South zone: 984
• Central zone: 765
• Unknown: 23

Of the 7,777 active cases, 6,228 have been confirmed to be variants of concern. 

The province R-value, or the average number of infected people from each COVID-positive person, shows that the virus continues to spread across the province, with Edmonton seeing the highest rate of spread.

Here are the R-values from August 16 to August 22 (confidence interval)

• Alberta provincewide: 1.19 (1.16-1.23)
• Edmonton zone: 1.32 (1.25-1.39)
• Calgary zone: 1.05 (0.99-1.11)
• Rest of Alberta: 1.22 (1.16-1.28)

R-value information is updated every two weeks. 

Hospitalizations from COVID-19 continue to rise. There are now 244 people in hospital being treated for COVID-19, including 54 who are in intensive care beds.

Of those currently in hospital with COVID-19, about 81 per cent are unvaccinated, four per cent are partially vaccinated and almost 15 per cent are fully vaccinated. 

As of the latest update, 77.3 per cent of eligible Albertans have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 68.8 per cent have had two doses. Of the total population, 58.5 per cent have had both doses of vaccine.