Source: https://globalnews.ca/news/7627348/c...ta-feb-8-2021/
Hinshaw urges caution as restrictions ease and Alberta records 25 new COVID-19 variant cases
By Allison Bench Global News
Posted February 8, 2021 1:37 pm
Updated February 8, 2021 6:27 pm
As Alberta added an additional five deaths and 269 new cases of COVID-19 Monday, Dr. Deena Hinshaw said that officials have also recorded an additional 25 variant cases of the virus since Friday.
“It’s not inevitable that the variant strain would become the dominant strain,” Alberta’s chief medical officer of health said. “It really depends on all of us and continuing to work together to prevent the spread.”
The variants of concern – first identified in South Africa and U.K. — spread more easily between people.
Hinshaw said that Monday’s 269 positives came from 6,184 tests, giving a provincial positivity rate of 4.3 per cent.
She added that the province is now able to test every positive result for the variants.
“On days like today, our capacity to screen for variants exceeds the number of new cases of COVID-19 that have been identified,” Hinshaw said.
She added that the additional 25 cases brings the total number of COVID-19 variants confirmed in the province to 96, 46 of which are not linked to travel. She added there has not yet been any variant spread recorded in schools.
There are now 432 Albertans in hospital, 76 of whom are in intensive care.
Hinshaw also said that with Step 1 of Alberta’s eased restriction plan now in place, it’s especially important that people follow the current rules....
Hinshaw urges caution as restrictions ease and Alberta records 25 new COVID-19 variant cases
By Allison Bench Global News
Posted February 8, 2021 1:37 pm
Updated February 8, 2021 6:27 pm
As Alberta added an additional five deaths and 269 new cases of COVID-19 Monday, Dr. Deena Hinshaw said that officials have also recorded an additional 25 variant cases of the virus since Friday.
“It’s not inevitable that the variant strain would become the dominant strain,” Alberta’s chief medical officer of health said. “It really depends on all of us and continuing to work together to prevent the spread.”
The variants of concern – first identified in South Africa and U.K. — spread more easily between people.
Hinshaw said that Monday’s 269 positives came from 6,184 tests, giving a provincial positivity rate of 4.3 per cent.
She added that the province is now able to test every positive result for the variants.
“On days like today, our capacity to screen for variants exceeds the number of new cases of COVID-19 that have been identified,” Hinshaw said.
She added that the additional 25 cases brings the total number of COVID-19 variants confirmed in the province to 96, 46 of which are not linked to travel. She added there has not yet been any variant spread recorded in schools.
There are now 432 Albertans in hospital, 76 of whom are in intensive care.
Hinshaw also said that with Step 1 of Alberta’s eased restriction plan now in place, it’s especially important that people follow the current rules....
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