“We will continue to monitor these levels and other top indicators in the coming days and weeks,” he said Wednesday afternoon. Copping reiterated that increased pressure on hospitals would be a factor in taking further public health measures. “We have to wait and see.”
Read more: Canada heading for 6th wave COVID-19 this spring, experts warn
In an update on COVID-19 provincial data from March 22 to 28, the health minister said hospital numbers were “stable”: 964 people were treated for COVID-19 on Wednesday, up eight from last week and 47 from those in the hospital were in the ICU, down nine from 21 March. The story goes on under the ad The health minister announced 30 more deaths last week, bringing the death toll from the pandemic in Alberta to 4,074. One week ago, the chief health doctor Dr. Deena Hinshaw said the BA.2 Omicron sub-variant, nicknamed “stealth Omicron”, has become the dominant variant in the province with 60 percent of positive PCR tests detecting the sub-variant. On Wednesday, Copping said it had risen to 70%. 0:53 Sewage data show signs of increasing COVID-19 transmission in Alberta Sewage data show signs of increasing COVID-19 transmission in Alberta The seven-day average of the positive rate of PCR tests has also increased from 22 percent a week ago to 24.5 percent. But PCR tests are not yet widely available. On January 10, PCR tests were limited to “those who have clinical risk factors for serious outcomes and those who live and work in high-risk environments.” The story goes on under the ad Copping said the increased transmission of COVID-19 may not come as a surprise, given the more contagious nature of BA.2 and changes in public health measures, including the removal of the indoor mask mandate on March 1st.
Read more: Alberta COVID-19 sewage levels rise in Calgary, Edmonton
“There are just more opportunities for the virus to spread as more and more people work from the office, return to travel, socialize in different environments and continue their normal habits.” The health minister urged Alberts to also perform rapid antigen tests, available at pharmacies and AHS assessment centers across the province. As of March 5, the government has distributed 844,020 rapid exams to pharmacies in three installments:
March 5 to 11: 349,920 March 12 to 20: 282,420 March 21 to 28: 211,680
In all, Alberta has passed 13.8 million rapid antigen tests. Copping has announced expanded access to Paxlovid, an oral antiviral therapy that may reduce the severity of COVID-19. “I am pleased to announce that supply has increased. “From this Friday, any interested pharmacy in Alberta will be able to order Paxlovid treatments to give Paxlovid to eligible Alberts who meet the clinical criteria.” The story goes on under the ad 1:30 About 70% of COVID-19 cases in Alberta are Omicron BA.2 variant: Minister of Health About 70% of COVID-19 cases in Alberta are Omicron BA.2 variant: Minister of Health Treatment with oral antiviral should start five days after the onset of symptoms, is only available with a prescription and residents of Alverna who want access to the medicine should call Health Link to check for it. . “While Paxlovid continues to be an option for preventing mild to moderate COVID-19 cases from developing into a serious disease, it is not a substitute for vaccination,” said the Minister of Health. “Vaccination remains the most effective way to prevent serious COVID-19 cases and reduce the risks of infection.” Trending Stories
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On Tuesday, US officials approved the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for fourth doses for people over the age of 50.
Read more: COVID-19 vaccine: Delaying the second dose “more dangerous” for the elderly, experts warn
Copping said Alberta is waiting for advice before opening second-hand amplifiers in populations beyond the immunocompromised Alberts. The story goes on under the ad “We will rely on the advice of experts from the National (Advisory) Immunization Committee as well as our committee in Alberta.” Copping said Hinshaw was getting “very valuable leave” on Wednesday and would be back for next week’s COVID-19 update. 1:34 Alberta is not currently considering 4th installments as COVID-19 effluent levels increase
Entering the sixth wave
With rising trends in sewage data and PCR testing, Copping will not say if Alberta was entering a sixth wave of the pandemic. However, Dr Chris Monti, head of the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases at the University of Calgary, said rising sewage trends indicate another wave of pandemics in the province. “I think he is definitely coming,” Mody told Global News. “Sewage data show that trends are upward and there are no signs of a slowdown. The story goes on under the ad “We will see a sixth wave.” Dr. Xiaoli Pang noted that these levels in the Calgary Sewage have increased significantly about three weeks ago, with Edmonton levels rising for less time. “Since last week we can see gradual increases (in Edmonton),” Pang, a public health molecular virologist at Alberta Precision Labs and an assistant professor of laboratory medicine at the University of Alberta, told Global News. However, the trajectory of this recent increase in wastewater levels – and its transformation into cases, hospitalization, etc. has not yet been determined, Pang said. “These coming weeks are a really key point to see if it grows steadily, really growing very fast. That fact must be taken into account. “ 1: 16More Alberta pharmacies have access to COVID-19 Paxlovid treatment More Alberta pharmacies have access to COVID-19 Paxlovid treatment Lethbridge and Medicine Hat wastewater RNA levels appear to be following the same trends as Edmonton and Calgary: rising. The story goes on under the ad Dr Bonita Lee, an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Alberta, warned against comparing sewage RNA levels from wave four to wave five because of the variants that led to the infections. “The fifth wave is Omicron – a different strain from Delta – and we still need to find out if Omicron is secreted (in the sewage) differently from Delta,” said Lee, also assistant director for infection prevention and control at Delta. Stollery Children’s Hospital.
Read more: COVID-19 deaths rise by 40% as cases fall worldwide, WHO reports
“We can never tell you how many people actually have COVID (from sewage data) because we do not have a direct ratio to do so.” Mody said the latest hospitalization figures showed a declining trend and he could not say when hospitalizations were likely to occur. “The patients we see being treated right now, almost all of them are immunosuppressed, so they are vaccinated and immunosuppressed,” Monti said. “This is the type of patient we see.” 4:14 Health Issues: Acceleration of drug discovery and new variant of COVID-19 now dominates Alberta Health Issues: Acceleration of drug discovery and new variant of COVID-19 now dominates Alberta – March 23, 2022 “Those who have reduced immunity either because they do not have a vaccine or because they do not have a very good response to the vaccine or the response does not last long. “These are the patients who will get a serious illness and these are the ones we see now in the hospital.” The story goes on under the ad He noted that the intake for a third or booster dose of a COVID-19 vaccine was not as good as doctors had hoped. Sewage levels are rising in Alberta’s largest cities following a national trend, especially in British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Ontario. Omicron’s most contagious BA.2 subtype, which is now the predominant version of the virus in several provinces, combined with looser public health measures is leading to an increase, experts told Global News.
Read more: Vacancies in Canada are soaring despite the demand for COVID-19. Here’s why
As Easter meetings approach, Alberta’s Health Minister has urged personal responsibility in planning events. “As we move to a place where we are learning to live with COVID, we are asking people to manage their own risk and be able to take action accordingly,” Copping said. “Ask me…
