2 Albertans in their 20s added to COVID-19 deaths

Two Albertans in their 20s have died in the past week attributed to COVID-19, provincial data released Wednesday revealed.

Forty new deaths were added to the province’s pandemic death toll in the week ending November 21, bringing the total to 5,177.

The weekly data release also showed COVID deaths of six people in their 60s, 11 people in their 70s and 21 people over 80, but no other information such as location or existence of comorbidities was shared.

But hospitalizations fell by 34 over the past week — to 1,107 — and the number of ICU COVID patients remained flat at 40. Alberta Health Services data show ICUs provincewide were at 87 percent capacity on Monday.

The seven-day average positivity rate on PCR tests available on a limited basis decreased slightly to 13.87 percent. Over the week ending November 21, 1,344 new cases were documented – the same as the previous week.

PCR testing in Alberta is only available to people at clinical risk of disease and those who live and/or work in high-risk environments.

Hospitals and acute care centers across the province continue to declare COVID-19 outbreaks in units. An outbreak is declared when it is determined that someone contracted the coronavirus while in the hospital.

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Edmonton’s Gray Nuns Hospital had two units declare outbreaks in the past week when — on Nov. 16 and Saturday — five patients tested positive.

In Calgary, Rockyview General Hospital declared an outbreak in a unit on Tuesday when six patients tested positive. Four units at the Rockyview are on outbreak status.

Foothills Medical Center declared an outbreak Friday when three patients tested positive for COVID-19.

And a unit at Medicine Hat Regional Hospital began its outbreak status on Sunday when four patients tested positive.

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