LETHBRIDGE, AB – A record 30 deaths, due to COVID-19, have been reported to Alberta Health Services over the past day.
While Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw says not all deaths occurred in the same day, it’s still the highest number she’s had to report since the pandemic began.
And, in the past week, Alberta has reported 125 deaths from COVID-19 which marks the deadliest seven-day stretch to date.
Hinshaw says if anyone still needs reminding of the seriousness of this virus, this is it.
She says the death toll also speaks to the importance of current gathering restrictions and doing everything we can to break the chain of transmission, adding “holiday gatherings with people outside of your household are not only against the restrictions that are in place, they are also the wrong thing to do right now. I know that Albertans want want to do the right thing. The safest way to celebrate this year is in person with only your own household or with your designated two close contacts if you live alone.”
There were 1,571 new cases of the virus reported out of 19,852 tests for a provincial positivity rate of 7.9 percent.
A total of 34 new cases were reported in the South Zone and 13 of them were in Lethbridge.
The city’s active case count has dropped by eight since Wednesday’s update to 196.
Click here for up to date local, national, and international COVID-19 data.