LETHBRIDGE, AB – It seems Medicine Hat has become a COVID-19 hot spot in Alberta.
Over the three day weekend, Aug. 6, 7 and 8, the Gas City reported 73 new cases – good for 51 percent of all new cases in the South Zone of Alberta Health Services over those days.
It’s pushed the community to the top of the list when it comes to the number of active cases per 100K population at 355.3.
The next highest is Grande Prairie at 259.9.
By comparison, Lethbridge is sitting at 65.6 active cases per 100K population with 66 active cases confirmed as of Sunday.
There are currently 242 active COVID cases in Medicine Hat.
While health officials haven’t commented on the reason behind the spike, there is a noticeable discrepancy between vaccine uptake in the two southern Alberta communities.
In Lethbridge, 71.9 percent of the eligible population is fully vaccinated while only 63.2 percent of Medicine Hat residents 12 and up have gotten both doses.
In Alberta over the weekend there were 398, 375, and 244 new cases respectively for positivity rates of about 5.1%, 4.9% and 5.5%
There are currently 3,380 active COVID cases in Alberta and 129 people in hospital (26 of those in ICU).