COVID-19 hospitalizations in Alberta continue to rise as Omicron variant spreads

COVID-19 hospitalizations in Alberta continue to climb as the Omicron variant continues to spread in the province.

Provincial data shows 498 people are in hospital with COVID-19 Thursday,an increase of 28 from Wednesday's update. There are 64 patients in intensive care units, a decline of eight from the last update.

On Tuesday,436 people were in hospital, including 61 in ICU.

Alberta public health officialsagain reported a new single-day record number of cases:4,869 new COVID-19 cases were reported Thursday.

The new cases were identified through12,318 PCR tests with a test-positivity rate of 39.05 per cent the highest rate recorded in Alberta so far.

The new cases reported Thursday do not include positive rapid test results, sothe actual number of cases is believed to be much higher.

The number of known active COVID-19cases hasalso hit a new high point: there are39,897 known active casesin Alberta as of Thursday.

Meanwhile, three more Albertans have died from COVID-19. Each were men in their 80s living in the Calgary zone, according to the Alberta government.

A total of 3,336 Albertans have now died from COVID-19 since the pandemic began.

As of Thursday's update,85.4 per cent of Albertansaged 12 and up have received two doses of vaccine. Meanwhile,37.7 per cent of children aged five to 11 have received their first jab.

Seventy-three per cent of all Albertans, including those not eligible for the vaccine, are considered fully vaccinated.

Booster shot

Also, over onemillion Albertans have received abooster shot, the provincial government said via news release Thursday.

"I want to thank everyone who's gotten all three doses as well as the dedicated health-care providers who continue working hard to administer the vaccine,"Health Minister Jason Copping said in therelease.

"Working together, we will protect our health-care system and all Albertans."

Abouttwo million Albertans have received two doses and are eligible for a booster, but have not yet had a third dose, the province says.