Alberta builds COVID-19 hospital capacity; premier says early indication of Omicron peak
CTV
Alberta will create new pandemic response units in Edmonton and Calgary as it augments intensive and non-intensive care beds for an expected hospitalization peak later this month.
Alberta will create new pandemic response units in Edmonton and Calgary as it augments intensive and non-intensive care beds for an expected hospitalization peak later this month.
Premier Jason Kenney said the province would open the response units at the Kaye Edmonton Clinic and South Health Campus by Monday, or sooner if needed. The beds would be used for patients needing "non-significant" care and symptom monitoring.
"The Omicron waves of transmission have typically peaked four weeks after they began," Kenney said, adding that the province is about five weeks from the start of the latest wave of infections.
"We can reasonably expect that we may now be beginning on the downslope," he said.
According to Kenney, wastewater COVID-19 testing shows a "significant" decline in the prevalence of the virus in 15 of 19 communities, including Edmonton and Calgary.
The province reported 3,527 new infections and 264 more hospital admissions, raising the total number of patients receiving care to 1,131 — including 108 in intensive care. That marks the third-highest number of patients in hospital to date.
Eight more deaths were reported on Thursday, pushing the pandemic total to 3,421.
