Alberta revises COVID-19 modelling, health orders could be loosened in May

EDMONTON (660 NEWS) – Alberta Premier Jason Kenney says a plan to reopen the economy is set to be released in the coming days as the province has seen fewer hospitalizations of COVID-19 than previously projected.

This also led to the province revisiting its COVID-19 modelling and introduce a new and more realistic scenario of what Alberta might experience.

The new “low” projections indicated 298 people will require hospitalization, including 95 in intensive care when the virus reaches its peak. At Tuesday’s daily COVID-19 update there were 82 hospitalizations with 21 people in ICU.

“I’m pleased to say that our updated COVID-19 data and modelling shows that our efforts to reduce the peaks of the virus are working,” the premier said.

“While this is good news we must, of course, remain vigilant.”

The original ‘probable’ and ‘elevated’ scenarios were also updated.

Under probable, the province predicts 596 Albertans would require hospitalization, which is down from 818. Around 190 people would be in intensive care, down from 232.

The elevated scenario predicts 745 people would need hospitalization, down from the original prediction of 1,570.

The updated scenarios continue to estimate that Alberta’s outbreak will reach its peak in late May.

Alberta reported five more deaths from COVID-19 on Tuesday bringing the provincial death toll to 80.

Alberta recorded 154 new cases for a total of 4,850. Of these, 1,800 have recovered. Alberta reported five more deaths from COVID-19 on Tuesday bringing the provincial death toll to 80.

Alberta recorded 154 new cases for a total of 4,850. Of these, 1,800 have recovered.