Alberta confirms 1,828 cases of COVID-19, 15 additional deaths

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EDMONTON (660 NEWS) – Alberta has confirmed 1,828 new cases of COVID-19 and 15 additional deaths within the province.

A total of 590 Albertans have now died as a result of COVID-19.

Of the new 15 deaths, 12 were from the Edmonton zone, two were from the Calgary zone and one was from the Central zone.

WATCH: AHS says staffing will be a challenge at field hospitals

Seven of the deaths were linked to the outbreak at Edmonton Chinatown Care Centre and 10 cases showed confirmed additional health issues.

There are now 18,243 active cases within the province, 533 of which are in hospital and 99 in ICU.

In the latest Alberta COVID-19 update, President and CEO of Alberta Health Services Dr. Verna Yiu says they are currently working on a mobile medical unit plan and increasing the number of contract tracers in the province.

Alberta’s health care system is under significant stress, says Yiu, and work needs to be done to further bolster it.

“Added focus has been placed on increasing the number of contract tracers we have provincially. We are rapidly increasing our response to the unprecedented cases of COVID-19 in the province.”

There are currently more than 900 contract tracers in the province, up from 50 prior to the pandemic. Yiu says we are on track to have double that soon.

Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw says more still needs to be done to try and limit spread of the virus, especially coming up on the holiday season.

“This virus can spread quickly from one to many. In a month usually marked by festive gatherings, we feel the restrictions more keenly,” said Hinshaw.

“But I want to stress the seriousness of the rising case numbers we are seeing and how crucial it is that we reduce the spread and bend the curve back down.”

She reminds Albertans to try and use pickup shopping whenever possible while getting ready for the holidays and to obey current COVID-19 restrictions.

“Reduce as many in-person interactions with people outside of your household as possible.”

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