Alberta reports 4,618 new COVID-19 cases, 39 additional deaths since Friday

Alberta reported 4,618 new lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 over the past three days, putting the number of active infections in the province at 30,094. This is a decrease of 2,617 active cases since Friday’s count.

There were 2,106 new infections found on February 4, 1,389 on February 5, and 1,123 on February 6.

Including the new cases, there have been a total of 508,051 confirmed COVID-19 infections in Alberta over the course of the pandemic, with 474,284 cases now recovered.

Since Friday, 39 new deaths caused by the virus were reported, raising Alberta’s COVID-19 death toll to 3,673.

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There are 1,542 people in hospital with COVID-19, a decrease of 42 since Friday. This includes 118 people in intensive care.

Of those in hospital, 25.1% have had three doses of vaccine, 40.27% have had two doses, and 4.67% have had one dose. Unvaccinated individuals make up 29.96% of COVID-19 hospitalizations.

As of February 6, 89.9% of Alberta’s eligible population over the age of 12 have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 86.2% are fully vaccinated.

A total of 8,376,671 doses of vaccine have been administered in the province, and 180,562 children aged five to 11 have received at least one dose of pediatric vaccine.

Premier Jason Kenney is expected to reveal when Albertans will see the end of COVID-19 public health restrictions this week.

Early next week, the COVID cabinet committee will approve a plan to lift restrictions, starting with the Restrictions Exemption Program.

We can – and must – get on with our lives, restore our freedoms, and live with joy, not fear.

📽 WATCH: ⬇ pic.twitter.com/Rm3zNp0G27

— Jason Kenney (@jkenney) February 4, 2022

Last week, Kenney announced that the first thing to go would be the province’s Restriction Exemption Program (REP).

“The REP has done its job,” Kenney said during a press conference. “Vaccines are still tremendously powerful in preventing severe outcomes and the single best thing you can do to keep things open is to get your booster shot.”

Kenney added that the province is better positioned to manage future waves of COVID-19 due to high vaccination rates and other COVID-19 medications.

“We will lay out a simple phased plan to remove almost all public health restrictions later this month,” the premier said.

Alberta’s chief medical officer of health, Dr. Deena Hinshaw, agreed during Thursday’s press conference that Alberta would eventually be approaching COVID-19 through an endemic lens.

“This is the direction we need to move. This is a shift in thinking that can be challenging,” said Hinshaw, adding that once the Omicron wave subsides, the province can shift to an endemic model.

With files from Laine Mitchell