COVID-19: Alberta reports youngest pandemic death, more than 1,000 Albertans in hospital

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Alberta has reported its youngest death from COVID-19 to date, as hospitalizations and ICU admissions hit new records.

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An 18-year-old from the Central Zone was among the 20 deaths reported Wednesday.

“This is a tragic moment for our society because it didn’t have to be this way and this person, who otherwise would have had a good life, died because he lived in Alberta and I feel sorry for this person’s parents, friends and family,” he said. Dr. Joe Vipond during a live broadcast of Protect our Province.

More than 1,000 Albertans are hospitalized due to the virus for the first time. The province announced a record 1,040 hospitalizations on Wednesday, an increase of 44 from the previous day. The number of intensive care units also saw an increase with 230 Albertans in the ICU.

The provincial government approached Ottawa on Tuesday for help relocating COVID-19 patients to other provinces if necessary. Prime Minister Jason Kenney told the media on Tuesday that the request was just a precaution.

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“Currently we do not need the support and we do not have an immediate need, but it is wise to plan things in case we get to the worst case,” Kenney said.

NDP leader Rachel Notley responded Tuesday to the prime minister’s claim calling it false and that the UCP’s call for help is “inexcusably late.” He added that hospitals needed the additional intensive care staff requested in the government’s call for help weeks ago.

The province reported 1,336 new cases of the virus on Wednesday, bringing the number of active cases in Alberta to 20,304, including 5,606 in the Edmonton area and 5,389 in the Calgary area.

The province entered the second day of operation of its restriction waiver program, and as of the end of Tuesday, 81.8 percent of Albertans ages 12 and older have received at least one dose of the COVID- vaccine. 19. Seventy-three percent of Albertans who qualify, or 62.1 percent of the province’s population, are fully vaccinated.

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Meanwhile, a group that oversees the practice of medicine in Alberta says it has told at least seven doctors who were spreading misinformation about COVID-19 that their behavior was unprofessional.

Scott McLeod, a registrar for the Alberta College of Physicians and Surgeons, says the regulator has also spoken with doctors who gave in to pressure from patients who wanted an exemption letter, not based on clinical evidence, to avoid having to wear masks or vaccines.

McLeod says the university will release a letter this week addressed to doctors and the public to reiterate its support for vaccines and public health restrictions put in place to try to slow the spread of COVID-19.

The university says the doctors who were warned had been spreading misinformation on social media platforms or elsewhere.

McLeod says it’s disappointing to see such behavior, noting that it has a significant effect because doctors have a powerful voice in society.

He adds that the number of doctors who paint a false narrative in the province is unprecedented.

McLeod says that if doctors don’t stick to the basic science that describes how to protect people during a pandemic, the public and other doctors can file an official complaint with the university.

– With files from The Canadian Press

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