The BA.2 subvariant of Omicron now claims the top spot as the dominant strain of COVID in Alberta. Though cases of the BA.2 subvariant are on the rise, hospitalizations and active cases of COVID continue downwards. 

According to Health Minister Jason Copping, looking at hospitalization numbers today, there are 956 people in the hospital with COVID-19 including 56 people in ICU. 

“I'm also pleased to report that COVID-19 outbreaks in hospitals have fallen significantly since the peak in mid-February. At the peak, 38 acute care facilities had active outbreaks, and as a Monday, March 21, only 11 facilities reported active outbreaks with minimal impact on patients.” 

Copping also touched on current surgical waitlists, saying it is stable at around 76,350 this week compared to 78,400 at the beginning of last month. 

“For context, the waitlist was 68,000 in February of 2020 before the pandemic and at its peak, after the fourth wave, it was at 81,600.” 

Copping did say the current surgical waitlist is still too long and they are working to make it shorter. 

Dr. Deena Hinshaw mentioned the changes in reporting COVID numbers. 

“This is our first week transitioning from daily to weekly reporting. Due to this transition, the numbers shared today include four days from Friday to Monday. Next Wednesday, and every week going forward, our reporting periods will cover seven days from Tuesday to Monday of the following week.” 

According to Hinshaw, the average positivity rate for COVID-19 is 23.5 per cent with an average of five deaths per day related to COVID-19 with the individuals being between the ages of 54-94. 

“As of March 21, approximately 60 per cent of positive cases are BA.2 so it is now the dominant strain of Omicron in the province. Although inherently more transmissible than BA.1 so far, there is no evidence of it causing more severe disease than BA.1 based on clinical data from South Africa, United Kingdom, Denmark, and Ontario.” 

Hinshaw says with BA.2 being more transmissible it can have a large impact at a population level, even if the risk of severe outcomes is the same or lower for individuals, and we should expect to see transmission trending upwards in the coming weeks. 

Hinshaw reminded Albertans to get their vaccines and boosters as it will help protect them COVID-19. 

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