Fourth person linked to Extendicare Bonnyville COVID-19 outbreak dies

A fourth person linked to Extendicare Bonnyville has passed away during the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak.

Alberta Health spokesperson Tom McMillan confirmed that a male in his 80s from the facility was one of 12 new deaths reported by the province on Tuesday.

There have been six COVID-related deaths within the M.D. of Bonnyville, as reported on the province’s virus data map.

Fifty-four total cases are linked to the long-term care home, with 20 active among residents and staff as of Monday.

Within municipalities in the Lakeland, the M.D. of Bonnyville has the most active cases currently with 53, a drop of 14 active cases from Monday.

There is 34 active cases within Lac La Biche County and 26 active cases within the City of Cold Lake.

In Vermilion River County, 21 cases are active. There is an active outbreak at Vermilion Continuing Care where there are 11 active cases and three deaths associated with the outbreak, said Alberta Health.

Nineteen cases are active in Smoky Lake County and 15 are active in the County of St. Paul.

There is three cases active in Two Hills County.

Provincially, on Tuesday, chief medical officer Dr. Deena Hinshaw confirmed 195 new cases after over 7000 tests, the lowest single-day increase in months.

The provincial positivity rate is now 3.2 per cent.

There are 427 people in hospital, including 78 in ICUs. Over the last 24 hrs, 12 new deaths were reported.

Alberta Health has detected 104 variant cases, 97 of the one first identified in the United Kingdom, and seven first seen in South Africa.