Although vaccinations will be rolling out shortly, Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw is still asking Albertans not to take risks when it comes to COVID-19. 

The vaccine will require two doses spaced one month apart in order to be fully effective. Additionally, it will still take some time before the majority of Albertans are immunized from COVID-19.  

The reproduction rate or R-value for Alberta over the last seven days has been 0.98 which could mean good things for the province. 

“What last week’s values seem to indicate is that cases plateaued over the week. This is certainly better than an increase but as the minister mentioned a plateau is not enough and a single week’s R-value does not tell us about a trend,” explained Hinshaw.  

The province’s success does not just depend on the R-value but also depends on alleviating the current stress on the healthcare system. 

“What we need to achieve together is several weeks of an R-value well below one and a corresponding decrease in new case numbers,” explained Hinshaw. 

December 14th new case numbers:

  • 1,887 new cases of the virus in the last 24 hours
  • 21,123 active cases in Alberta
  • 716 people are hospitalized with COVID-19
  • 136 people have been admitted to ICU’s with COVID-19
  • 60,130 total recovered cases
  • 15 new deaths in the last 24 hours
  • 733 total deaths from the virus
  • Provincial positivity rate is greater than 8 per cent

Active case numbers in Central Alberta area:

  • 65 active cases in Lacombe County
  • 32 active case in the City of Lacombe
  • 408 active cases in the City of Red Deer
  • 105 active cases in Red Deer County
  • 254 active cases in Ponoka County
  • 55 active cases in the Town of Sylvan Lake
  • 22 active cases in Stettler County
  • 35 active case in Mountain View County

*Not all cases in the Central Zone have been included.