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Alberta COVID-19 BA.2 variant cases starting to wind down in the province

Jason Copping speaks at a live COVID-19 update as the province's Minister of Health. (Courtesy Alberta Health) 2021/09/21/MicrosoftTeams-image.png 2021/09/21/MicrosoftTeams-image.png 2021/09/21/MicrosoftTeams-image.png

Have we seen the peak of the BA.2, COVID wave in Alberta?

Health Minister Jason Copping held the province’s weekly COVID update Wednesday and he says numbers from AHS indicate infections are on the decline in the province.

“Over the past week, our average positivity rate is 25.7 per cent. That’s lower than most of the past month and signals we may be plateauing. Wastewater signals remain high at many sites including Calgary. But some areas are seeing a plateau or decline over the past week,” said Copping.

Those centers include Canmore, Banff, Red Deer, Edmonton and Grande Prairie.

The province reported 62 Albertans died from COVID-19 over the last week, an average of around nine per day.

WATCH: Alberta health update – Apr. 27

Hospitalizations jumped by nearly 100 to 1,220, but ICU case numbers remain flat.

Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw was asked in today’s update about packed arenas, bars and parties for playoff games in Calgary and Edmonton next week.

She had this advice if you’ve got a ticket to the game. “If someone is feeling ill at all. If they feel like they have a sore throat, runny nose, or cough they should absolutely not attend the game.”

With the Flames and Edmonton Oilers about to host playoff games — which, will presumably be sell-outs — the chief medical officer of health has a warning for mingling in big crowds.

“We do still have legal isolation orders in place that require those who have a respiratory illness to be at home and away from others. So that would be one thing again that would be important to consider to minimize the chances that someone who is actively infectious would be attending,” said Hinshaw.

Health Minister Jason Copping says numbers from ahs indicate the latest wave of COVID infections is on the decline in the province.