52 Hatters have died from COVID in 66 days

By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on October 21, 2021.

https://www.medicinehatnews.com@MedicineHatNews

The number of COVID-19 cases in Medicine Hat has well surpassed the number of seats in the Medicine Hat Arena, while 52 deaths from the respiratory infection have been recorded in just the past 66 days.

A total of 4,005 recoveries in those with a City of Medicine Hat address had been diagnosed as of Monday night, one fewer then the well-known seating capacity of the arena that is set for demolition this fall.

Another 15 new cases were reported in Wednesday’s update from Alberta Health Services, which when mixed with recoveries, deaths and active cases, brings total cases since the pandemic began in March 2020 to 4,330.

Two thirds of cases have come in the last two months.

New figures also show the number of active cases, 232, are dropping, as recoveries outpace new infections, but that is happening as Medicine Hat also experienced its deadliest weekend of the pandemic.

Five new deaths were recorded in two-day combined figures released on Monday. Another death in Wednesday’s data brings the total to 74 COVID-related fatalities.

The first two local cases were registered on March 19 in 2020, the same day the first death in Alberta, an Edmonton man, was recorded.

The first local death occurred on July 2, 2020, and one year later the death count sat at 22 after the Canada Day long weekend when most public health restrictions were lifted in the province. Active cases at the time were just four and total cases numbered 1,263.

The next death occurred on Aug. 14 weekend as local cases began to rise steeply in the fourth wave. Local active cases spiked near 700 in late September.

11
-10