AHS FORECASTS DRASTIC RISE IN COVID-19 HOSPITALIZATIONS BY CHRISTMAS EVE

CALGARY – Jason Kenney and the UCP government must make all internal Alberta Health Services projections public as new data observed by the NDP Opposition indicates hospitalizations could rise more than 50 per cent in both major cities by Christmas Eve.

Standing in front of the Olympic Oval, one of the sites identified as a potential field hospital with space for 375 beds in the city, Alberta NDP Leader Rachel Notley called on the UCP government to stop hiding the data and publicly share the weekly internal projections for hospital capacity that AHS provides to the government.

“Jason Kenney walked the province into a holiday lockdown no one wanted — one that could have been avoided. Albertans deserve to know what’s at stake if we don’t all take the necessary precautions to limit the spread of COVID-19,” said Notley. “The Premier should stop hiding the data he is using to make decisions that impact Albertans’ lives, and respect them enough to trust them with the truth.” 

According to internal AHS projections, up to 324 Calgarians may be hospitalized and up to 58 will be in intensive care by Dec. 24th. Currently, 202 Calgarians are in hospital, and 36 are in the ICU. This represents a 60 per cent increase in hospitalizations and a 61 per cent increase in ICU admissions.

The numbers in Edmonton are more serious as 564 residents may spend Christmas in hospital and as many as 111 will be in intensive care, increases of 189 and 40 respectively. These projections represent a 50 per cent increase in both the rate of hospitalizations and ICU admissions.

“These numbers are very concerning at a time when the system is already at the breaking point. It never should have come to this. Jason Kenney failed to show leadership through this second wave and now he refuses to take responsibility. Albertans deserve better,” Notley said.

Jason Kenney previously committed to releasing the “R” value and a dashboard of undefined “health metrics” curated by a third-party contractor. Neither has been released to date.