LAKELAND - The number of active cases of COVID-19 in the Lakeland appears to be decreasing according to the Government of Alberta's provincial map.
While the St. Paul region was once the area with the most active cases, the number has dropped to 32 active cases as of Wednesday. The neighbouring region of Smoky Lake, is also down to 25 active cases.
According to the Feb. 2 update from Saddle Lake Cree Nation, the community had just two active cases, although a notice from Feb. 3 mentions that the community's elementary school will be closed from Feb. 3 to Feb. 5 to ensure a deep cleaning of the school could be done, due to a COVID-19 exposure.
The nearby high school was not affected by the closure.
The MD of Bonnyville region is reporting 59 active cases of COVID-19, and the Cold Lake region is reporting 36 active cases of the virus.
To the north, the Lac La Biche region is reporting 41 active cases. That region has seen the highest number of deaths in the Lakeland. Eight deaths have been reported, according to the provincial map, when shown by municipality.
According to the Feb. 3 provincial update, 259 new cases were identified in the past 24 hours, across Alberta.
There are 539 people in hospital due to COVID-19, including 94 in intensive care.
The number of cases of variants of the virus first identified overseas is also being done weekly now.
"As of Feb. 1, Alberta has identified 50 cases of the variant first identified in the United Kingdom and seven cases of the variant first identified in South Africa," according to the provincial update.
In the last 24 hours, there were 11 additional COVID-related deaths reported in Alberta, including one on Nov. 9, one on Dec. 17, one on Jan. 2, one on Jan. 3, five on Feb. 1, and two on Feb. 2.
Last week, the province released a "road map" outlining four steps that will see public health measures relaxed as hospital admissions decrease. A minimum of three weeks will be kept between the steps.
Step one is still set to begin on Feb. 8, which includes restaurants being allowed to offer dine-in services, one-on-one indoor fitness can resume, and indoor and outdoor children's sports and performances can take place if they are related to the school curriculum.
The province will move to step two once there are fewer than 450 hospitalizations. Step three will occur when there are fewer than 300 hospitalizations, and step four will occur when there are fewer than 150 hospitalizations.
