10 Delta variant cases connected to outbreak at Calgary hospital were fully immunized
Alberta’s top doctor confirms 10 people connected to COVID-19 Delta variant outbreaks at Calgary’s Foothill Medical Centre were fully immunized before testing positive for the disease.
“What we're monitoring now is whether or not they had, as we would expect, a milder course of illness,” said Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta’s chief medical officer of health, during Thursday’s provincial COVID-19 briefing.
According to Alberta Health Services, one dose of an mRNA vaccine — like Pfizer and Moderna— offers 73 per cent protection against the alpha variant. That immunity bumps up to 91 per cent with a second dose.
When it comes to the Delta variant strain, first identified in India, a first dose offers 33 per cent protection, and second dose 88 per cent.
“While we can see a few cases that have broken through the vaccine, the vast majority of people who are vaccinated will have protection,” said Hinshaw.
As of Friday, AHS confirms 16 cases of the B.1.617.2 variant in patients on two units at Foothills Medical Centre. Six healthcare workers have also tested positive for the variant.
Six of the patient cases and five health-care workers had received two doses of vaccine prior to becoming sick while seven patients and one health-care worker had just one dose.
MAJORITY HAVE MILD SYMPTOMS
AHS says while the spread of the variant is a concern at both hospitals, most of the infected individuals have only had mild symptoms of the disease.
"It’s important to remember that even after immunization, it’s still possible to contract COVID-19. However, if immunized with either one or two doses, people are less likely to experience severe illness or require hospitalization," said Kerry Williamson, executive director of communications with AHS.
"For example, in the case of these two outbreaks, only one of the 22 people have required ICU care. The majority of both patients and healthcare workers have experienced mild symptoms."
Williamson adds vaccines are 33 per cent effective against Delta variant after the first dose and 80 per cent effective following the second.
The hospital has experienced several outbreaks over the course of the pandemic, but this is the first involving the Delta variant.
The hospital remains open and has capacity to treat all patients, though AHS said the two units affected by the outbreaks are not accepting admissions. Patient transfers to long-term care centres from the two units with the Delta variant are also on hold.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
A newspaper says video of Prince William and Kate should halt royal rumour mill. That's a tall order
Prince William and his wife Catherine have been filmed at a farm shop near their Windsor home, The Sun newspaper reported -- the first footage of Kate since she had abdominal surgery for an unspecified condition two months ago.
'You ask for your money, they disappear': Ontario man loses $17K to AI crypto scam
A Toronto man is spreading the word of a cryptocurrency scam that lures victims using AI-generated news sites after he lost $17,000 in investments.
Hertz CEO out following electric car 'horror show'
The company, which announced in January it was selling 20,000 of the electric vehicles in its fleet, or about a third of the EVs it owned, is now replacing the CEO who helped build up that fleet, giving it the company’s fifth boss in just four years.
High thoughts: The habits of Canadian cannabis users are revealed in a new StatCan report
Statistics Canada has conducted a series of surveys to measure the impacts of legalized cannabis since the Cannabis Act took effect in 2018. The latest one, the 2023 National Cannabis Survey, sheds light on users' preferences and habits last year.
Demand soars for solar eclipse glasses in Canada. Are they worth buying?
The demand for total solar eclipse glasses used to safely view the rare celestial event has been ramping up as sellers, along with astronomy and eye-care experts in Canada, warn that viewing the eclipse with the naked eye is dangerous.
Trump says Jews who vote for Democrats 'hate Israel' and their religion
Former U.S. president Donald Trump on Monday charged that Jews who vote for Democrats 'hate Israel' and hate 'their religion,' igniting a firestorm of criticism from the White House and Jewish leaders.
Toronto family doctor who called patient's body 'perfect' suspended for 3 months: tribunal
A family doctor in Toronto has been suspended for three months after a disciplinary tribunal found that he failed to follow proper protocols while examining a patient's breasts and made inappropriate comments about her body.
Freddie Mercury's home is on the market for first time since 1980 minus his 'exquisite clutter'
Freddie Mercury's sanctuary in London, where he lived the last decade of his life, is on sale for the first time in nearly half a century -- minus his "exquisite clutter."
'The lost season': Winter comes to a close as Canada's warmest on record
The warmest winter on record could have far-reaching effects on everything from wildfire season to erosion, climatologists say, while offering a preview of what the season could resemble in the not-so-distant future unless steps are taken to cut greenhouse gas emissions.