Fort McMurray’s active total of COVID-19 cases is seeing another big jump.

The province announced on Thursday 1,857 new cases in the province over the past 24 hours.

There are currently 19,182 active cases across Alberta, while there have been a total of 177,087 positive tests. There are also 518 Albertans in the hospital for the virus, 116 of which are in ICUs.

Locally, Fort McMurray added 196 new cases and 90 recoveries in the past 48 hours which raises the active total to 939.

The rural areas added one new case and recovery, keeping the total of active cases at 20.

Wood Buffalo National Park remains at zero active cases.

The region is currently the worst in the province when it comes to spread of the virus.

The RMWB is averaging nearly 1,150 cases per 100,000 individuals. In comparison, the worst areas of Calgary and Edmonton are at 689 and 562 cases per 100,000 respectively.

In total, 2,415 individuals across the RMWB – 2,260 in Fort McMurray, 145 in the rural areas, and 10 in Wood Buffalo National Park – have recovered.

They are among the 155,851 who’ve recovered across the province. This represents over 88 per cent of reported cases.

There were also six new deaths from COVID-19 in Alberta over the past 24 hours – raising the total at 2,054.

To date, four individuals in Fort McMurray have died as a result of the virus.

School Update

Seven schools are seeing individuals test positive for COVID-19.

Separate individuals at Holy Trinity, St. Martha, Father Beauregard, Father Turcotte, St. Gabriel, and Ecole St. Paul have contracted the virus. Two individuals with ties to Father Mercredi have also contracted the virus.

Alberta Health Services will be in contact with anyone who need to self-isolate.

St. Martha, Father Beauregard, Father Turcotte, St. Gabriel, and Ecole St. Paul will remain open.

All students at Holy Trinity and Father Mercredi, as well as grades 4 to 6 at St. Gabriel, will continue virtual learning for the rest of the month.