Alberta's daily COVID-19 cases creep up with 543 new infections

Alberta’s number of COVID-19 hospitalizations and daily cases crept up Friday with 543 new infections discovered.

Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw also announced 14 new virus-related deaths, bringing Alberta’s death toll to 1,620.

The province’s hospitalizations have been slowly but steadily falling over the last couple of weeks, but on Friday that number rose slightly with 593 people admitted to hospital — three more than the day before. There are now 110 people in the ICU.

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Hinshaw also announced 12 more cases of variant COVID-19 strains. The province has now seen 31 cases of the UK strain and six of the South African strain.

All but three of the new variant infections are tied to travel. The three from community transmission are in people who live in the same household as the first case of community transmission identified on Monday.

The province also announced it would loosen restrictions on schools, indoor dining, and adult fitness starting in early February.