Alberta reports highest number of active COVID-19 cases since pandemic began

During a Thursday afternoon press conference, the province reported that 2,048 additional COVID-19 infections were discovered in the last 24 hours, marking over three consecutive weeks of more than 1,000 new cases being found each day.

There are now 21,385 active cases in Alberta, the highest number of active infections that has been seen in the province since the pandemic began.

Of the new infections, 1,329 were variants of concern, representing well over half of the cases discovered in the last 24 hours.

This brings the province’s active variant total to 13,460, which is nearly 63% of all active cases.

A total of 632 people are in hospital due to the virus, including 151 individuals in intensive care.

Dr. Hinshaw also noted that three new deaths related to the virus were reported in the past 24 hours, raising Alberta’s death toll to 2,075.

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Also on Thursday, the Alberta government announced an expansion to its COVID-19 vaccination rollout strategy.

Beginning at 8 am on Friday, April 30, all remaining Albertans eligible in Phase 2C and Phase 2D can begin booking appointments to receive their immunization.

This includes:

• Residents and support staff at eligible congregate living settings and workplaces at risk for large outbreaks
• Caregivers of Albertans who are most at risk of severe outcomes
• Firefighters and frontline policing and provincial sheriffs who interact with residents at shelters, correctional facilities and remand centres, and Canadian Border Security Agency staff
• Albertans born 1957 to 1971
• First Nations, Métis and Inuit (FNMI) persons born 1972 to 1986 (turning 35 to 49), no matter where they live.

Additionally, Banff and Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo residents aged 30 or older can schedule an appointment to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine.

As of April 27, 288,595 Albertans are considered fully immunized with two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, and a total of 1,497,256 doses have been administered in the province.