Alberta reports over 2,000 new cases of COVID-19 for second day in a row

Alberta reported 2,007 additional COVID-19 cases on Friday, raising the number of active cases in the province to 21,828.

Of the new cases, 989 were variants of concern, which is much less than Thursday’s count of 1,329. Alberta currently has 13,440 active COVID-19 variant cases, representing nearly 62% of the province’s total active infections.

The number of hospitalizations in the province due to the virus has increased by 17 since Thursday, to 649. This includes 152 Albertans in intensive care.

Seven new deaths related to COVID-19 were reported over the last 24 hours, bringing the province’s death toll to 2,082.

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On Friday, April 30, the province put new regional measures in place for areas experiencing high COVID-19 case counts. This included restrictions for indoor fitness and indoor sport, performance, and recreation activities in COVID-19 hotspots.

Additionally, beginning Monday, May 3, all grade 7 to 12 student in these areas must shift to online learning.

Also on Friday, Alberta expanded its COVID-19 vaccine rollout program to include all individuals who qualify under Phases 2C and 2D.

This made residents and support staff at congregate living settings and workplaces, caregivers of Albertans who are at risk of severe outcomes, firefighters, and frontline policing and provincial sheriffs eligible, among others.

Residents of Banff and the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo aged 30 or older can also begin scheduling their appointments to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine.

As of April 29, a total of 1,562,713 doses of the COVID-19 have been administered in the province, while 296,290 Albertans are considered fully immunized with two doses.