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Alberta reports 1,433 new COVID-19 cases, as province's total active cases decline

Alberta set a new pace for its vaccine rollout Thursday, administering almost 64,000 doses. The province expanded eligibility this week to everyone over 12.  (Alberta Health Services - image credit)
Alberta set a new pace for its vaccine rollout Thursday, administering almost 64,000 doses. The province expanded eligibility this week to everyone over 12. (Alberta Health Services - image credit)

Alberta reported 1,433 new COVID-19 cases on Friday as the province set a new pace for its vaccination rollout.

Health minister Tyler Shandro said Alberta administered 63,953 vaccine doses on Thursday, its highest single-day total to date. While it took Alberta 119 days to administer a million doses, Shandro said the province hit two million doses in 29 days.

Active cases dropped by 713 on Friday, with 23,873 being reported across the province. The number of people with COVID-19 in hospital also declined by nine to 713, with 177 of those patients in intensive care.

The province reported five new COVID-19 deaths Friday, bringing the total to 2,137.

Hinshaw said Thursday it would be presumptuous to declare the province is on the other side of the third wave but noted there are some encouraging signs. The province's test positivity rate, an oft-cited indicator of community transmission, has trended down alongside the number of daily new cases in recent days.

The reported positivity rate fell Friday to just shy of 10 per cent, the first time it was under double-digits in over two weeks.

Here is how the province's active cases breakdown by health zone:

  • Calgary zone: 11,367

  • Edmonton zone: 5,278

  • North zone: 3,496

  • Central zone: 2,500

  • South zone: 1,216

  • Unknown: 16

As of Friday's update, nearly 40 per cent of Albertans had received their first vaccine dose, while just over seven per cent had have both doses.

Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada's chief public health officer, said provinces should only start to lift public health restrictions once at least 75 per cent of adults have had at least one vaccine dose and 20 per cent are fully vaccinated. After reaching that milestone, she said Canadians can safely enjoy picnics, small backyard BBQs and drinks on a patio.

Here is the percentage of people in each health zone with at least one vaccine dose:

  • Calgary zone: 39.7

  • Edmonton zone: 42.1

  • North zone: 30.1

  • Central zone: 35.9

  • South zone: 40.1