Alberta reports 785 new cases of COVID-19 and 13 additional deaths
Nine deaths linked to outbreaks at continuing care facilities
On Friday, the province reported 13 more deaths due to COVID-19 and 785 new cases of the disease.
Alberta currently has 12,189 active cases of the illness.
Provincial labs completed 13,575 tests for the disease Thursday with a positivity rate of 5.5 per cent.
Of the 13 deaths reported Friday, nine were linked to outbreaks at continuing care facilities. One death was linked to an outbreak at Dulcina Hospice Calgary and another to the outbreak at the William J. Cadzow Lac La Biche Healthcare Centre.
So far 1,402 Albertans have died of COVID-19.
On Thursday, there were 796 people in hospital with the illness, 10 fewer people than Wednesday, 124 of them in intensive care.
Here is how the active cases break down among health zones:
- Calgary zone: 4,657 cases
- Edmonton zone: 4,355 cases
- North zone: 1,624 cases
- Central zone: 1,155 cases
- South zone: 383 cases
- Unknown: 15 cases
A total of 74,110 doses of vaccine had been administered by the end of the day on Thursday.
Alberta will ease some public health restrictions starting on Monday, allowing hair salons, barbershops and other personal-services businesses to reopen by appointment only.
Also starting on Jan. 18, up to 10 people will be allowed to gather outdoors, and up to 20 people will be allowed to attend funerals provided all who attend wear masks and maintain two metres of physical distancing.
Indoor gatherings remain prohibited and funeral receptions are still not allowed.