341 new cases of COVID-19 recorded in Alberta, along with 1 additional death

Alberta reported 341 new cases of COVID-19 around the province on Saturdayand one additional death.

This brings the total of active cases up to 4,649, 10 more total casesfrom the day before.

Across the province, there are currently 247 in hospitaland 42 in intensive care.

On Saturday, the province also reported 36 new cases of the COVID-19 variant that was first detected in the United Kingdom, after 22 new cases of the variant were reported the previous day. The total number of active variant cases in the province is now 599.

Provincial labs completed 8,142 tests for the disease on Friday, for a positivity rate of 4.1 per cent.

Authority for Alberta's peace officers to enforce public health orders will be reinstated, the province announced in a bulletin on Thursday, after temporary COVID-19 enforcement power expired on Feb. 25.

Justice Minister Kaycee Madu decided to issue the order after further consideration,according to thebulletin.

However, because there is no current declared provincial state of emergency, peace officers and their employers must consent to enforcing the orders of Alberta's chief medical officer of healththrough the Public Health Act.

Alberta Justice did not immediately respond to inquiries on Saturday as to what prompted the minister to reconsider the enforcement authority.

The regional breakdown of active cases on Saturday was:

• Calgary Zone - 1,659
• Edmonton Zone - 1,154
• North Zone - 958
• Central Zone - 511
• South Zone - 353
• Unknown - 14

Since the first case hit Alberta one year ago, 135,537 people in Alberta have tested positive for the virusand 1,914 have died.

As of Friday,282,674 dosesof vaccine had been administered.

The next live update from Dr. Deena Hinshaw, the province's chief medical officer of health, will beMarch 8.