Active cases of COVID-19 in Alberta reach highest level since May 12

Alberta now has more than 1,100 active cases of COVID-19, the highest number seen in the province since May 12.

The latest update from Alberta Health, released Monday, reported three more COVID-19 deaths,bringing the total in the province to 170.

The numbers have been climbing steadily in recentdays.The province reported 165 new cases on Friday, 106 on Saturday and another 97 on Sunday.

That brought the total number of active cases to 1,109.

The three most recent deaths were: a man in his 90s, linked to the outbreak at Generations Calgary; a woman in her 90s, and a man in his 70s, both linked to an outbreak at the Misericordia hospital in Edmonton.

As of Monday, hospitals in Alberta were treating 86 people for the respiratory illness, with 17 of those patients in ICU beds.

Both of those numbers are up since Friday, when 68 people were in hospital, 13 of them in intensive care.

Most of the new cases reported over the past three days were in the Calgary zone. As of Monday's update, the regional breakdown of active cases was:

• Calgary zone: 553, up from 385 on Friday.
• Edmonton zone: 225, up from 213 on Friday.
• South zone: 119, up from 99 on Friday.
• Central zone: 131, up from 92 on Friday.
• North zone: 76, up from 64 on Friday.
• Unknown: five, down one since Friday.

Thirteen areas in the province wereunder watches:

• Calgary-Centre
• Calgary-Elbow
• Calgary-Upper Northeast
• Edmonton-Duggan
• Cardston County
• Clear Hills County
• County of Stettler
• Kneehill County
• Mackenzie County
• MD of Pincher Creek
• MD of Willow Creek
• Town of Drumheller
• Wheatland County.

The "watch" designation means the area has more than 50 active cases per 100,000 residents.

The 368 new cases reported between Friday and Sunday followed120 new cases on Thursday, which marked the first time since May 2 that the province reported more than 100 new cases.

Alberta has now reported more than 100 new cases on three of the last four days, with an average of 122 per day over that time period.

Dr. Deena Hinshaw, the province's chief medical officer of health, called Thursday's case number "concerning" and said she was worried that it might be a sign that Albertans were becoming complacent.

"I think this is a reflection of many people feeling that they are tired of the restrictions," Hinshaw said Thursday during her most recent news conference.

Alberta's top doctor is scheduled to hold another news conference on Tuesday. CBC News will carry it live.

Provincial labs have completed 590,502tests as of Monday's update.