Alberta reports 516 new COVID-19 cases, 4 new deaths Thursday

Alberta public health officials reported 516 new COVID-19 cases and four more deaths Thursday.

The new deaths push the total number of COVID-19 deaths reported in Alberta throughout thepandemic to3,137.

There are now6,515 known active cases across the province, a decline of 178 cases sinceWednesday's update.

Here's how active cases break down regionally:

• Calgary zone: 1,771
• Edmonton zone: 1,468
• North zone: 1,402
• Central zone: 1,176
• South zone: 695
• Unknown: 3

The new cases reported Thursday were detected on12,388tests, with a test-positivity rate around 4.4 per cent.

The North zone had the highest test-positivity rate, with 10.37 per cent of COVID-19 tests returning positive results.

About 59 per cent of new COVID-19 cases are people who are not vaccinated against the illness.

Hospitalizations continue to decline. As of Thursday's update, there are 677 people in hospital with COVID-19, including 146 patients in intensive care units.Of the ICU patients, 89 per centare unvaccinated or partially vaccinated

Amonth ago, Alberta hospitals were treating1,079 patients for COVID-19, 257 of whom required critical care.

The province did not have up-to-date vaccination information due to a technical issue for the second time this week.

As of Wednesday's update, 80.6 per cent of eligible Albertans have received two doses of COVID-19 vaccine; 87.2 per cent of have received their first jab.