Alberta reports 2,007 new COVID-19 cases, 7 more deaths

Alberta reported 2,007 new cases Friday, the second highest single-daycount for the provincesince the pandemic began.

Friday's number was down slightly from Thursday's count of2,048, which was the province'speak for COVID-19 cases.

The number of active cases hit 21,828, an increase of 443from the day before and another high mark for the pandemic in Alberta. During the second wave, active cases in the province peaked at 20,976 on Dec. 13.

Another 989 cases of highly contagious variants of concern were also reported. Variants now account for 61.6per cent of all active cases in the province.

Alberta hospitals were treating 649patients with COVID-19, up 17 from the day before. There were 152patients in ICU beds, the highest number of COVID-19 patients in intensive care that province has seen.

Seven more deaths were recorded Friday bring the total number of deaths in Alberta due to COVID-19to 2,082.

The number doses of COVID-19 vaccine administered in the province is 1,562,713.

As the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic set new records on Thursday, Alberta's premier announced targeted public-health measures intended to slow the spread of the disease.

Junior and senior high schools in targeted communities will move to at-home learning andindoor fitness and sports are shut down.

The targeted communities includesEdmonton, Calgary, Fort McMurray, Red Deer, Grande Prairie, Airdrie, Lethbridge andStrathcona County. St. Albert was added to the list Friday.

Premier Jason Kenneywarned Albertansif the curve continues to rise, more stringent measures, including curfews, might be necessary.

This how active cases in the province break down among health zones:

• Calgary zone: 9,184
• Edmonton zone: 5,992
• North zone: 3,094
• Central zone: 2,425
• South zone: 1,098
• Unknown: 35

St. Albert added to provincial hot spot list

St. Alberthit261 active cases on Friday, surpassing thebenchmark of 250 to be added to the provincial hot spot list.

Mayor Cathy Heron said the city, which borders Edmonton to the northwest,was ready to apply the new restrictions.

"We're ready to shut the pools down, shut the gyms down," she said in an interview Friday morning, when the city was just five active cases shy of the threshold.

"I think there might be some sense of relief for the schools, because they have been bouncing like a ping pong ball between one class being at home, one class not, and struggling with finding resources."

Heron praised the geographic approach to new restrictions but joined Edmonton Mayor Don Iveson in calling for the province to apply the rules across the entireregion, rather than by distinct municipalities.

But south of Edmonton in Leduc, Mayor Bob Young was pleased indoor fitness and schools could remain open. He says only locals will be allowed to reserve space at recreation facilities in an effort to stop groups from nearby hot spots areas from circumventing the restrictions.

"We're booking local groups and we're not entertaining any outside groups," Young said. "We certainly don't want to do anything that encourages all sorts of travel in the region."

All indoor fitness, already restricted to one-on-one training across the province, is prohibited in the targetedareas. All youth indoor sport, performance and recreation activities are also restricted in hot spot zones. Outside hot spots, youth groups can meet and train indoors under some capacity and physical distancing restrictions.

As of Friday, Leduc has 204 active cases, 46 below the provincial threshold.