COVID-19 in Alberta: 4 more deaths, 516 new cases reported

COVID-19 driving health spending across Canada The pandemic has increased health spending in all territories and provinces, according to a new report by the CIHI.

EDMONTON — Alberta reported 516 new cases of COVID-19 and four more deaths on Thursday.

After completing more than 12,300 tests, the province says there are 6,515 active cases. The provincial positivity rate is at 4.98 per cent.

The four deaths increased the province's toll to 3,137 since the pandemic started.

There are 677 Albertans in hospital with COVID-19, including 146 in intensive care.

The Edmonton zone continues to have the most patients in ICU with 70. The Calgary zone has 39 people in ICU. The Central and South zones have 16 and 13, respectively. The North zone has eight patients in ICU.

The Calgary zone leads the province for the most active cases with 1,771. The Edmonton zone has 1,468 while the North zone has 1,402. The Central zone and South zone have 1,176 and 695 active infections, respectively.

According to the province, vaccination and vaccine outcomes numbers are delayed on Thursday due to technical issues.

As of Tuesday, 87.2 per cent of the population eligible to be vaccinated have received at least one dose. That represents 74.2 per cent of Alberta's total population.

Of those aged 12 and older, 80.6 per cent were fully vaccinated, as of Tuesday -- representing 68.5 per cent of the population.

More than 315,865 Albertans have recovered from COVID-19.