EDMONTON -- Alberta's active COVID-19 case count fell below 10,000 on Friday for the first time in more than two months as the province reported 643 new cases and 12 more deaths. 

The deaths bring the number of coronavirus fatalities to 1,512. Active cases total 9,987, the lowest count since November 14.

Hospitalizations continue a general downward trend as the number of COVID-19 patients fell by 40, to 691. The number of patients in intensive care units fell by four to 115. It's the first time the province has had fewer than 700 coronavirus patients in hospital since Dec. 7.

The province administered 13,019 tests with a 4.97 per cent positivity rate. 

More than 97,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been given to Albertans.

Alberta's Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Deena Hinshaw, will return for an in-person update on Monday.