EDMONTON -- On the same day federal government modelling showed COVID-19 variants could contribute to a resurgence in new cases in all provinces as early as next month, Alberta’s case numbers remained steady relative to recent days.
According to Alberta Health, the province identified 325 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, including 14 of the more contagious B.1.1.7. variant. The cases were found from approximately 9,400 tests, putting the province’s daily positivity rate at 3.6 per cent.
The newly identified variant cases put the province’s total at 253, including seven cases of the variant strain first identified in South Africa, B.1.351.
The number of active infections continued a downward trend, falling from 4,887 on Thursday to 4,840.
Seven more COVID-19 deaths were reported Friday bringing the provincial total to 1,812.
Alberta’s chief medical officer of health, Dr. Deena Hinshaw, who tweeted some of Friday’s numbers, is expected to provide an in-person COVID-19 briefing on Monday.
Correction:
A previous version of this article stated that eight deaths had been reported in Alberta on Friday.
