EDMONTON -- For a fourth straight day, Alberta set a record for the number of patients in its intensive care units as the province also added 1,799 new COVID-19 cases Wednesday. 

The province reported four deaths of individuals who ranged in age from 40s to 70s. There have now been 2,123 deaths due to COVID-19 in Alberta, including 56 of people under 50 years old. 

There were 169 patients in ICU at the end of Tuesday, an increase of six from the day before. Eight of the 10 highest ICU counts have now been recorded in the month of May. 

There are 737 Albertans being treated for COVID-19 in hospital, about the same level as during the end of the second wave in mid-January. 

Also Wednesday, new cases continued to trend down with the province's rolling average fell for a fifth day in a row. But, active cases still remain high: now at 24,962, the fourth highest figure to date. 

The province recorded a 10.43 per cent test positivity based on more than 17,000 tests. Wednesday was the 14th straight day the province's test positivity has exceeded 10 per cent. 

Vaccinations also continued to grow with more than 28,000 shots administered over the last 24 hour reporting period. 

More than 1.6 million Albertans have received a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, about 37 per cent of the population.

Just over 320,000 second doses have now been given out. Just under two million total doses have been administered.

The province's chief medical officer of health, Dr. Deena Hinshaw, is expected to return for another in-person availability later this week.