COVID-19 in Alberta: 14 deaths, ICU admissions drop
Alberta reported 14 new COVID-19 deaths on Thursday as hospitalizations continue to put pressure on the health-care system.
The province has reported 3,518 deaths since the pandemic began nearly two years ago.
There are 1,469 patients with COVID-19 in hospital, including 106 in ICU.
"We have seen much, much less impact in our ICU units," Premier Jason Kenney told reporters Thursday afternoon.
But he added that "there's real stress in the system."
Hospitalizations have increased by 251 in the past seven days, and ICU admissions have decreased by six in the same period of time.
Alberta reported 3,218 new COVID-19 cases from more than 9,300 PCR tests.
The province's positivity rate continued to decrease on Thursday, to 34.7 per cent.
Just over 80 per cent of Albertans have received one vaccine dose, 74 per cent have two doses and 32.1 per cent have three doses.
Alberta will update its COVID-19 data on Friday.
OTHER COVID-19 RELATED NEWS
Tensions are flaring inside an Edmonton prison where inmates have reported to their lawyers being kept in their cell for more than 23 hours a day, sometimes.Correctional Service Canada denies there is inadequate staffing at Edmonton Institution, but confirmed at the beginning of the week that more than two dozen employees were sick with COVID-19.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
UPDATED | Ont. and Que. scramble to recover from thunderstorm that left at least 8 dead
Clean-up efforts are underway after a massive thunderstorm on Saturday left a trail of destruction in Southern Ontario and Quebec.

What is a 'derecho'? Climatologist explains Saturday's powerful storm
The storm that moved across Ontario and Quebec Saturday is known as a 'derecho', a powerful kind of windstorm that is long lasting and far-reaching.
Group of Ontario lawyers petitions courts to keep proceedings virtual
More than 1,000 lawyers in Ontario have signed a petition to make all court appearances 'presumptively virtual unless parties and their counsel agree otherwise.'
How concerned should we be about monkeypox?
Global health officials have sounded the alarm over rising cases in Europe and elsewhere of monkeypox, a type of viral infection more common to west and central Africa. Here's what we know about the current outbreak and the relative risk.
Officials expect 3 to 4 days to restore power across Ottawa following storm
Hydro Ottawa says it will take several days to restore power and clean up after a severe storm damaged hydro poles and wires on Saturday.
Flames engulf Indigenous-owned resort in B.C. Interior
Guests at an Indigenous-owned resort in B.C.'s Interior were evacuated Sunday morning and watched as firefighters tried to contain the flames that had engulfed the building's roof.
78,000 pounds of infant formula arrives in U.S.
A military plane carrying enough specialty infant formula for more than half a million baby bottles arrived Sunday in Indianapolis, the first of several flights expected from Europe aimed at relieving a shortage that has sent parents scrambling to find enough to feed their children.
Russia presses Donbas attacks as Polish leader praises Kyiv
Russia pressed its offensive in eastern Ukraine on Sunday as Poland's president traveled to Kyiv to support the country's European Union aspirations, becoming the first foreign leader to address the Ukrainian parliament since the start of the war.
Solemn day of ceremony to mark anniversary of Kamloops unmarked graves
Beginning at sunrise on Monday, the Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc will host a solemn day of ceremony and reflection to mark the one-year anniversary of unmarked graves being located at the site of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School.