COVID-19 in Alberta: 349 new cases, 1 death on Friday as hospitalizations hit 3-month low
Alberta reported 349 new cases of COVID-19 and one more death on Friday, as hospitalizations due to the coronavirus hit a three-month low.
Friday was the third straight day the number of new cases has declined after being in the 200s the three days before.
- Infographics: COVID-19 in Alberta by the numbers
- COVID-19 in your community: Edmonton’s coronavirus status in numbers
The death was of a person in their 70s living in the North health zone.
There are now 395 COVID-19 patients in Alberta hospitals, including 78 in intensive care units. The last time Alberta had fewer than 400 coronavirus patients in hospital was on Aug. 28.
Also on Friday, Alberta reported one more case of the Omicron variant, bringing the province's total number of cases of the new variant up to four.
Vaccination data was unavailable on Friday due to a technical issue, but unvaccinated Albertans remain several times more likely to suffer a severe outcome after contracting COVID-19, including hospitalization or death.
Alberta’s next data update is scheduled for Monday afternoon and will include data from Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
OTHER COVID-19 RELATED NEWS
An Alberta mayor believes Canada Post's vaccine policy is the impetus behind local staff shortages. The post office in Lamont was closed earlier in the week, and later reopened thanks to outside workers.
Alberta Health Services says more health-care workers are accessing the mental health supports it offers amid abuse and poor treatment on the front line.
Documents obtained by the Alberta NDP show Education Minister Adriana LaGrange was left as the acting health minister when COVID-19 cases skyrocketed in August while the premier and then-health minister Tyler Shandro vacationed. Government press secretaries said both Shandro and Premier Jason Kenney were working during their holidays.
The City of Calgary will provide free rapid tests to its unvaccinated employees, its hand forced by the police department which made the same decision first.
Booster COVID-19 vaccine appointments opened to Albertans aged 60 and older on Thursday.
As COVID-19 testing rules for travellers change, confusion has grown at airports needing to carry them out, including Edmonton International Airport.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
BREAKING Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.
On federal budget, Macklem says 'fiscal track has not changed significantly'
Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem says Canada's fiscal position has 'not changed significantly' following the release of the federal government's budget.