Everything you need to know about COVID-19 in Alberta on Tuesday, April 13

The latest COVID-19 numbers and restrictions:

• Alberta reported 1,081 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, after hitting the highest daily total this year with 1,521 new cases on Friday. 
• Alberta's active cases total now sits at 15,087 — more than Quebec's tally of 13,253 but less than Ontario's total of 35,840. Quebec has roughly double Alberta's population, while Ontario has more than three times the people.
• Variant cases continue to surge and are now the dominant strains of the virus in Alberta, accounting for 52.4 per cent of total active cases.

(Note the latest daily count of new cases in the above chart will usually vary slightly from the net new cases Alberta Health announces each day. For more on why, click here.)

• There are 402 people in hospital, 88 of whom are in intensive care, and three more people have died for a total of 2,021 deaths in the province.
• The provincial positivity rate is 8.9 per cent, and the R-value is 1.12, meaning that, on average, each person with COVID-19 will infect more than one other person.
• Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta's chief medical officer of health, said that if case and hospitalization growth does not slow soon, further public health measures may be required. 
• Hinshaw encouraged all Albertans to get vaccinated as soon as they can.

The latest on vaccines:

• As of Tuesday's update, there have been 970,272 vaccine doses delivered in Alberta and 186,156 people who have been fully immunized with two doses of vaccine.
• Alberta Premier Jason Kenney said Monday the province is on track to give 300,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine a week.
• Phase 2C of the rollout of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines began on Monday, expanding to include 240,000 nurses, doctors, dentists and any health-care workers in patient care facilities or providing direct patient care in the community.
• Other groups in 2C, like residents and support staff at congregate living facilities at risk for large outbreaks like correctional facilities, homeless shelters, meat-packing plants and group homes, and caregivers of Albertans at risk of severe outcomes, are expected to begin in the following weeks. 

• Phase 2 of the AstraZeneca-Oxford rollout began April 6, to Albertans born from 1957 to 1966 who do not have chronic underlying health conditions. They can also choose to wait for the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine to become available to their age group when Phase 2D opens in May.
• Hinshaw and other health officials have urged all Albertans to reach out for a vaccine appointment as soon as they are eligible, regardless of the type.
• The government warns that until most Albertans are protected, fully vaccinated people must still follow all health measures, including participating in no indoor gatherings, keeping two metres apart, wearing a mask in public and staying home when sick.

The latest on restrictions and reopenings:

• Amid the surging COVID-19 and variant cases, last week the Alberta government reimposed Step 1 restrictions, including closing restaurants and bars to in-person dining, lowering retail store capacity to 15 per cent and banning low-intensity group fitness activities.
• When it comes to easing public health restrictions due to COVID-19, Kenney said Monday that when:
  • 50 per cent of Albertans are vaccinated, some restrictions would be eased (which he predicted would be around the end of May).
  • 64 per cent are vaccinated, further loosening of restrictions (with masking and distancing still encouraged).
  • 72 per cent of people are vaccinated, Alberta would be in full recovery with no distancing or masks.

The latest on more dangerous variants:

• Alberta reported 705 new cases involving variants of concern on Tuesday.
• There are 7,910 active variant cases, more than 52 per cent of active cases.
• 4,202 people have recovered and 42 people have died from variant infections.
• As of Tuesday, Alberta had had 12,025 cases linked to variant B117, first detected in the United Kingdom. Another 27 cases have been linked to variant B1351, first detected in South Africa, and 102 cases have been linked to variant P1, which is now spreading widely in Brazil.

See which regions are being hit hardest

Here is the detailed regional breakdown of active cases as reported Tuesday by the province:

• Calgary zone: 6,938, up from 6,802 reported on Monday (56,680 recovered).
• Edmonton zone: 3,717, up from 3,688 (55,938 recovered).
• North zone: 2,005, up from 1,970 (13,865 recovered).
• South zone: 936, down from 949 (7,984 recovered).
• Central zone: 1,346, up from 1,311 (11,420 recovered).
• Unknown: 145, up from 129 (124 recovered).

You can see active cases by local health area on the following interactive map. Scroll, zoom and click on the map for more information:

Find out which neighbourhoods or communities have the most cases, how hard people of different ages have been hit, the ages of people in hospital, how Alberta compares to other provinces and more in: Here are the latest COVID-19 statistics for Alberta — and what they mean.

Here are the latest Alberta COVID-19 stories:

"My error in judgment": Alberta Speaker apologizes for condemning health restrictions

4 years ago

Duration 1:57

Hours after Premier Jason Kenney spoke about the importance of the House Speaker maintaining neutrality, Speaker Nathan Cooper apologized for “crossing a line” by signing the UCP MLA letter against COVID-19 restrictions.

How Alberta compares to other provinces and territories:

• For the latest on what's happening in the rest of Canada and around the world, see here.