Alberta reports 369 new COVID-19 cases as active cases continue to rise

Alberta surpasses 300 daily cases for a second day in a row, as public health officials report 369 net new cases of COVID-19 Friday.

The number of known active cases rose by 193 since the last update to 2,719.

Here's how active cases break down across the province:

• Calgary zone: 1,414
• Edmonton zone: 527
• South zone: 309
• North zone:  305
• Central zone: 160
• Unknown: 4

Another 133 cases of coronavirus variants of concern have been identified, bringing the total of known active variant cases to 1,956 — or 72 per cent of all known active cases in Alberta.

Eleven more Albertans have been admitted to hospital to be treated for COVID-19 since the last update. There are now 113 hospitalizations, including 25 patients in intensive care units.

One additional death was reported, a man in his 80s linked to a COVID-19 outbreak at the Lewis Estates Retirement Residence in Edmonton.

But five deaths previously tallied were found to not be COVID-related, resulting in a decrease of four deaths from the total death count.

A total of 2,325 Albertans have died due to COVID-19 since the pandemic began.

There were 7,294 tests conducted Thursday. The province's test positivity rate is 5.21 per cent.

Meanwhile, 9,911 doses of vaccine were administered Thursday.

About 76 per cent of Albertans aged 12 and up have received at least one dose of a vaccine; 66.4 per cent have received two doses.