Alberta reports 1,166 new cases of COVID-19, 18 new deaths

Alberta reported 1,166 new cases of COVID-19 Wednesday and 18 new deaths — the most reported on one day in several months.

The new cases were detected on 10,687 tests, with a positivity rate of 11.48 per cent. The 1,166 cases are the net number with adjustments to previous days; 1216 confirmed cases were actually detected Tuesday. 

With 18 new deaths, the province's total number of COVID-19 deaths is now 2,425. The number of new deaths is similar to what Alberta experienced in early January, when the province was announcing an average of 20 deaths per day. 

There are now 647 people in hospital for COVID-19, an increase from the 602 reported Tuesday. Of those, 147 are being treated in intensive care beds. Unvaccinated or partially vaccinated individuals make up 89 per cent of the patients in ICU.

Active cases of COVID-19 increased by 132 to 15,618, the most in Canada by a wide margin. Here's how active cases break down regionally:

• Edmonton zone: 4,645
• Calgary zone: 4,353
• North zone: 2,880
• Central zone: 2,120
• South zone: 1,599
• Unknown: 21

 Across the province, 7,181 doses of COVID-19 vaccines were administered Tuesday. About 78.7 per cent of the province's eligible population has had at least one dose of vaccine, while 70.7 per cent have had two. Of the province's total population, about 60.1 per cent have had both doses of vaccine.