Active cases, hospitalizations continue to drop as Alberta identifies 150 new COVID-19 cases Thursday

Alberta recorded 150 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday and two additional deaths from the disease.

There are now 242 people in hospital with COVID-19, down from 255 people on Wednesday. Fifty-eight people are being treated in intensive care, also down from 67 Wednesday.

The new cases came after 6,044 tests were completed, putting the province’s positivity rate at about 2.5 per cent.

Active cases of COVID-19 in Alberta continue to decline, down to 2,471 Thursday from 2,639 active cases Wednesday.

Of the active cases, 1,078 are in the Calgary zone, 535 are in the Edmonton zone, 486 are in the North zone, 284 are in the Central zone and 88 are in the South zone.

The two deaths reported to Alberta Health in the last 24 hours bring the province’s death toll from COVID-19 to 2,280. A man in his 70s from the Central zone and a woman in her 70s from the South zone died. Both included comorbidities, according to Alberta Health.

0:39 Alberta hopes to speed up second doses thanks to stability and increase of COVID-19 vaccine supply

Alberta has now administered 3,583,406 doses of COVID-19 vaccine.

As of June 16, 69.9 per cent of eligible Albertans 12 and older had received one dose of vaccine. The threshold for Alberta to move into Stage 3 of its “Open for Summer” plan, which lifts nearly all COVID-19 public health measures, requires 70 per cent of the population having received at least one dose of vaccine.

The province will move into Stage 3 two weeks after the 70 per cent first-dose threshold is reached.

As of June 16, 24.2 per cent of eligible Albertans were fully vaccinated with two doses of vaccine.

All Albertans 12 and older are eligible to receive their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine. Anyone who received their first dose in April or earlier is eligible for their second dose.

More information on COVID-19 vaccines and how to book an appointment can be found on the Alberta Health Services website.