By Troy Gillard

variants of concern "dominant strains" in province

Alberta adds 1,429 new COVID-19 cases, including 717 variants

Apr 8, 2021 | 4:26 PM

Variant cases of concern are now the main concern when it comes to COVID-19 in Alberta.

A total of 1,429 new cases of COVID-19 were announced for the province on Thursday, including 717 variant cases. It’s the highest single-day increase in cases since Dec. 17.

Alberta now has 12,187 active cases, of which 45 per cent are variants.

“We have now reached the point where variants of concern are the dominant strains of new COVID-19 cases in our province,” said Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta’s chief medical officer of health.

The three strains that have officials concerned, Hinshaw explained, are the B.1.1.7 variant first reported in the United Kingdom, the B.1.351 variant first reported in South Africa, and the P.1. variant first discovered in Brazil. She says each of these variants is more transmissible than the earlier form of the virus.

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Hinshaw said the B.1.1.7 variant, the most common of the three in Alberta (99%), also seems to cause more severe symptoms than the original strain.

“We have now reached the point that if you test positive, you should assume you have the U.K. variant,” she said, adding that all close contacts of COVID-19 cases will now be tested twice regardless of which strain may be involved.

“By testing all close contacts twice, we have a better chance at quickly identifying new cases and stopping their spread.”

A total of 15,203 tests were completed over the past 24 hours leaving Alberta’s positivity rate at 9.4 per cent.

There are now 340 Albertans hospitalized because of COVID-19, including 83 in ICUs.

Three more deaths linked to COVID-19 were reported to Alberta Health over the past 24 hours to bring the province’s total during the pandemic to 2,005.

Red Deer has 212 active cases of COVID-19 as of Thursday, up 10 from Wednesday.

There have been 3,018 recoveries, an increase of 15 as the total number of COVID-19 cases attributed to Red Deer rose by 25 to 3,264. The city’s death toll stemming from COVID-19 remains 34.

Elsewhere locally as of Thursday:

Red Deer County – 46 active cases (+3)

Sylvan Lake – 32 (+2)

Lacombe County – 45 (+3)

Lacombe – 43 (+1)

Ponoka County – 175 (-8)

Brazeau County – 23 (+4)

Clearwater County – 9 (+1)

Mountain View County – 41 (+3)

Olds – 29 (+1)

Kneehill County – 19 (-3)

County of Stettler – 7 (-2)

The Central Zone has 940 active cases with 32 hospitalizations, including seven receiving intensive care at Red Deer Regional Hospital. The zone has had 123 deaths attributed to COVID-19.

Currently, 414 Alberta schools, about 17 per cent, are on alert or have outbreaks, with 2,361 cases in total. 250 schools are on alert, with 535 total cases. Outbreaks are declared in 164 schools, with a total of 1,826 cases. In-school transmission has likely occurred in 368 schools. Of these, 149 have had only one new case occur as a result.