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By rdnewsNOW staff

preliminary data only over holiday weekend

550 new variant cases and 9 per cent positivity rate reported Saturday

Apr 3, 2021 | 3:34 PM

On Friday, April 3, approximately 1,100 new cases of COVID-19 were identified in Alberta, according to the province’s top doctor.

That’s out of 12,100 completed tests for a positivity rate of nine per cent.

Over the Easter long weekend, the province is only reporting preliminary numbers of COVID-19 cases.

Meantime, 550 additional variant cases were reported Saturday, meaning approximately 35 per cent of all active cases in Alberta are variants of concern.

Hospitalizations continue to remain stable in the last 24 hours, according to Alberta Health.

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Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Deena Hinshaw, tweeted Saturday that Alberta Health is investigating a significant outbreak related to the P.1 variant from Brazil.

Preliminary data will be provided throughout the rest of the weekend, until Sunday. The complete data and online dashboard will be updated on Monday, April 5.

Case numbers for all health zones in the province, as well as local communities, was not updated on Friday.

On Thursday, Premier Jason Kenney asked that all Albertans celebrate the Easter holiday safely, following all health restrictions in place.

READ MORE: Kenney pleads for COVID-safe activities over Easter long weekend