Alberta records 24 additional deaths and 463 new cases of COVID-19

The death toll at an Edmonton long-term care centre climbed to 57 on Sunday, as Alberta recorded 24 more deathfrom COVID-19, including two at the care centre, along with 463 new cases.

Active cases fell again on Sunday to 9,511 from 9,727 total active cases across Alberta on Saturday, and new cases also fell by 110 from 573 new cases reported on Saturday.

Hospitalizations also continued to fall, with 652 people in hospital with the illness on Sunday, including 111 in intensive care unit beds 24 fewer than Saturday, when 676 people were in hospital with the illness including 114 in intensive care unit beds.

On Twitter, Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta's chief medical officer of health, said the decline in active cases and hospitalizations are "encouraging signs.

"Let's keep the momentum going and follow all public health guidance to reduce the spread of COVID-19," Hinshaw said.

Provincial labs completed 10,237 tests for the disease on Saturday, for a positivity rate of 4.4 per cent. Therewere 10,894 tests for the disease completed on Friday, for a positivity rate of around 5.3 per cent.

Of the 24 deaths reported Sunday, two were linked to the outbreak at CapitalCare Lynnwood, bringing the death toll at the Edmonton long-term care centre to 57.As of Thursday afternoon, the outbreak at CapitalCare Lynnwood in the West Meadowlark Park neighbourhood in Edmonton had claimed 55 lives, making it the deadliest outbreak in Alberta since the pandemic began.

• Everything you need to know about COVID-19 in Alberta on Sunday, Jan. 24
• With 55 deaths, Edmonton long-term care centre outbreak now the deadliest in Alberta
• Alberta records 13 additional deaths from COVID-19, along with 573 new cases

There have been 120,793 cases of COVID-19 in Alberta since the pandemic began last March, and1,549 deaths from the disease.

Here's a regional breakdown of active cases:

• Calgary zone: 3,653
• Edmonton zone: 3,299
• North zone: 1,326
• Central zone: 818
• South zone: 396
• Unknown: 19

The province reported 99,047 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administeredas of end of the day Saturday, an increase of just 240 doses from the previous day.

The liveCOVID-19 update will be on Monday.