Alberta reports highest number of new COVID-19 cases so far this year

Alberta reported 1,351 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, the highest total since the last day of 2020.

Across the province there were 11,464 active cases, an increase of almost 3,000 over the past seven days.

There were 575 new cases linked to more contagious variants of the coronavirus, which now account for 43.2 per cent of active cases.

One more COVID-19 deathwas reported, and Alberta hospitals were treating333 patients for the illness, including 79 people in ICU beds.

The higher numbers across the board were reported one day after the Alberta government announced a return to stricter public-health measures in an effort to slow the spread of the virus and ease the strain on the health-care system.

Earlier in the day,two physician groups called on the province to immediately impose a lockdown, including stay-at-home orders and closing non-essential businesses, schools and places of worship.

• 'We must defeat these variants,' says Kenney as Alberta returns to tighter COVID-19 restrictions
• Alberta doctors renew call for circuit-breaker lockdown amid surge in variant cases

The regional breakdown of active cases on Wednesday was:

• Calgary zone: 5,408
• Edmonton zone: 2,640
• North zone: 1,522
• Central zone: 934
• South zone: 865
• Unknown: 95