Alberta reports 656 new cases of COVID-19, 12 new deaths

Alberta reported 656 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday and 12 new deaths.

The 656 new cases were detected through 10,732 tests for the virus, with a positivity rate around 6.09 per cent. The highest positivity rate in the province is the North zone, which reported a positivity rate of 13.65 per cent. The lowest rate was in the Calgary zone: 4.27 per cent. 

With the 12 new deaths, the province's pandemic total has reached 3,026. The new deaths occurred in all the health regions and involved people ranging in age from their 50s to 90s. 

Active cases of COVID-19 continue to decline and there are now 10,037 active cases in the province, about half the number from one month ago when there were 20,304 active cases. Here's how active cases break down regionally:

Currently, there are 889 people in hospital with COVID-19, including 191 patients in intensive care. According to Alberta Health data, 667 of the 889 are either unvaccinated or partially vaccinated. 

As of the province's latest update, about 86.4 of Alberta's eligible population has had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 78.3 have had two. Around 66.4 per cent of the province's total population have had both doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. 

Starting Monday, proof of full vaccination for COVID-19 or a negative test result will be required for the province's restrictions exemption program.

Venues and businesses will need to government-issued proof of having received two doses of COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days earlier or a privately paid test result from within 72 hours in order to be in compliance with the rules. Previously, one dose of vaccine was sufficient for the exemption program.