An additional case of the UK Variant of the COVID-19 virus has been identified in Alberta. Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw took the time to address some concerns over the variants during the February 9, 2021 COVId-19 update.

“The first variant case in Alberta  was identified retrospectively in a sample originally taken on December 15th in a returning traveler.  From that day to now, there have been 104 positive cases among all the samples that have been taken. At the same time, more than 43,000 cases of COVID-19 were detected in our province,” said Hinshaw.

She says variant cases make up only a quarter of a percent of the cases identified since December 15, 2020. Variant cases in the province still continue to be very rare and the Alberta Government hopes implement appropriate measures in order to maintain low numbers of case variants.

February 9th new case numbers:

  • 195 new cases of the virus for February 8th
  • 5,831 active cases in Alberta
  • 427 people are hospitalized
  • 78 people admitted to ICUs
  • 12 new deaths reported in the last 24 hours
  •  1,722 total deaths from the virus
  • 97 UK variant cases of COVID-19
  • 7 South African variant cases of COVID-19

Active case numbers in the Central Alberta area:

  • 35 active cases in the City of Lacombe
  • 14 active cases in the County of Lacombe
  • 281 active cases in the City of Red Deer
  • 21 active cases in the County of Red Deer
  • 88 active cases in the County of Ponoka
  • 26 active cases in the Town of Sylvan Lake
  • 6 active cases in the County of Stettler
  • 8 active cases in the County of Mountain View

**Not all cases in the Central Zone have been included.