Cases in Alberta

Variant cases

Alberta is screening all positive cases for variant strains of COVID-19.

August 4 update: Variant cases reported today are a net total number from existing cases that occurred over previous days. It is not indicative of a one-day increase.

• New variant cases identified: 823 on August 3
• Active variant cases: 1,725

Screening in May focused on a sample of positive cases so active variant cases should not be considered representative of total COVID-19 cases at this time.

Case numbers are updated daily. View more variant stats on the interactive data app.

COVID-19 R values

The R value, also known as the reproduction number, describes whether cases are currently increasing, decreasing or staying the same. It tells us average number of people that someone with COVID-19 will infect.

For example, if the R value is:

• at 1, then an infected person will infect one other person, on average
• below 1, it means the rate of transmission was decreasing during that period
• above 1, the transmission rate was increasing

R values from July 19 to July 25 (confidence interval)

• Alberta provincewide: 1.48 (1.38-1.59)
• Edmonton Zone: 1.37 (1.15-1.61)
• Calgary Zone: 1.50 (1.37-1.64)
• Rest of Alberta: 1.48 (1.26-1.73)

COVID-19 R values are updated every 2 weeks.

Outbreaks in Alberta

• Acute care and continuing care facilities (including group homes) are reported publicly when there are 2 or more cases, indicating that a transmission within the facility has occurred.
  • Outbreak control measures are put in place at continuing care facilities and group homes with a single confirmed case, as a precaution.
  • AHS Acute Care Outbreaks in Alberta provides more information on outbreaks in hospitals.
• Prisons, correctional facilities, shelters and child care settings are listed when there are 5 or more cases.
• All other non-healthcare workplaces, events, public settings (restaurants, salons and gyms) and sports activities are listed when there are 10 or more cases.
• Outbreaks are declared over when 4 weeks have passed since the last case was identified, so not all outbreaks listed below have current transmission happening.
• This list is for general information purposes and should not be used to guide public health decision-making.

Outbreak locations by zone

• Outbreak information is updated on Tuesdays and Fridays each week.
• Case numbers for outbreaks at specific sites are not provided online because they change rapidly and often.

Modelling and projections

Health system update – May 2021

In May 2021, Alberta updated Albertans on health system capacity during the third wave of the pandemic. Of particular concern was ICU occupancy and the health system’s ability to respond to rising admissions provincewide.

As well, Alberta’s chief medical officer of health shared facts on common COVID-19 myths related to the virus and the pandemic response.

• View the health system presentation (PDF, 1MB)

Variant projections

Several new variants of the virus that causes COVID-19 have been documented over the last few months. Of particular concern are two variants with higher infection rates that were first identified in the United Kingdom and South Africa.

Alberta developed projections of the UK variant to demonstrate how it could spread rapidly if strong measures are not in place to limit in-person interactions and transmission. This variant was chosen as more data is currently available.

• COVID-19 variant projections (January 25, 2021)

Modelling planning scenarios

In April 2020, Alberta used modelling to demonstrate potential COVID-19 case trends during the summer months. This helped us make decisions and prepare hospitals to care for critical and acute patients as we learned how to better treat and prevent the virus.

The scenarios in the models did not become a reality in Alberta, and the province’s hospitalization rate continues to be much lower than the estimate in the low scenario.

Alberta now has months of data and experience to inform our ongoing response to COVID-19. No updated models are being planned at this time.

• Alberta COVID-19 modelling - April 8  (PDF, 828 KB)
• Alberta COVID-19 modelling update - April 28 (PDF, 935 KB)