Latest updates
- Over the last 24 hours, 399 new cases were identified.
- There are 254 people in hospital due to COVID-19, including 37 in intensive care.
- There are 4,463 active cases in the province.
- To date, 130,382 Albertans have recovered from COVID-19.
- In the last 24 hours, there were two additional COVID-related deaths reported: one on March 5 and one on March 8.
- The testing positivity rate was 3.7 per cent.
- There was an increase of 10,414 tests (3,492,276 total) for a total of 1,843,459 people tested.
- All zones across the province have cases:
- Calgary Zone: 1,623 active cases and 50,055 recovered
- South Zone: 396 active cases and 6,329 recovered
- Edmonton Zone: 1,156 active cases and 52,445 recovered
- North Zone: 836 active cases and 11,533 recovered
- Central Zone: 440 active cases and 9,926 recovered
- 12 active cases and 94 recovered cases in zones to be confirmed
- Additional information, including case totals, is online.
- Alberta has identified 47 additional cases of variants of concern, bringing the provincial total to 734.
- B.1.1.7 U.K. variant: 721 cases
- B.1.351 South African variant: 13 cases
- Currently, 259 schools, about 11 per cent, are on alert or have outbreaks, with 1,017 cases in total.
- 192 schools are on alert, with 387 total cases.
- Outbreaks are declared in 67 schools, with a total of 630 cases.
- In-school transmission has likely occurred in 192 schools. Of these, 102 have had only one new case occur as a result.
- There are currently 112 active and 9,145 recovered cases at long-term care facilities and supportive/home living sites.
- To date, 1,222 of the 1,928 reported deaths (63 per cent) have been in long-term care facilities or supportive/home living sites.
COVID-19 vaccination program
- As of March 9, 308,962 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in Alberta. This is 6,987.1 doses per 100,000 population. There are now 91,259 Albertans fully vaccinated with two doses.
- Starting March 10, Albertans born in 1957 or First Nation, Métis or Inuit individuals born in 1972 can book an appointment for AstraZeneca if they have no severe chronic illness. Albertans born between 1958 and 1971 and First Nation, Métis or Inuit individuals born between 1973 and 1986 will be eligible to book by year of birth, one year at a time, over the coming days dependent on AstraZeneca vaccine supply.
- Bookings for Phase 2A of the COVID-19 vaccine program will begin the week of March 15.
- Albertans born in 1946 or earlier are encouraged to book their appointment.
- The province is extending the period between first and second doses of COVID-19 vaccine.
- Alberta’s phased approach to vaccination focuses first on priority health-care workers and those who are at highest risk of severe outcomes.
Step 2 restrictions in effect
- Updated health measures are in place for retail, hotels and community halls, performance groups, and youth sports, performance and recreation.
Funding for Alberta’s critical workers
- The Critical Worker Benefit provides $1,200 to approximately 380,000 public and private sector workers in Alberta.
- This includes workers in health care, social services, education and private sectors who deliver critical services to Albertans or support food and medical supply chains.
- The funds are applied for by employers in the private sector, or automatically distributed to qualifying employees in the public sector.
Schools
- Strong public health measures remain in place to support the health and safety of students, teachers and staff.
COVID Care Teams outreach
- If you or others in your home have been directed to self-isolate/quarantine by Alberta Health Services and are unable to do so safely at home, please contact 211 to discuss options, including accessing an assigned hotel to safely isolate (free of charge). Financial assistance may also be available in the amount of $625, upon completion of the self-isolation period.
Enforcement of public health measures
- The government has granted certain Alberta peace officers and community peace officers temporary authority to enforce public health orders.
- Not following mandatory restrictions will result in fines of $1,000 per ticketed offence and up to $100,000 through the courts.
Albertans downloading tracer app
- All Albertans are encouraged to download the secure ABTraceTogether app, which is integrated with provincial contact tracing. The federal app is not a contact tracing app.
- Secure contact tracing is an effective tool to stop the spread by notifying people who were exposed to a confirmed case so they can isolate and be tested.
- As of March 8, 310,336 Albertans were using the ABTraceTogether app, 66 per cent on iOS and 34 per cent on Android.
- Secure contact tracing is a cornerstone of Alberta’s Relaunch Strategy.
MyHealth Records quick access
- Parents and guardians can access the COVID-19 test results for children under the age of 18 through MyHealth Records (MHR) as soon as they are ready.
- More than 500,000 Albertans have MHR accounts.
Influenza immunization
- All Albertans, especially seniors and those at risk, are encouraged to get immunized against influenza.
- To date, 1,560,596 Albertans have received their flu shot.
Addiction and mental health supports
- Confidential supports are available. The Mental Health Help Line at 1-877-303-2642 and the Addiction Help Line at 1-866-332-2322 operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Resources are also available online.
- The Kids Help Phone is available 24-7 and offers professional counselling, information and referrals and volunteer-led, text-based support to young people by texting CONNECT to 686868.
- Online resources provide advice on handling stressful situations and ways to talk with children.
Family violence prevention
- A 24-hour Family Violence Information Line at 310-1818 provides anonymous help in more than 170 languages.
- Alberta’s One Line for Sexual Violence is available at 1-866-403-8000, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- People fleeing family violence can call local police or the nearest RCMP detachment to apply for an Emergency Protection Order, or follow the steps in the Emergency Protection Orders Telephone Applications (COVID-19).
- Information sheets and other resources on family violence prevention are at alberta.ca/COVID19.
Alberta’s government is responding to the COVID-19 pandemic by protecting lives and livelihoods with precise measures to bend the curve, sustain small businesses and protect Alberta’s health-care system.
Quick facts
- Legally, all Albertans must physically distance and isolate when sick or with symptoms.
- Good hygiene is your best protection: wash your hands regularly for at least 20 seconds, avoid touching your face, cough or sneeze into an elbow or sleeve, and dispose of tissues appropriately.
- Please share acts of kindness during this difficult time at #AlbertaCares.
- Alberta Connects Contact Centre (310-4455) is open Monday to Friday, 8:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.