Two more Albertans have died due to COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, bringing the total to 11.
The patients were both men in their 80’s, one in the North Zone and one in the Calgary Zone.
The province also recorded 117 new cases of the novel coronavirus since Tuesday (Mar. 30).
However, Premier Jason Kenney say that jump is tied to the processing of a large number of backlogged tests – about 4,500 of them – and a record for a single day.
He also says Alberta is within days of taking possession of new rapid testing kits which will expand the capacity by thousands of tests per day.
On a positive note, Kenney says only about 2% of those tested in Alberta have been confirmed as positive for COVID-19.
As of Wednesday, 142 people had recovered from the novel coronavirus.
There are no new cases in the South Zone, and the total remains at 12.
Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Deena Hinshaw says her main concern right now is the health and safety of those living in long term or continuing care facilities.
She says there are 41 cases including outbreaks in four locations across the province.
The bulk of those cases, 35 of them, are in the McKenzie Town Continuing Care Centre in Calgary.
Three residents of that facility have also died.
