Alberta reports 1,633 new COVID-19 cases as patios, hair salons close

Alberta reported 1,633 new cases of COVID-19 and two additional deaths on Sunday, as Edmontonians enjoyed one last patio day before firmer restrictions were to take effect at midnight Sunday.

There are now 25,197 active cases in the province, as Alberta contends with the highest provincial case rate in the country. Variant cases makeup about 44.5 per cent of active cases in Alberta under the province's rolled-back testing for coronavirus variants.

As of Sunday, 668 people were in hospital with the illness, including 155 in intensive care unit beds, up slightly from Saturday, when there were 661 people in hospital including 148 in intensive care unit beds.

Since the pandemic began, 2,110 people have died from COVID-19 in Alberta.

Of the two people whose deathswere reported on Sunday, one was a man in his 50s in the Calgary zone. The other was a man in his 60s in the Central zone. Both men died Friday.

Provincial labs completed 15,509 tests for the disease on Saturday for a positivity rate of about 10.3 per cent, down from 18,809 tests from the previous day, with a positivity rate of about 11 per cent.

Last rush

The next slate of COVID-19 restrictions will come into force Monday, including the closure of patios and personal services, such as hair salons and tattoo shops.

In Edmonton, downtown patios and hair salons were busySunday, the last day Albertans could get a haircutbefore the restrictions take effect.

Christina Yun, salon owner at Dollhouse Hair Boutique, said the changing restrictions have been difficult.

The rush before this third shutdown of the pandemic was busy, but not as busy as before the second round, Yun said.

"With the restrictions it's kind of been like a yo-yo," Yun said. "It's been really busy and then really slow, and then really busy and then really slow.

"I'm hoping with the vaccinations that we will only see three weeks of it."

The ongoing vaccination program has now delivered 1,889,039 doses.

As of Monday, Albertans 12 and older will be eligible to book a vaccine appointment.

Here are the province's 25,197 active cases broken down by health zone:

• Calgary zone: 11,312
• Edmonton zone: 5,917
• North zone: 3,749
• Central zone: 2,844
• South zone: 1,333
• Unknown: 42