Kenney: more COVID-19 restrictions coming today, May 4

In the City of Grande Prairie, 41 new COVID-19 cases were reported May 3, and 46 people recovered. The active total is 465 with 2,885 recoveries.  

In the County of Grande Prairie, 10 new cases were added, and eight people recovered. There’s now 192 active cases and 990 recoveries. 

Peace Region totals: 

Provincially, Alberta reported 2,012 new cases from 15,058 tests completed and our positivity rate is about 13.2 per cent. Right now, 23,608 cases are active in the province. With 1,320 more people recovering, the recovered total has reached 171,212. 

Alberta had an R value of 1.12 from April 26 to May 2. The Edmonton Zone had a value of 0.99, Calgary Zone was 1.16 and the rest of Alberta was 1.18.   

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. 

There’s 658 people in the hospital with the virus, with 154 of these in intensive care. This is 10 more hospitalizations than reported the day before and one fewer ICU admission. In the North Zone, there’s 86 people in the hospital with 16 of these admitted to intensive care. 

Alberta has reported four more COVID-related deaths, for a total of 2,090 since the start of the pandemic.  

There’s been 1,900 more cases of variants of concern found. Of the active cases, 15,054 or 63.8 per cent, are variants. In the North Zone, 2,071 variant cases are active and 2,186 have recovered.  

There have now been 1,640,303 vaccine doses administered, with 301,398 Albertans fully immunized with two doses.  

In a COVID-19 update on Monday, Premier Jason Kenney said that the government is developing a package of stronger restrictions that he expects they will announce today, May 4. 

He also commented on the Bowden Rodeo that took place over the weekend where masks, distancing, or other health protocols were not followed.

"These people don't care about the sacrifices that many Albertans make every single day. They don't care about those in the hospital because of the virus who are fighting for their lives." says Kenney, "The reason we're at this critical stage of COVID in Alberta with record-high case counts is because of those ignoring the rules that are currently in place."

Kenney did not elaborate on what restrictions will be coming.

In the update, Kenney also announced that vaccine appointments are today to Alberta teachers, early childhood educators and support staff.

Watch the full update here: