Alberta records 4th case of omicron variant

Alberta reported 366 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday and two more deaths, bringing the total number of Albertans who have died from the disease to 3,257.

The province is also reporting a fourth case of the omicron variant of the virus that causes COVID-19.

"We identified one additional case of the omicron variant in Alberta, in a recently returned traveller from Nigeria," Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta's chief medical officer of health, said Thursday afternoon on Twitter.

Three other cases of the omicron variant in the province were reported earlier this week.

The World Health Organization labelled omicron a variant of concern last Friday.

The new cases reported Thursday were found through 9,465 tests. The seven-day test-positivity rate is 4.25 per cent.

The number of known active COVID-19 cases in Alberta has dropped. There are now 4,359 known active cases, down 76 from Wednesday's update.

Here is how the known active cases break down regionally:

• Calgary zone: 1,765
• Edmonton zone: 1,164
• North zone: 709
• Central zone: 567
• South zone: 328
• Unknown zone: 6

There are now 419 Albertans being treated for COVID-19 in hospital, including 76 patients in intensive care. Those totals have dipped by five and three patients, respectively, since Wednesday's update.

Just over 84 per cent of Albertans aged 12 or older have received two doses of COVID-19 vaccine; nearly 89 per cent of that demographic has one dose.

As of end-of-day Wednesday, 40,231 children aged 5 to 11 in Alberta — or 10.3 per cent of that demographic —have received their first jab of a vaccine, according to provincial data.

Of Alberta's total population — including people not eligible for the vaccine — 71.6 per cent have received two doses.