Omicron variant increasing case numbers but hospitalizations decrease

The province is reporting 553 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours with a rising positivity rate of 5.7 per cent. 

Active cases have increased by 219 for a total of 4,431 in the province. 

Alberta is reporting another 54 cases of the Omicron variant bringing the total to 173. 

The good news is that hospitalizations and ICU admissions continue to drop with 344 in hospital and 68 in ICU.

Fortunately, the death toll remains unchanged at 3,286. 

Cochrane has added another two cases for a total of 41 while Rocky View County saw a decrease to 46 active COVID-19 cases. 

Cochrane schools status:

St. Timothy and Glenbow are both on alert status with 2-4 cases reported.