Active cases of COID-19 dropped very slightly today (May 12) in both Alberta and the City of Airdrie, but other metrics used to track the severity of the virus climbed to new heights when the province released its daily update.  

There were 1,799 new cases reported today, up from yesterday's 1,449.  However, recoveries outpaced the new cases with 24,962 active cases reported today, down by 36 from yesterday's number. 

The active cases in Airdrie also dropped today, falling from 654 yesterday to 646 today.  The active count in Rocky View County was unchanged today at 288.  

The province conducted 17,534 tests today bringing the positivity rate to around 10.3 percent.  Variants were responsible for 422 of the new cases and now make up 8,660 of Alberta's active cases.

While active cases dropping was good news, the number of people in hospital and ICU was concerning with 737 in hospital, an increase of 32, and 169 patients in provincial ICUs, six more than the day before.  Four more Albertans have died of COVID-19 for a total in the province of 2,123.

Another 28,337 doses of vaccine were administered bringing us ever closer to the 2 million mark with 1,975,341 doses.

Meanwhile, RCMP say they only handed out a few tickets following an anti-lockdown rally that was attended by hundreds in central Alberta over the weekend.

The protest was held Saturday outside the Whistle Stop Cafe in Mirror to show support for cafe owner Chris Scott after AHS and RCMP had closed the business earlier in the week.  Alberta Health Services said they had received hundreds of complaints about the cafe not complying with COVID-19 restrictions.    

Scott was also the organizer of the rally and was arrested a few hours later,  The RCMP says they also ticketed four people under the Public Health Act for attending the rally.  

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