Everything you need to know about COVID-19 in Alberta on Tuesday, Dec. 14

The latest COVID-19 numbers:

• The Alberta government reported Tuesday:
  • There were 250new COVIDcases.
  • The total number ofactive casesin Alberta is4,016.
  • Alberta Health says there are 366people with COVIDin hospital, including70inintensive care.
  • The province recordedeight newdeaths.
• The Alberta government reported Tuesday that 20 new cases of the omicron variant have been detected.The provincehas identified 50 cases in total.
• Most of the new variant cases, 27,are in the Calgary zone.
• Alberta Health Services confirmed twoomicroncases of community transmission.
• Alberta Health said Tuesday evening that two of the cases are of unknown origin and are suspected to be from community transmission. Most of the cases, 36, are travellers and 12 cases are in close contacts of confirmed cases.
• The emergence of omicron,named a variant of concern by the World Health Organization, has prompted the return of border closures, travel restrictions and stricter testing requirements across the world.
• A total of 3,283Albertans have diedof COVID.
• 332,242Albertanshave recovered.

• See how Alberta compares on vaccination rates and activecases with the rest of Canada, how many Albertans are in hospital and more in the other charts and graphs at the bottom of this story.

• Outbreaks have been declared in two units at Peter Lougheed Hospital in northeast Calgary. Thirteen people, including one health-care worker, have contracted COVID-19 as a result.
• In Edmonton,three units at Grey Nuns Community Hospital have declaredoutbreaks.Seven people have tested positive for COVID-19; one death is associated with theoutbreak.
• There are seven other outbreaks at acute care sites throughoutthe province.
• There areactive alerts or outbreaks in 142schools.
• There were 228 intensive care unit beds open in Alberta, including 55 surge beds.
• Alberta's ICU capacity (including additional surge beds) is at 81 per cent. Without the surge spaces, ICU capacity would be at 107 per cent.
• Provincewide, the R-value for Nov. 29to Dec.12was 0.96, with a confidence interval between0.92and 1.01.An R-value below 1.0 means transmission is nolonger growing.
• The R-value for the Edmonton zone is 0.99, and in Calgary it's0.96. In therest of Alberta, the rate is0.93.

The latest on vaccines:

• Alberta Health Servicesimplemented its immunization of workers for COVID-19 policyDec. 13. In an email to CBCNews, AHS stated around1,650 full- and part-time AHS staff who are not fully immunized have been placed on unpaid leave.
• AHS tweeted Friday that it had receivedreports of a scam in which textsthat appear to be from AHSpromise Albertans money for getting a COVID-19 vaccine and ask for credit card information.
• Also last week, AHS tweetedthat it wasaware of misinformation being spread that children are being hospitalized atthe AlbertaChildren's Hospital with adverse reactions following COVID-19 vaccinations. AHS said it was untrue;there haven't been any pediatric hospitalizations related to COVID-19 vaccination.
• Earlier this month, prompted by the new omicron variant, the National Advisory Committee on Immunization recommended mRNA booster shots be administered to all Canadians over 50 and anyone who falls into the high-risk category, as well as anyone who received the AstraZeneca or Johnson & Johnson vaccines.
• Alberta is in the process ofexpanding access to vaccine booster shots to all Albertans ages 18 and older, six months out from their second dose of the vaccine, starting with select groups.
  • It opened up to those60 and olderon Dec. 6.
  • The first groups to be eligible for a third dose as of Nov. 8 were people 70 or older,First Nations, Mtis and Inuit residents and frontline health-care workers.
  • The province saysbookings for all adults over the age of 18 will open by early next year.
• As of Tuesday:
  • 71.8 per cent of the province's total population or 76.1per cent of eligible Albertans(ages five years and older) have received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.
  • Out of the province's total population, 77.7per cent have received at least one dose, or 82.4per cent(agesfive and over), according toCBC'svaccinetracker.
  • That compares with81.4per cent of the total population Canada-wide whohavereceived at least one dose of vaccine, and 76.2per centof the total population who are fully vaccinated.Among those eligible, 85.6per cent have had one dose, and 80.1per cent are fully vaccinated.
• The percentage of eligible people in Alberta who are vaccinated dropped on Nov. 26, when children between the ages of five to 11 were added to the population of thoseeligible.

The latest on restrictions, rapid testing and more:

• According to an email from the Alberta government to a Calgary pharmacy, allAlbertanswill be able to access free take-homeCOVID-19 rapid antigen testing kits from participating pharmacies in Edmonton, Red Deer and Calgary by mid-December. Those outside of these citiescan access testing kits through Alberta Health Services sites.
• Thekits are intended for peoplewithoutsymptoms of COVID-19. Those who dohave symptomsshouldstay home, isolateand book a PCR test through Alberta Health Services.
• CBC Calgary reported on Dec. 10 that theCalgary Catholic School District says it hasused more than 10,000rapid COVID-19 test kits provided by the province so far this school year, withhalf of those beingused by staff not fully vaccinatedparticipating in the district's mandatory rapid testing program.
• Meanwhile, the Calgary Board of Educationsaid it is not providing rapid tests for staff.
• The Alberta governmentimposedthe restrictions exemption program,a voluntary vaccine passport system, as ofSept. 20tocombata disastrous fourth wave of COVID-19.A full list of restrictions and exemptions is available on the government's website.

See which regions are being hit hardest:

Here is thelatest detailed regional breakdownof active cases, as reported by the province on Tuesday:

• Calgary zone: 1,691.
• Edmonton zone: 1,198.
• Central zone:511.
• North zone:382.
• South zone:229.
• Unknown:5.

Here are the latest Alberta COVID-19 stories:

The latest updates on COVID-19 in Alberta in charts and graphs: