247 new COVID-19 cases reported in Alberta, no additional deaths

Alberta reported 247 new cases of COVID-19 and no new deaths from the illness on Sunday.

The latest updatebrings the total number of cases in the province to 4,480.

Here is how the cases breakdown by zone:

• Calgary zone: 3,104
• Edmonton zone: 479
• Central zone: 83
• South zone: 598
• North zone: 182
• Unknown: 34

The number of people admitted tohospital with COVID-19rose to 83 on Sunday, up six from Saturday. Of the people in hospital, 20 have been admitted to an intensive care unit, according to a news release issued by the province Sunday afternoon.

The bulk of the new cases originated in the Calgary zone, where 140 cases were reported in the past24 hours. The South zone also saw new cases jumpby 88 compared to the previous day.

Alberta Health Services completed 4,718 tests forCOVID-19 since the previous update, bringing the total number of people tested in the province to 121,244.

CERB exemption announced for provincial benefit recipients

Two clients of the Calgary Drop-In Centre tested positive for COVID-19, Minister of Community and Social Services Rajan Sawhney said ata news conference Sunday.

The province is looking to increase shelter capacity and identify hotel rooms where people without shelter who tested positive can self-isolate.

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Sawhneyalso announced the province will exempt a portion of the Canada emergency response benefit (CERB) for people on Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) and Income Support who qualify for the federal program.

The change is intended to help those recipients access federal funding without impacting their eligibility for the provincial programs, Sawhney said.

"We are taking action to exempt a portion of CERB payments so that the financial benefits from AISH and Income Support can be calculated similarly to when they lost their jobs and they can still receive the same health benefits," Sawhney said.

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Provincial rules don't allow AISH recipients to receive additional government funding without a clawback to their benefits.

About 17 per cent of AISH and six per cent of Income Support recipients earn some employment income to supplement provincial benefits.