Woman in her 20s among 9 COVID-19 deaths Saturday, Alberta breaks new case record for 3rd straight day

Alberta Health Services employees speak with a drivers at a drive-thru testing facility in Calgary, Alta., Friday, March 27, 2020, amid a worldwide COVID-19 flu pandemic. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

Edmonton — Nine more Albertans, including a woman in her 20s, were reported on Saturday to have died due to COVID-19 as the province recorded a new record daily increase for a third consecutive day.

Alberta added 1,336 new cases, the first time it's exceeded 1,200 new cases since the start of the pandemic.

Nine of the province's ten largest daily increases have occured over the past 10 days.

A woman in her 20s from the South Zone is among the nine deaths announced Saturday. She is third Albertan under 30 to die due to COVID-19.

Four of the nine deaths were in the Edmonton Zone and include man in his 70s, man in his 80s and woman in her 60s as well as a man in his 90s whose death is connected to the Laurel Heights outbreak.

Three of the remaining deaths were in the Calgary Zone including a man in his 70s as well as a woman in her 60s whose death is linked to the Foothills outbreak and a man in 90s whose death is linked to the Carewest George Boyack outbreak.

The final death is of a man is 70s in the South Zone and is linked to the AgeCare Sunrise Gardens outbreak in Brooks.

There are now 321 people in hospital, an increase of three from Friday and a new record high.

The number of patients in intensive care units fell by two to 57.

The province has not reported new testing data since Nov. 4.

Also on Saturday, the city of Edmonton recorded its own record high increase with 566 new casesfor a total of 14,622.

The province's data site will be updated again on Sunday, and Dr. Deena Hinshaw will return for an in-person update on Monday.