EDMONTON — Alberta recorded a two-month high in the number of COVID-19 patients in intensive care units while the province added nearly 2,000 cases over the weekend.

Monday’s report includes data from Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

There are 54 COVID-19 patients in Alberta ICUs, nearly 2 1/2 times more than at the start of the month and the highest since June 23.

Those 54 are included in the 244 patients in hospital, the higest since June 16.

The province reported 1,972 new cases over that three-day period, bringing the seven-day rolling daily average up to 665, about where it was in mid-May.

Active cases have increased to 7,777, the first time they’ve exceeded 7,000 since late May. 

Five new deaths due to COVID-19 were reported Monday, bringing the number of Albertans who have died due to COVID-19 up to 2,348. Twenty-one of those deaths have occured since Aug. 1, including 11 in the past week. 

Among eligible Albertans, 77.3 per cent have received a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine and 68.8 per cent have had a second shot.​

The next data update is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon.