Alberta’s medical director says the province has now reported four cases of smallpox.
Dr. Deena Hinshaw says the four cases involve adults now isolating themselves and helping health officials locate their close contacts.
Hinshaw says the risk of disease in Alberta remains low.
He says the disease is transmitted by close physical contact.
This includes multiple sexual partners, although the disease is not sexually transmitted.
Hinshaw adds that the number of people in the hospital with COVID-19 has decreased by 20 percent over the past two weeks.
However, 42 more Albertans died from the infection between May 17 and 23.
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