Its mortality rate among people over 80 may be highest, but COVID-19 can kill young adults too, as we're now seeing in Canada, where a patient in her 20s just succumbed to the deadly virus.

Public health officials in Alberta announced on Friday that one of the province's most-recent coronavirus fatalities was an Edmonton-area woman who, as of April 4, is Canada's youngst COVID-19 fatality to date.

The woman in her 20s is one of five new fatalities confirmed in the province yesterday.

Alberta's Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw told reporters that it is not yet clear if the woman had any pre-existing health issues.

"This is a tragic reminder that it is not only the elderly or those with underlying conditions. The orders we have in place are to protect everyone," she said during a media briefing in which she also announced new restrictions on visiotrs to hospitals and long-term care facilities.

Dr Hinshaw's empathy: Woman in 20s frm Edm has sadly passed away, unclear underlying condit'ns. 8 deaths total now at McKenzie Towne LTC. #covid19 affects ALL ages, not just elderly. Need to RECOMMIT to #StayHomeSaveLives to honour those we've lost from #COVID19. #FlattenTheCurve

— Dr. Amy *STAY HOME* Tan 🇨🇦 (@AmyTanMD) April 3, 2020

"To limit further deaths, we must all follow public health orders," Hinshaw continued. "Please plan to support loved ones in hospital with virtual visits instead."

As of Saturday, there had been 1,075 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Alberta and 18 deaths. The province has recorded 196 recoveries from the virus and 75 patients are currently hospitalized.

While many of the deaths suffered by Alberta residents as a result of the pandemic to date have taken place among seniors in long-term care homes, it is of note that women between the ages of 25 and 34 account for more cases of COVID-19 in females than any other age demographic.

Canada-wide, at least 13,848 people have now been infected with the 2019 novel coronavirus, 228 of them fatally.

The World Health Organization is currently reporting just under 60,000 coronavirus-related deaths out of more than one million cases across the globe.