CALGARY -- City officials have announced the renewal of Calgary's state of emergency, which was activated in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic late last year.

On Nov. 25, 2020, the second state of emergency connected to the pandemic was called.

It was first renewed on Feb. 23 and is now being renewed once more because of the number of active cases in Calgary.

Officials are "encouraged," however, to see the growing number of people being vaccinated and the dropping case numbers.

"Over the last week, we have started to see case counts decline and we are hopeful this trend continues," said Chief Sue Henry of the Calgary Emergency Management Agency (CEMA) in a release.

"Until more people are vaccinated and we are able to reduce the spread of the variants, we must continue to be diligent."

By renewing the state of emergency, the city is able to respond more efficiently to the needs of Calgarians and coordinate city services for their welfare.

Under the current health guidelines, the city says all indoor gatherings are still prohibited and outdoor gatherings are limited to five people.

As it is now the May long weekend, Henry encourages residents to consider staying close to home rather than travelling outside Calgary.

"I encourage you to spend this weekend close to home, working on your garden, firing up the barbecue or setting up your camping gear in your backyard for a new adventure."

According to the Alberta Health website, there are 6,053 active cases of COVID-19 in Calgary. There are an additional 1,479 cases in the Calgary zone, which is the area as far north as Didsbury, west to Lake Louise and south to Claresholm.

Full details on the city's response, services and supports during the COVID-19 pandemic can be found online.