By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

april 17 update

Alberta declares 239 new cases of COVID-19 as recoveries reach 1,124

Apr 17, 2020 | 4:04 PM

Premier Jason Kenney announced Friday afternoon 239 new cases of COVID-19 in Alberta.

Recoveries are up to 1,124, and there are zero new deaths in the past 24 hours, leaving the total at 50 since the first case of coronavirus in Alberta was declared on March 6.

Kenney credited the much higher than normal number of new cases to an increase in testing, saying there’s been more than 3,800 tests done in the last day. The previous one-day high for new cases was 162 on April 16.

To date, nearly 93,000 tests have been conducted.

Kenney added that the best news is the continuously low rate of hospitalizations in province-wide, but insisting that Alberta “far from out of the woods.”

Icy Roads

RCMP says travel not recommended on QEII north of Red Deer

Dec 21, 2024

University Magazine

RDP ranked 17th among top culinary schools in Canada

Dec 21, 2024

JANUARY 21 ONLY

Ponoka starting Christmas tree pick up in January

Dec 20, 2024

In the coming days, testing will be done on all residents and staff in continuing care facilities that are experiencing outbreaks, whether they have symptoms or not.

“This will help to contain the spread among residents and protect the compassionate and courageous workers who are caring for them in those seniors’ facilities,” said Kenney.

The maximum testing capacity is close to 7,000 tests per day and the province has a goal to increase that to 20,000. Kenney said that is part of the government’s relaunch strategy that also includes “a very strong policy to build a wall of defence around out most vulnerable seniors, in particular those in continuing care facilities.”

Kenney said that while Albertans should be proud of the efforts made so far “we are not out of this,” and acknowledged increasing calls from the public to re-open everything right away.

“Doing so, letting the virus loose, would risk us having to come back with an even more stringent and widespread lockdown that would have an even more devastating impact on our economy,” he said. “The best way we can re-open … is if we continue to show discipline.”

In Red Deer, there is one new case for a total of 33. There are 10 active cases, and 23 recovered. Red Deer County now has two active cases and 10 recoveries.

In Central Zone, there are three new cases, pushing the total to 77, with just one death reported several days ago in the Camrose area.

Elsewhere, Dr. Deena Hinshaw said there are now 358 confirmed cases connected to an outbreak at a High River meat packing facility.

She also noted that Alberta Health Services has taken over operations at the Manoir Du Lac facility in McLennan (North Zone) because it has not been following proper COVID-19-related protocols. To date, five people have died at that facility.

Up to 400 cases are believed to be community acquired. There are currently 60 people in hispital and 13 in ICUs.

More data is available at Alberta.ca/covid19.

(with file from Chris Brown/CHAT News Today)