Alberta adds 619 new COVID-19 cases over long weekend

There are currently 45 Albertans in hospital, including 10 in ICU. The province has recorded five more deaths from COVID-19 for a total of 247.

The province conducted 47,406 tests for the novel coronavirus in the past 96 hours — 11,386 on Friday, 11,368 Saturday, 12,091 Sunday and 12,561 on Monday (new single day record).

In the Central Zone the number of active cases is 52, up from 40 in Friday’s update, while recoveries are listed at 570. There are currently no COVID-19 related hospitalizations or outbreaks in the zone.

Red Deer now has 18 active cases, an increase of four, while recoveries are listed at 77.

Elsewhere in Central Zone:

Red Deer County: 0 active (-1), 28 recovered (+1)

Sylvan Lake: 6 (+2) active, 9 recovered

Lacombe County: 8 (+3) active, 19 recovered

Lacombe: 1 active, 5 recovered

Innisfail: 1 active, 6 recovered

Town of Olds: 1 active, 5 recovered

Ponoka County: 0 active, 12 recovered

Kneehill County: 0, active, 18 recovered, 2 deaths

County of Stettler: 0 active, 44 recovered

Rocky Mountain House: 0 active, 3 recovered

Town of Ponoka: 0 active, 7 recovered

Town of Sundre: 0 active, 1 recovered

Town of Rimbey: 0 active, 2 recovered

Town of Didsbury: 0 active, 8 recovered

Drayton Valley: 0 active, 1 recovered

Drumheller: 2 active, 19 recovered

Dr. Deena Hinshaw said she is concerned about the continued rise in cases in the province.

“Our focus continues to be on limiting the spread of COVID-19 in the community and responding quickly to outbreaks when they occur,” she said. “However, higher case numbers and more outbreaks can strain our frontline teams.”

The province’s chief medical officer of health addressed the number of cases identified in schools over the weekend, saying it is not unexpected.

“In each case, AHS worked quickly with school officials to identify contacts and ensure anyone at risk is isolated. This quick action is crucial to keeping schools safe in the days and weeks ahead,” Hinshaw said.

She acknowledged that being told you’ve tested positive or were a close contact of one can be upsetting to children and that it’s important to talk to children about what that means and what will come next.

“If your child is a close contact, they will need to isolate for 14 days. Testing can be arranged, though they will need to stay home for the full 14 days even if they test negative,” Hinshaw said, adding she understands the frustration of kids having to stay home for two weeks so soon into the school year, but said the situations must be approached cautiously. “Anyone exposed to COVID-19 could become ill at any point in the next two weeks and a single negative test does not assure safety.”

She said as more cases are encountered in schools, the approach to assessing close contacts will be continuously evaluated.

“At this point, all students in a classroom are considered close contacts if a classmate attended while infectious,” she said.

For context, Hinshaw said about 2,400 schools in the province have “had no disruption at school.”

She says AHS is taking each case extremely seriously, but “that there are no risk-free options with COVID and that we must support every aspect of our children’s health.”

Hinshaw noted the concerning issues of a rising number of new cases that are close contacts of known cases and that those showing mild symptoms are not self-isolating.

(With file from Chris Brown – CHAT News Today)

by Troy Gillard

Alberta adds 619 new COVID-19 cases over long weekend

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