By Troy Gillard

"No part of the province is safe from COVID-19"

Alberta expands social gathering limit to all areas under COVID-19 Watch

Nov 6, 2020 | 4:07 PM

With case numbers soaring, Alberta is expanding the 15-person limit for social gatherings to include all areas of the province currently under a COVID-19 Watch.

Premier Jason Kenney made the announcement during a media conference Thursday afternoon.

Kenney said Alberta’s approach has served Albertans well to this point, but, “To be blunt, all that we have accomplished together is now at risk.”

This includes the city of Red Deer where a COVID-19 Watch has been in effect since Tuesday.

Red Deer had 63 active cases of the virus as of Wednesday, the last available update, and an active case rate of 59.5 per 100,000.

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The province is also “strongly recommending” that personal cohorts be limited to three or fewer in watch list communities.

“It’s time for us all to up our game,” Kenney reiterated. “No part of the province is safe from COVID-19.”

Alberta reported 609 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, one day after identifying a record 802 new cases.

The province completed 26,483 tests for the virus over the past two days.

There are currently 171 Albertans in hospital with the virus, including 33 in ICU.

Eight people in Alberta died from COVID-19 over the last two days.

“If these numbers continue to grow at the current pace they will put our health-care system at risk. They will put our economy at risk. And our loved ones at risk,” said the premier. “We’ve seen how hospitals get overrun in other jurisdictions around the world. We must not let that happen here in Alberta.”

Kenney added, “If we don’t bend the curve down now we’ll face even tougher choices in the days ahead. But if we take smart targeted actions and each do our part, we can continue to protect people’s lives and livelihoods.”

Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta’s top doctor, said Friday that technical issues continue to hinder the province’s website showing detailed COVID-19 numbers.

Note: A previous version of this story stated that the province was recommending cohorts of no more than three people. It has been corrected to read that the advice is no more than three cohorts. We apologize for the error.