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Dr. Hinshaw shares COVID-19 update for Dec. 9

Dec 9, 2020 | 3:20 PM

Alberta’s chief medical officer of health is set to provide her latest update on the COVID-19 situation in the province.

Dr. Deena Hinshaw will speak during a news conference scheduled for 3:30 p.m. You can watch the news conference below once it begins.

Hinshaw’s latest update comes a day after the province announced it is toughening its COVID-19 strategy in the hope of reducing soaring case numbers.

The government has imposed a province-wide mask mandate in indoor public spaces, including workplaces — the last province in Canada to do so.

The province has also banned social gatherings of any size indoors or out.

Starting Sunday, Alberta is restricting restaurants and bars to delivery or takeout and close casinos and gyms.

The government is also ordering the closure of recreation centres, libraries, theatres and personal service providers such as hair salons, barbers and nail bars.

Retail stores and churches can remain open, but at 15 per cent capacity.

Premier Jason Kenney says his government’s new COVID-19 measures will be in place for at least four weeks.

Kenney said if stronger action is not taken now, hundreds, potentially thousands, of Albertans will die.

Yesterday, the province reported more than 21,000 active cases with 654 people in hospital — 112 of them receiving intensive care.

Daily death counts have been in the double digits for much of the last week.

(With file from The Canadian Press)