On Monday, the new COVID-19 case numbers in Alberta for the weekend were reported. There were 133 new cases on Friday, 184 new cases on Saturday and 109 new cases on Sunday.
That brings the total number of active COVID-19 cases in Alberta to 1,370; 590 of which are in the Calgary zone and 551 of which were in the Edmonton zone.
“Our case numbers over the last three days raise concerns,” chief medical officer of health Dr. Deena Hinshaw said.
She said Alberta Health officials will be examining the recent data to determine if additional steps need to be taken in response to this increase.
On each of the last three days, Alberta labs completed more than 10,000 tests each day – more than 11,000 on Saturday and 12,000 on Sunday.
As of Monday, 44 people were in hospital, eight of whom were in ICU.
Two deaths from COVID-19 were reported Monday: a man in his 80s in the Edmonton zone but not in continuing care and a man in his 90s in the North zone from Homesteader Lodge.
That brings Alberta’s COVID-19 death toll to 239.
“Our goal is to keep daily cases numbers low, minimize outbreaks and manage them successfully when they occur,” Hinshaw said.
Outbreak linked to Calgary church
Hinshaw announced updates to several outbreaks in Alberta, including a large one linked to Calgary Kidanemehret Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahdo Church, where 57 COVID-19 cases have been confirmed.
Alberta Health is still in process of contact tracing, she said. However, anyone who attended the church in the last two weeks should be tested and monitor for symptoms.
As a precaution, any children who went to the church in the last two weeks should not go to school this week, Hinshaw stressed.
“This isn’t the only outbreak we’re dealing with,” she said. “I would really ask that this particular community not be stigmatized — but supported.”
Hinshaw said Alberta Health is still investigating how the outbreak spread in this case.
“We don’t know the details yet as this outbreak has just been reported to us,” she said, adding that sometimes it’s possible “for the wrong person to be in the wrong place at the wrong time,” and an infectious person unknowingly spread the novel coronavirus.
She said, in the wake of these outbreaks, Alberta Health will be looking closely at its rules and recommendations for group gatherings like faith-based congregations and determine if “our guidance needs to be updated.”
Other outbreaks
Alberta’s top doctor also clarified outbreak numbers from last week.
She said an outbreak previously reported at Bright Horizons Daycare and out-of-school care involved six cases when in fact the outbreak actually involved five cases, including two children in the toddler room and one child in the out-of-school room who had an exposure outside the facility.
Hinshaw apologized to the facility and said it has been “more than co-operative” with public health officials.
Another outbreak was declared at the Edmonton Walmart Supercentre on Calgary Trail. There were eight cases confirmed among staff, Hinshaw said, but officials aren’t sure if exposure was at work or if there was a common exposure outside work.
As of Monday, there were 24 cases at the Lilydale poultry processing plant in Calgary, three of which are recovered; 66 active cases at Harmony Meats and three cases that are recovered.
Over the weekend, Order 33-2020 was issued, outlining that schools do not have to ensure physical distancing when students are seated at desks but that non-medical masks are mandatory inside schools for all staff, visitors and students between Grades 4 and 12 (in shared and common areas) when two metres of distance cannot be maintained.
It states:
“Despite Section 13 of this Order, an operator of a school does not need to ensure that students, staff members and visitors are able to maintain a minimum of two metres distance from every other person when a student, staff member or visitor is seated at desk or table:
a) Within a classroom or place where the instruction, course or program of study is taking place, and
b) Where the desks, tables and chairs are arranged in a manner:
- To prevent persons who are seated from facing each other, and
- To allow the greatest possible distance between seated persons.”
The order takes effect Aug. 31.
Hinshaw stressed Monday that the order issued over the weekend does not change her guidelines for schools that have been in place for several weeks. She explained the order was trying to balance the benefits and risks associated with students wearing masks and in what context.
“The requirements for masking within a classroom when students are seated — that requirement is eased as long as desks are placed as far apart as possible, students are seated and not doing active activity, and students are not facing each other. Those requirements have been in our guidance for weeks,” she said.
On Monday, Hinshaw said that schools are also being instructed to arrange desks so students are not facing one another.
“If two metres cannot be arranged between desks or tables, students should be arranged so they are not facing each other… That way, if a student coughs or sneezes, they are not likely to cough or sneeze on the face on another student.”