Thousands of Albertans have reported COVID-19 related complaints to Alberta Health Services over the last month.
On Tuesday, AHS said that between Oct. 1 and Oct. 30, there were 4,106 complaints received province-wide.
Of those complaints, 78 per cent were in either the Edmonton or Calgary zones, with 1,461 in Edmonton zone and 1,751 in Calgary zone.
AHS said that between Oct. 30 and Nov. 2 there were an additional 409 complaints provincially, with 151 in Edmonton Zone and 175 in Calgary Zone.
AHS told Global News there have been a total of 16 COVID-19 orders issued following the complaints between Oct. 1 and Nov. 2: two in Edmonton zone, 13 in Calgary zone, and one in the South zone.
Dr. Deena Hinshaw said Tuesday the current provincial rules and restrictions are specifically targeting areas with the greatest risks.
“I think that if Albertans are following the public health measures that are in place, if they’re following those additional restrictions and being cautious, then we can get our numbers down.”
Hinshaw added the businesses that receive the health orders and closures are the “most egregious cases.”
“If there is a business that has not put in place the guidance, that is egregiously violating what the COVID restrictions are — then, of course, there should be consequences for those businesses and individuals that are choosing to put people around them at risk. ”
Hinshaw added that she still believes sweeping closures are not the answer at this time.
“We need to make sure that we are working with Albertans to keep our measures reasonable, to keep our measures balanced, to keep our measures targeted where they matter the most,” Hinshaw said.
There are currently eight active orders through the beginning of October on the AHS website related to COVID-19 that can be publicly accessed.
The Leduc Coffee shop in the Edmonton zone was ordered closed on Oct. 28. Also in the Edmonton zone, a Shell gas station in Morinville was given a work order related to mask use and sanitizing on Oct. 10.
In Calgary zone, Kabul Lounge was issued a work order on Oct. 3 related to distancing between tables and using reusable shisha products. Ritage Mediterranean Restaurant and Lounge and Partners Restaurant & Lounge were also issued work orders on Oct. 3, both related to COVID-19 measures.
Also in Calgary zone, Abyssinia Restaurant was ordered closed on Oct. 23 due to COVID-19 issues as well as numerous food storage and preparation issues. The Raj Palace Restaurant was issued a closure order on Oct. 29, also related to both COVID-19 measures and general food safety and cleanliness.
Calgary’s Monte Carlo Bar and Lounge was ordered closed on Nov. 1 for holding a private event with more than 15 people, with no social distancing.
On Oct. 26, the province implemented a mandatory 15-person limit for all social gatherings.
AHS also released numbers related to mass gatherings, and said Tuesday that between Oct. 26 and Nov. 2, there have been 64 related complaints that were specifically related to large crowds.
Again, the majority of mass gathering complaints were in the Edmonton and Calgary zones: with 22 in Edmonton zone, 23 in Calgary zone, 10 in Central zone and seven and two in the North and South zones.
On Tuesday, Alberta reported 2,268 new cases of COVID-19 and 15 deaths related to the disease identified since Friday.
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