What you need to know about COVID-19 in Alberta on Monday, April 20
Warm weather is testing self-distancing while oil prices crash once more
The latest:
- Another 105 cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in Alberta on Monday, bringing the province's total to 2,908.
- Cargill will temporarily close its High River meat-processing facility linked to Alberta's worst outbreak.
- There are now 360 Cargill workers who have tested positive, and a total of 484 cases linked to that outbreak.
- Four more people have died, bringing the province's total deaths to 59.
- The province has announced new measures to support continuing care facilities, like $24.5 million in funding, a $2 per hour wage bump for workers, and a plan to fast track health-care aide students through paid internships.
- The pandemic is pushing oil prices to lowest level since the 1990s.
- Warm weather brought crowds of people to Calgary's parks and pathways.
- Union demands equal pay as new rules loom for long-term care workers.
- AHS reviewing complaints that new masks cause rashes, headaches and don't seal.
What you need to know today in Alberta:
The forecast calls for warm weather and sunshine across much of Alberta this week, something that could challenge physical distancing rules, at least if Calgary over the weekend is any indication.
WATCH: What happens after Canadians flatten the curve:
A lack of distance was also responsible for Alberta's biggest outbreak to date, according to employees at the Cargill meat plant near High River. The company said on Monday it would temporarily close the facility.
Meanwhile, the economic hits keep piling up, as the price of oil once again plummeted over a glut in global supply.
There were 2,908 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the province as of Monday.
Here is the breakdown of cases by region:
- Calgary zone: 2,077.
- Edmonton zone: 438.
- Central zone: 77.
- South zone: 156.
- North zone: 143.
- Unknown zone: 17.
There have been 105,317 people tested for COVID-19 in Alberta since the beginning of the outbreak. A total of 1,230 people have recovered.
What you need to know today in Canada:
The federal Conservatives have rejected a Liberal plan endorsed by the NDP and Bloc Québécois on the return of Parliament. The Liberal plan would see one in-person sitting per week, supplemented by virtual sittings.
The Conservatives want three meetings per week inside the House of Commons, which means parties could be sending just a handful of MPs into the building in the coming days.
WATCH: Finding a way to help during the pandemic:
A new rule requiring people flying within Canada to wear a non-medical mask kicks in at noon today.
As of 7 a.m. ET on Monday, provinces and territories had reported 35,056 confirmed and presumptive coronavirus cases. The regions that provide public data on recoveries listed 11,856 cases as recovered or resolved.
A CBC News tally of COVID-19-related deaths, based on provincial and regional health data, as well as CBC's reporting, listed 1,647 coronavirus-related deaths in Canada. There have been two reported COVID-19-related deaths of Canadians abroad.
Quebec accounts for 18,357 of the cases and 877 deaths, with many of the recorded deaths linked to the long-term care system.
Self-assessment:
Alberta Health Services has an online self-assessment tool that you can use to determine if you have symptoms of COVID-19.
WATCH: How to physically distance in tricky situations:
The province says Albertans who have returned to Canada from other countries must self-isolate. Unless your situation is critical and requires a call to 911, Albertans are advised to call Health Link at 811 before visiting a physician, hospital or other health-care facility.
If you have symptoms, even mild, you are to self-isolate for 10 days from the onset of symptoms.
You can find Alberta Health Services' latest coronavirus updates here.