What you need to know about COVID-19 in Alberta on Sunday, March 22
CBC News | Posted: March 22, 2020 4:48 PM | Last Updated: March 22, 2020
Cases continue to climb and Alberta's economy continues to be hammered
The latest:
- Alberta has 33 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the province's total to 259 cases.
- Of those cases, 18 are in hospital, seven have been admitted to intensive care and one patient has died. Three people have recovered. A list of cases by age, gender, and health zone is available on the province's website.
- Alberta's Emergency Management Agency has set up a website in response to offers from individuals or businesses to help respond to the pandemic.
- Dr. Marcia Johnson, Alberta's deputy chief medical officer of health, provided an update on Saturday. She said an enforcement plan is being put in place to allow health inspectors to monitor large gatherings of people, and for police to possibly implement fines.
- The province's next daily update will be held Monday.
- The City of Camrose is the latest Alberta municipality to declare a state of local emergency.
- Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says more aid is on the way, adding that the $82-billion financial package announced to offset the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is just "a very first step."
- Two additional cases of COVID-19 at the University of Calgary have prompted the university to advise faculty and staff to work from home until further notice.
- Some Alberta daycares will reopen next week for kids of health-care and 'critical' staff, Premier Jason Kenney announced Friday.
- Alberta homeless shelters, like the Mustard Seed and Drop-In Centre, will receive a financial boost from the province to help implement social distancing measures. Alberta Health says it is not aware of any COVID-19 cases within the homeless population.
- Goodwill thrift stores and donation centres across the province have been temporarily shut down.
- Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi is encouraging anyone who sees an individual or business that is violating orders under the local state of emergency to report it to 311.
- Grade 12 diploma exams have been cancelled, but students can request an exam if there are special circumstances.
- The Alberta government said it would provide front-line medical staff and funding to help shelter the homeless during the pandemic.
- Alberta's first COVID-19 death was announced Thursday afternoon.
- The province's credit rating has been downgraded in light of a budget that is "no longer valid" as the price of oil continues to batter the bottom line.
- Edmonton Mayor Don Iveson declared a state of local emergency on Friday.
What you need to know today in Alberta:
The curve of new cases continues to rise in the province and it's not expected to peak until mid-April. If that's the case, measures to halt the spread will likely be in place until May.
The province is urging everyone to take the outbreak seriously and practise social distancing. Stay home to prevent the spread of the virus.
In the midst of shutdowns and self-isolations, governments at all levels are scrambling to offer help, including a massive federal bailout, but also relaxations on city utility payments in Calgary, and Edmonton eyeing property tax deferrals.
In Calgary, bus passengers are now required to load from the back of the bus, and new signs have gone up to warn passengers to stay away from drivers.
Calgary Transit also announced reduced CTrain hours effective March 30.
The Calgary Farmers' Market introduced a curb-side pick-up option for people who want to avoid going inside.
For students, and parents, the province has released guidelines for continued learning at home and said on Friday afternoon that diploma exams for Grade 12 students have been cancelled.
What you need to know today in Canada:
In the midst of a massive disruption to air travel around the world, Air Canada announced it was laying off over 5,000 flight attendants. Some Canadians, still overseas, are struggling to get home with restrictions on travel and a shortage of flights.
The prime minister announced a series of new measures on Friday morning, including a plan to ramp up production of medical supplies and a plan to bar asylum seekers from crossing the Canada-U.S. border.
Meanwhile, some Canadians are having trouble setting up deferrals on mortgage payments with Canada's big banks.
As of 12:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, there were 1,364 presumptive and confirmed cases in Canada, with 19 deaths and 16 listed as recovered.
- British Columbia: 424 confirmed cases, including six recovered and 10 deaths.
- Ontario: 424 confirmed cases, including six recovered and three deaths.
- Alberta: 259 confirmed cases, including three recovered and one death.
- Quebec: 181 confirmed cases, including one recovered and five deaths.
- Saskatchewan: 44 confirmed and presumptive cases.
- Manitoba: 19 confirmed and presumptive cases.
- New Brunswick: 17 confirmed and presumptive cases.
- Nova Scotia: 28 confirmed and presumptive cases.
- Prince Edward Island: Two cases the province lists as positive.
- Newfoundland and Labrador: Six confirmed and presumptive cases.
- Northwest Territories: one confirmed case.
- Repatriated Canadians: 13 confirmed cases.
Self-assessment:
Alberta Health Services has an online self-assessment tool that you can use to determine if you have symptoms of COVID-19.
Testing is focused on individuals who have developed symptoms within 14 days of returning from travel outside Canada, or who have had contact with someone diagnosed with the illness, but the province said Saturday it will shift in the coming week to also focus on community transmission. More than 23,500 people have been tested so far.
The province "strongly requests" that Albertans who have returned to Canada after March 12 self-isolate for 14 days. 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.