BANFF – RCMP broke up an indoor house party of about 50 people on St. Patrick’s Day for violating COVID-19 public health rules.
Town of Banff officials say charges are pending against those attending the March 17 party in Banff, where there are six active COVID-19 cases, including two confirmed cases and one probable case of variants of concern.
Councillor Corrie DiManno delivered some sharp words during a council meeting on Monday (March 22) to those still having indoor parties in Banff.
“That is so disappointing and deeply disrespectful to our health care workers, our front-line workers, and our entire community that have been working towards keeping everyone safe,” she said.
“I am shocked, that’s very unreal. I thought we were past that. I am just flabbergasted.”
Silvio Adamo, the director of emergency management for the Town of Banff, said RCMP issued five liquor violation tickets on St. Patrick’s Day and responded to the house parties.
“One was estimated at 50-ish people in attendance and health charges are pending in that instance,” he said.
“We’ve made it very clear to the staff sergeant and the manager of municipal enforcement that we think after a year of education and being very patient with folks that if, at this point, folks still don’t get the message that maybe they will with a $1,000 fine.”
Coun. Grant Canning added: “I couldn’t agree more, so thank you for that.”
Councillor Chip Olver said she was glad to see charges are under consideration.
“We all remember what happened with house parties at Halloween and what that meant to our community in terms of numbers soaring,” she said in reference to hitting 192 active COVID-19 cases at the end of November.
“And that was not with variants of concern, which are much more contagious.”
As for the COVID-19 variants of concern identified in Banff, Alberta Health Services’ disease control has been working with the property. The name of the business is not being disclosed.
Adamo said all staff have been tested regardless of possible close contacts.
“This is obviously very concerning and a harsh reminder that although we are very close to getting every adult vaccinated in this province, and country, we must not let our guard down,” he said.
“I am asking all of our residents to please respect social gathering rules.”
There are currently five people at the Banff YWCA’s isolation facility, with three available rooms.
“To date, we have not received a request to isolate any of the variant cases that we’re aware of,” Adamo said.
Banff’s case rate sits at 37.2 active cases per 100,000 people as of March 22. At that time, the provincial rate was 127 and the national rate sat at 90 per 100,000 people.
“Unfortunately, it needs to be noted that Alberta now has the highest per capita rate in the country,” Adamo said.
As of March 23, there were 6,231 active cases province-wide. There were 290 people in hospital due to COVID-19, including 53 in intensive care. Eighty-eight per cent of those patients in intensive care are under the age of 65.
Alberta has identified 1,711 cases of variants of concern.
The growing case numbers and hospitalizations in Alberta have prompted the government to delay moving to stage 3 of the province’s phased reopening.
Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta’s chief medical officer of health, said for those who think 300 hospital cases is a fraction of acute care capacity, she reminds everyone of the experience in November when cases and hospitalizations grew sharply.
“It grew by 200 to 250 people every two weeks, going from 270 people in hospital on November 12 to 927 just six weeks later,” she said during her Monday afternoon briefing.
“The reality is that, once we hit a growth phase of this virus, our numbers will not stand still.”
In a few months, with widespread immunization, Hinshaw said Albertans will be in a very different place and able to enjoy many of the elements of their lives put on hold because of COVID-19.
But she said until that happens, it is more important than ever to keep cases low.
“Looking for loopholes, or thinking that it doesn’t matter if you bend an inconvenient rule just a little bit, jeopardizes the progress that we have all made together,” said Hinshaw.
