ALBERTA – Additional measures to restrict hospital visits in the province have been introduced to help curb the spread of COVID-19 in Alberta.
Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw reported 107 new cases of the virus Friday (April 3), bringing the total number of confirmed cases in Alberta to 1,075. Of those who have tested positive for COVID-19, 137 are suspected to be a result of community transmission.
A total of 18 people have died and 196 people have fully recovered from the virus.
There have been 10 COVID-19 cases reported in the Cochrane-Springbank region, 10 cases in the Canmore region and one case in the Banff region.
Hinshaw reported that five people have died since Thursday (April 2), including a woman in her 20s in the Edmonton zone. Hinshaw said at this time, it is not clear if the woman had any underlying health conditions.
“This is a tragic reminder that it is not only the elderly or those with underlying conditions who are at risk,” Hinshaw said, asking people to practise social distancing and follow public health measures that have been put in place to ensure the province can limit the spread of COVID-19.
Hinshaw said Alberta Health Services will no longer allow patients to have in-person visitors while in the hospital. Exceptions to this measure will include children admitted to the hospital, she said, adding more details will be put in place to address other potential exemptions to the measure.
“We know there is community transmission happening, especially in our large centres. It becomes even more important that we are minimizing the chance someone may unwittingly bring in the virus to a hospital,” Hinshaw said.
“The fewer people who come into any given place the more the chances are reduced the virus could be brought in.”
Hinshaw said she expects public health measures to remain in place for many months.
To better understand how the virus is spreading through the community and who is at the highest risk of exposure, a shift in testing has taken place in the province.
An important aspect of this transition, Hinshaw said, is tracking the number of cases that do not have a known link to a COVID-19 carrier.
“It does not seem at this moment we are seeing a rapid rise in local transmission,” Hinshaw said.
“We will continue to closely monitor these numbers. Our collective work to help flatten the curve is more imperative than ever.”
Premier Jason Kenney added a large number of COVID-19 positive diagnoses comes from one of the province's largest single-day total of test results of more than 4,000. More than 60,000 tests have been conducted in the province he said, adding that tests per capita are the highest in the country and one of the highest in the world.
“This data indicates that the Alberta health system is handling the pandemic better than most,” Kenney said. “I caution that this is just a snapshot in time, but it does reflect where Alberta is today and has consistently been for the last three weeks.”
If the province can continue to keep the rates of infection and death at their current level, he said the province will know the countermeasures that have been taken are keeping people safe.
The province is reaching the point where it has enough data for the release of the potential model of the infection's path, Kenney said, adding that based on current projections there are enough health care workers, supplies and resources within Alberta Health Services to weather the peak of the pandemic.
Modelling data is expected to be released early next week.
“The total number of infections and deaths will undoubtedly continue to rise in the days and in the weeks to come,” Kenney said. “But, so too will the recovered cases.”
Kenney addressed reports that 3M has been asked by the United States government to cease sending medical equipment out of the country, explaining that Alberta is ready to ensure the supply chain is maintained in the province.
Kenney said medical supplies have been ordered from multiple countries to ensure health care and frontline workers have proper protection. He added that the declaration illustrates the dire need to create medical equipment within the country.
He added that he was personally insulted that critical medical equipment is being withheld by a country considered a close ally of Canada.
“The announcement today by President [Donald] Trump is extremely disappointing,” Kenney said.
“If I had a chance to speak to President Trump, I would remind him about Canada’s solidarity following 9/11 and in the global fight against terrorism. We have made very real sacrifices to stand by our American friends and allies – we can’t even count on our closest friend and alley to be a supplier.”
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