Hinshaw thanks Albertans: ‘You are saving lives’

“I assure you that I am watching our numbers closely and working with many others to look forward to the time when we can start lifting some of these measures and making the so-called medicine more powerful,” Dr. Deena Hinshaw

“You are saving lives,” Alberta’s chief medical officer of health said. “As a doctor for the population I know that the medicine of physical distancing that I’m currently prescribing is a bitter pill to swallow. I assure you that I am watching our numbers closely and working with many others to look forward to the time when we can start lifting some of these measures and making the so-called medicine more powerful.”

When asked about golf courses in southern Alberta, Hinshaw said there have been many questions.

“My position is that golf courses are a non-essential service, and so golf courses can like other non-essential services has workers tending the grounds to get the golfing range ready if they should be able to open later this season, but golf courses are not accessible to the public at this time because they are a non-essential service,” she said.

The three deaths were a woman in her 80s in the Calgary Zone, a man in his 70s the Edmonton Zone and a woman in her 60s in the Calgary Zone. One of the deaths was linked to an outbreak in a continuing care facility in Calgary. She said it highlights the need to keep people who live and work in such homes safe.

“I know it is difficult to no longer be able to visit loved ones who reside in these facilities but this measure was necessary to keep everyone safe,” Hinshaw said.

Of the total number of cases in the province and additional 74 have recovered, bringing that total to 592.

There have been 1,333 tests done in the past 24 hours, said Hinshaw and she expects an increase in tests over the coming days after the testing restrictions were expanded this week.

Late on Wednesday, Alberta Health Services released data that confirmed the first case of COVID-19 in Brooks. On Thursday the City of Brooks released a statement to clarify the issue

“AHS’ map reporting system is automated and is updated when a test is positive. In this situation, the person who tested positive had a Brooks address, however, they do not live in Brooks. As this was a data entry error, there is currently no confirmed case in Brooks.

With the majority of the cases in the Calgary Zone, Health Minister Tyler Shandro announced Alberta-based Sprung Structures has donated a temporary structure to Alberta Health Services that will add up to 6,000 square feet of treatment space at Peter Loughheed Centre. That will provide 100 more care spaces for Calgary-area patients.

“The premier has called the COVID-19 pandemic perhaps the greatest challenge in our generation, and I could not agree more,” said Shandro.

There are 835 cases of COVID-19 identified in the Calgary Zone, about 61 per cent of all the cases in Alberta.

The structure will be located in the parking lot next to the Peter Lougheed Centre.

Read the full April 9 update from the province here.

by Chris Brown

Hinshaw thanks Albertans: ‘You are saving lives’

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