Medicine Hat’s active COVID-19 cases back down to nine

The province conducted 12,765 tests in the past 24 hours.

In light of the province’s report on opioid deaths released Wednesday, Dr. Deena Hinshaw began her update by saying it will take many years for the full impact the pandemic has had and is still having on the mental, physical and emotional health of Albertans.

“The report released yesterday shows the challenge that many Albertans who use opioids and other substances have faced, and the dire impact that this pandemic has had on their lives,” she said.

The report found that 449 people died from unintentional opioid poisoning in the first six months of 2020 and that 301 of those deaths were between April and June.

“That is a staggering number,” said the chief medical officer of health. “It can’t be ignored that deaths rose during the first few months of the pandemic, which I know caused challenges for many Albertans.”

She said that included problems accessing supports and increased isolation.

She added COVID prevention policies have been continually adjusted to lessen the barriers to support and treatment faced by people who use drugs.

Help is available and you are not alone, Hinshaw said. She asked those who use drugs not to do so alone and that anyone seeking help can call 1-866-332-2322 at any time to access support or Help in Tough Times on the AHS website and to check in with family and friends often.

She said the rise in deaths from opioid poisoning is a reminder that the ripple effects of COVID-19 are large and that we need to continue seeking a balance in our response.

“We must embrace two needs at once – the need to minimize the impact of COVID-19 and the need to minimize the impact that these restrictions have on the rest of our health.”

Hinshaw said public health measures were essential to limiting spread in the spring and continue to be. Staying home while sick during the fall and winter seasons will be incredibly important she said, advocating for employers to support their employees in that regard.

There are now 32 schools in the province where outbreaks have been declared. Alberta Health’s threshold for declaring an outbreak in school is two cases being in a school while infectious within 14 days. Four schools are in “Watch” status – St. Wilfrid Elementary School in Calgary and Austin O’Brien High School, Vimy Ridge Academy and Highlands School in Edmonton.

No local schools are classified as having outbreaks on the provincial website.

The website Support Our Students is tracking instances of cases in schools across the province. The only local school on the list remains Ecole St. John Paul II, which was added in late August.

Thirteen Alberta schools that previously had alerts have had no transmission and students and staff are now back in class.

Hinshaw said that data has shown that the weekly number of cases in those aged five to 18 has been most impacted by community transmission trends.

She said the stats highlight the need to limit community transmission to make school re-entry successful.

On Wednesday, Hinshaw said indoor play areas can now be added to the list of businesses safe to operate amid the pandemic, provided they follow publ health guidelines.

Guidelines include the implementation of physical distancing measures, not allowing patrons inside who are experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms, enhanced cleaning measures and reduced capacity.

There are four new cases in the South Zone, for a total of 1,817 cases. There are 40 active cases and 1,752 recovered. There are currently two COVID-19 cases in hospital in the South Zone, with both in the ICU, and the zone total remains at 25 deaths.

Cypress County has totaled 31 cases – all recovered.

The County of Forty Mile has 37 total cases. There are 11 active cases and the rest are recovered.

The MD of Taber has 42 total cases — three active cases and the rest recovered.

Special Areas No. 2 has 13 total cases, all of which are recovered.

Brooks has 1,132 total cases —1,117 are recovered and six are active. Brooks has recorded nine deaths.

The County of Newell has a total of 32 cases — 30 recovered and there have been two deaths.

The County of Warner has 63 total cases. There is one active case, 61 are recovered cases and there has been one death in the county.

The City of Lethbridge has a total of 169 cases. There is one active case, 166 recovered and there have been two deaths. Lethbridge County has 48 cases, six active cases and the rest recovered.

The figures on alberta.ca are “up-to-date as of end of day Sept. 23, 2020.”

Read the full Sept. 24 update from the province here.

Saskatchewan reported five new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, one in the South Zones.

Saskatchewan has a total of 1,835 cases, 130 considered active. There are 1,681 recovered cases and there have been 24 COVID-19 deaths in the province.

by Chris Brown

Medicine Hat’s active COVID-19 cases back down to nine

Our Community