Medicine Hat at 28 active COVID-19 cases after days without an update

Alberta now has 7,965 active cases and 25,826 recovered.

There are now 192 Albertans in hospital with COVID-19, 39 of which are in ICU, and 369 deaths.

As the number of Albertans in hospital nears 200, Dr. Deena Hinshaw said again that “it is vital we protect the health system. These numbers are concerning and we are considering what further steps may be needed.”

“We cannot simply dictate where and when this virus will spread. We all need to protect each other.”

Overall testing numbers remain unavailable due to outstanding technical issues. She said about 13,00 tests were conducted yesterday with a positivity rate of about five per cent.

“I, like many others, am extremely concerned by the spread we have seen. Although the last days have been a bit lower we expect some variation from day to day and we have not yet turned the corner that was must turn,” said the chief medical officer of health.

She said the big cities must get their new daily case counts under 100 with a growth rate under one. Edmonton’s growth rate is 1.1, as is Calgary’s. It is 1.2 in the rest of Alberta.

Hinshaw spoke directly to those who feel they are not at risk right now. she said she knows some people have let their guard down, often because they have not personally contracted the virus and don’t know anyone who has either.

“If you have not gotten sick and you don’t know anyone who has, then you must do everything possible to keep it that way. We all have a role to play in suppressing transmission.”

With Remembrance Day and Diwali coming up this week, Hinshaw said that the celebrations will be different this year.

Hinshaw said many Nov. 11 events have moved online and legions across the province will hold smaller ceremonies. She encouraged people to participate virtually if possible.

“For those organizing ceremonies or events this week please respect gathering limits both indoors and outdoors and remember, smaller is better right now,” she said.

On Diwali, Hinshaw said COVID-19 must be considered while planning or attending events. She said people should not celebrate at homes that aren’t their own and should not invite anyone who doesn’t live there into the home.

Anyone not feeling well should stay home and recognize the day privately.

Cypress County also has 28 active cases, more than triple the nine active cases during the last full update on Nov. 3. It is now on the provincial “Watch” list with rates of more than 50 active cases per 100,000 people with a rate of 249.6.

The County of Forty Mile has been on the “Watch” list since last week and has a current rate of 419 and 27 active cases.

An outbreak was declared at Burdett School last week.

Brooks and the County of Newell are on the list with rates and active case counts of 285 and 55 in the city and 284.2 and 23 in the surrounding county.

An outbreak was declared at Brooks Composite High School on Sunday.

There are also outbreaks or cases connected to Eastbrook Elementary School and Brooks Junior High School, Duchess School, Rosemary School, Bassano School and Duchess School, as well as the Brooks Campus of Medicine Hat College.

Brooks was a hotspot for the virus in the spring with more than 1,000 active cases at the time.

Elsewhere in Alberta, Lethbridge and Lethbridge County are also both on the “Watch” list at 203.1 and 142.7, respectively and 281.4 and 71 active cases.

The MD of Taber is on the list with a rate of 169.6 and 32 active cases.

On Tuesday there are 155 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.

Eastbrook Elementary School in Brooks is on the school “Watch” list.

Crestwood School in Medicine Hat, Brooks Junior High School and Bassano School are currently on the outbreak list.

The website Support Our Students is tracking instances of cases in schools across the province. Prairie Alternative Mennonite School and Brooks Composite High School were added over the weekend.

There are 2,796 cases in the South Zone. There are 497 active cases and 2,268 recovered. There are currently 12 COVID-19 cases in hospital in the South Zone, three in the ICU. The death total in the zone is now at 31.

Cypress County has totaled 66 cases – 28 active cases and the rest recovered.

The County of Forty Mile has 72 total cases. There are 27 active cases and the rest are recovered.

The MD of Taber has 87 total cases — 32 active cases and the rest recovered.

Special Areas No. 2 has 17 total cases – all recovered.

Brooks has 1,2,18 total cases — 55 active and 1,153 are recovered. Brooks has recorded 10 deaths.

The County of Newell has a total of 67 cases — 23 active cases, 42 recovered and there have been two deaths.

The County of Warner has 79 total cases. There are eight active cases, 70 are recovered cases and there has been one death in the county.

The City of Lethbridge has a total of 675 cases. There are 201 active cases, 469 recovered and there have been five deaths. Lethbridge County has 204 cases, 71 active cases, 132 recovered and there has been one death.

The figures on alberta.ca are “up-to-date as of end of day Nov. 8, 2020.”

Read the full Nov. 9 update from the province here.

Saskatchewan reported 465 new cases of COVID-19 over the weekend, 31 in the South Zones.

Saskatchewan has a total of 4,087 cases, 1,289 considered active. There are 2,769 recovered cases and there have been 29 COVID-19 deaths in the province.

by Chris Brown

Medicine Hat at 28 active COVID-19 cases after days without an update

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