Medicine Hat tops 100 active COVID-19 cases

There are now 328 Albertans in hospital with COVID-19, 62 of which are in ICU, and 476 deaths.

The province completed 19,474 tests in the past 24 hours.

A slowly growing backlog of cases over the past several weeks who have not yet had a call from AHS to do the case investigation. Dr. Deena Hinshaw made clear that notifications have continued to be made for all positive cases.

“In order to maximize the effectiveness of the team, I have asked AHS to start with the most recently diagnosed cases and work backwards, trying to reach as many cases as possible, but prioritizing the cases that will have the greatest benefit in reducing further transmission,” said the chief medical officer of health.

“As a temporary measure, effective tomorrow, if 10 days have passed since an Albertan received their positive COVID-19 test results, AHS will no longer call these individuals to conduct case investigation and contact tracing.”

Instead, a text message will be sent telling them not to expect a call and providing guidance on their isolation period.

Hinshaw says the focus must be on looking forward and “using the contact tracers where they have the greatest impact.”

She reinforced that anyone diagnosed with COVID-19 must stay home and distanced from all others, even members of their own household until 10 days have passed from the start of their symptoms or until their symptoms resolve, whichever is longer.

Hinshaw also said that because AHS will not be able to get to every case currently in the backlog, they may not be able to track every case linked to a school in the past two weeks. She said the best way to protect schools is to lower community transmission.

Hinshaw provided a brief update this afternoon before having to leave to provide new recommendations for consideration by the priority implementation committee of cabinet.

Based on their decisions an update will be provided on Tuesday.

“To put it as plainly as possible, this is like a snowball rolling down a hill growing bigger and faster. And it will continue unless we implement strong measures to stop. We must take action. Waiting any longer will impact our ability to care for Albertans in the weeks and months ahead.”

In Question Period today, Alberta Health Minister Tyler Shandro appeared to rule out a lockdown.

“We will continue to impose public health measures that are based on the evidence, that are narrow, that are targeted, that are going to minimize business disruption,” he said.

Hinshaw added she will provide detailed updates each day this week.

Medicine Hat remains on the provincial “Watch” list and is in enhanced status. In enhanced status, risk levels require enhanced public health measures to control the spread and are informed by local context.

Regions are placed on the province’s “Watch” list when they have a rate of more than 50 active cases per 100,000 population. Medicine Hat’s 101 active cases among 68,057 people puts it at a rate of 148.4.

Cypress County with a rate of 347.6 on 39 active cases and the County of Forty Mile with a rate of 357 on 23 active cases are also on the list.

Brooks (228 rate), the County of Newell (284.2), Lethbridge (177.8) Lethbridge County (297.3) and the MD of Taber (561.9) are also on the list.

All those regions are also in enhanced status.

There are 3,528 cases in the South Zone. There are 664 active cases and 2,824 recovered. There are currently 25 COVID-19 cases in hospital in the South Zone, five in the ICU. The death total in the zone is at 40.

On Monday there are 178 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, Prairie Mennonite Alternative School and Medicine Hat High School are on outbreak.

The website Support Our Students is tracking instances of cases in schools across the province. Crescent Heights High School in Medicine Hat and St. Joseph’s Collegiate in Brooks were added to the list in the past two days.

A case was also reported over the weekend at Monsignor McCoy High School.

Cypress County has totaled 110 cases – 39 active cases and the rest recovered.

The County of Forty Mile has 95 total cases. There are 23 active cases, 71 recovered and there has been one death.

The MD of Taber has 199 total cases — 106 active cases, 91 recovered and there have been two deaths.

Special Areas No. 2 has 18 total cases – one active and the rest recovered.

Brooks has 1,267 total cases — 44 active and 1,210 are recovered. Brooks has recorded 13 deaths.

The County of Newell has a total of 95 cases — 23 active cases, 70 recovered and there have been two deaths.

The County of Warner has 97 total cases. There are 16 active cases, 80 are recovered cases and there has been one death in the county.

The City of Lethbridge has a total of 882 cases. There are 176 active cases, 699 recovered and there have been seven deaths. Lethbridge County has 293 cases, 75 active cases, 216 recovered and there have been two deaths.

The figures on alberta.ca are “up-to-date as of end of day Nov. 22, 2020.”

Read the full Nov. 23 update from the province here.

Saskatchewan confirmed 910 new cases of COVID-19 since Friday’s update, 128 in the South Zones.

Saskatchewan has a total of 6,708 cases, 2,864 considered active. There are 3,807 recovered cases and there have been 37 COVID-19 deaths in the province.

by Chris Brown

Medicine Hat tops 100 active COVID-19 cases

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