SOME PEACE OF MIND
Calgarians line up for walk-in COVID-19 testing at the Richmond Road Diagnostic and Treatment Centre on Thursday, as Alberta reported 37 new cases and three deaths.
Alberta’s privacy commissioner gave the green light to the province’s COVID-19 contact tracing phone app Thursday, but not without raising some “ongoing concerns.”
Jill Clayton said that while she’s not in a position to endorse Abtracetogether or any other contact tracing app, she said Alberta Health had been “mindful of privacy and security” in developing the app.
In a 66-page report, Clayton said Abtracetogether collects among the least amount of data from users compared to similar apps introduced elsewhere in the world.
She said Alberta Health introduced a number of policies in response to her concerns, including one that prohibits the use of collected data for quarantine enforcement.
She said some problems remain, however, particularly with the app only being able to properly function when running in the foreground of Apple devices, meaning the phone must be unlocked with the app visible on users’ screens.
“We recognize the challenges (Alberta Health) has faced in this regard, since the safeguards required are out of its control,” Clayton said.
“Nonetheless, given the need to run Abtracetogether in the foreground on Apple devices, there is a security risk. Running the app on Apple devices requires a device to remain unlocked, which significantly increases risk in case of theft or loss.”
Alberta Health said Thursday it is working with Apple to develop a fix, to make the app work while running in the background.
Tom Mcmillan, spokesman for Alberta Health, said the province is thankful that Clayton fast-tracked the report and accepted the app’s privacy impact assessment.
“We’ve always said protecting Albertans’ privacy is paramount. We are pleased that the commissioner recognized this, noting that Alberta Health has done an excellent job being mindful of privacy and security in the deployment of this important app,” Mcmillan said.
“If you haven’t done so already, please, download Abtracetogether and help us limit the spread of COVID-19 in our province.”
To date, the app has more than 223,000 registered users.
THREE MORE DEAD IN EDMONTON HOSPITAL OUTBREAK
Alberta reported three new deaths from the novel coronavirus Thursday, all patients in Edmonton’s Misericordia Community Hospital, where six have now died of COVID-19.
The three new deaths — men in their 70s, 80s and 90s, respectively — bring Alberta’s death toll from COVID-19 to 161.
“I am saddened to learn that three more patients linked to the COVID -19 outbreak at the Misericordia hospital have passed away,” Alberta Health Minister Tyler Shandro tweeted Thursday.
“A total of six patients at the hospital have died, and my thoughts are with their families and loved ones.”
Shandro said Alberta hospitals remain safe and that he is confident in measures put in place by Alberta Health Services and Covenant Health, the provider that operates Misericordia.
The hospital remains under full facility lockdown after 16 patients and 16 staff tested positive for COVID-19, including one new infection among staff since Wednesday.
All services at the hospital are closed to incoming patients and all scheduled treatment is being postponed or moved to another facility.
In addition to the new deaths, Alberta reported 37 new cases of the coronavirus Thursday, with more than half of new cases coming in the AHS Calgary zone.
The new cases bring Alberta’s total to 8,519, with 7,774 recoveries. The cases come from just under 7,000 tests, or about a 0.5 per cent positive rate.
There are now 584 active COVID-19 cases in Alberta, down from 608 Wednesday.
As of Thursday, 46 Albertans were hospitalized with COVID -19, seven of whom were in intensive-care units — nine fewer total hospitalizations from the previous day.