218 new cases, three deaths reported Friday
As cases rise at meat plants, Hinshaw cites efforts in testing, contact tracing
Alberta reported 218 new cases of COVID -19 and three deaths on Friday, chief medical officer of heath Dr. Deena Hinshaw announced at her daily update.
All three additional deaths were in continuing care facilities, which have collectively seen 598 cases of the illness in the province. Healthcare workers identified an outbreak of five cases at the Amazon fulfilment centre in Balzac, north of Calgary, and two positive cases at the shelter and detox centre Alpha House in Calgary.
There are also now 921 cases of COVID-19 at the Cargill meat packing plant in High River, and 390 cases at JBS meat plant in Brooks.
Hinshaw said health-care professionals are working quickly to contain the spread of these outbreaks.
“In the last two weeks alone these teams have, among other things, called every household with a Cargill worker, have tested every client who stayed in one of the shelters where a COVID case has been confirmed, have offered large-volume testing to residents of Brooks over three days earlier this week, and have continued to do the regular daily work of case followup and contact tracing,” she said Friday.
“The extent of these outbreaks demonstrates not only how easily this virus can spread, but why it’s so essential that we uncover the source of transmission, so we can find out who is at highest risk of exposure.”
Health officials now know more about common COVID-19 symptoms and risk factors that can make a case more severe, Hinshaw said.
Coughing is the most frequent symptom reported (62 per cent), then sore throat (33 per cent) and fever (28 per cent). Some at the centres of outbreaks tested positive while they showed no symptoms (7.5 per cent).
The three most common factors in cases where people with
The extent of these outbreaks demonstrates ... why it’s so essential that we uncover the source of transmission.
COVID-19 end up needing intensive care or die are older age, obesity, and immunodeficiency.
Eight new cases were reported in Edmonton Friday, and no additional deaths.
To date, there have been 5,573 cases and 92 deaths provincewide. Of these cases, 2,359 people have recovered, and a total of 153,766 tests have been completed.
As of Friday, Health Canada reported 53,657 confirmed cases across the country. Globally, The World Health Organization (WHO) reported 3,181,642 cases and 224,301 deaths as of Friday.