COVID-19 cases
for Jan. 27
• South Zone shows 26 new cases. Active case count decreases to 355. 2 additional deaths are showing for a total of 71 fatalities in the zone. Alberta Health confirms a man in his 70s and a woman in her 70s have died in the South Zone
• Lethbridge shows 14 new cases of COVID-19. 117 active cases (Westside 39, Southside 57, Northside 21). 1 additional death for a total of 12 fatalities in the city • Other South Zone new cases show as 5 in Cardston County, 2 each in Lethbridge County and Pincher Creek M.D., 1 each in Crowsnest, Willow Creek-Fort Macleod, Cypress and Newell (Medicine Hat adjusts down by 1). Pincher Creek M.D. shows the zone’s other additional death.
Alberta Health Services has notified the Lethbridge School Division that as of Tuesday there are now four COVID-19 cases at Gilbert Paterson Middle School.
AHS has been working closely with Lethbridge School Division to support and manage the safety of the community’s schools. At this time, based on advice given from Alberta Education, Gilbert Paterson Middle School will remain open.
AHS has proceeded with defining close contacts of the four cases within the school, and those individuals will be contacted by the school via email. Those individuals will be required to quarantine immediately for the period defined by the close-contact letter.
On Jan. 12, the Division was first notified of an outbreak at Gilbert Paterson Middle
School. As a result, Gilbert Paterson Middle School was required to follow direction and protocols from AHS. However, as of Jan. 18, the Government of Alberta announced changes to how COVID-19 cases are reported in schools. An alert is issued for schools that have one to four cases. Schools are put on outbreak status when five or more cases of COVID-19 are reported.
Over the past weekend an alert was also issued for
Senator Joyce Fairbairn Middle School, Coalbanks Elementary School and St. Francis Junior High School, all of which were reported to have a single case each.
For more information on outbreak protocols, updated regulations and restrictions, as well as procedures for quarantine and testing can be found at alberta.ca.