Remand centre inmate tests positive for virus
An inmate at the Calgary Remand Centre has tested positive for COVID -19, the first confirmed case in an Alberta correctional facility.
Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta’s chief medical officer of health, said the man was a new admission to the jail and was exposed before arriving at the facility. He did not report symptoms on arrival and was quarantined with one other cellmate who also did not show COVID-19 symptoms. When the inmate reported feeling unwell, he and his cellmate were placed in isolation.
“It is a story about how all precautions were taken,” Hinshaw said. “All inmates are assessed for exposure and symptoms upon admission to the facility or transfer from another location, as well as, at minimum, once per day when they’re at the centre.”
Scott Conrad, a correctional officer at Calgary Remand Centre and chairman of AUPE Local 003, agreed that protocols had been followed.
“With everything that happened the way it did, I believe that nothing could have been done any better to protect staff or the other inmates,” said the union leader. “I would hope that by taking those precautions, we have minimized the cross-contamination for this individual and others.”
Conrad said that most staff had thought an outbreak occurring was inevitable, and said hoping otherwise was a “pipe dream.” He says his union is satisfied with what’s being done to protect both inmates and staff, including providing adequate personal protective equipment.
A COVID-19 outbreak in an Alberta correctional facility has been a worry for Amanda Hart-dowhun, an Edmonton lawyer and president of the Alberta Prison Justice Society. She says these facilities house a large number of people in a relatively small space, making them breeding grounds for the virus.
“In virtually every facility that I’ve seen, inmates are forced into relatively close confines with one another and staff,” Hart-dowhun said. “Further to that, inmates also don’t have the same amount of choice or options in terms of the social distancing protocols they can take to protect themselves and protect others.”
Hart-dowhun takes the stance that some inmates should be released from Alberta correctional facilities, similar to what has happened in some other jurisdictions, including Ontario, where more than 2,000 inmates were released. She says the decision would give inmates who remain in facilities more space to safely social distance.
“We’re not taking the position that every person who is in jail right now should be released,” she said. “There are some people right now that for various public safety reasons should still be held.
“It’s a public health issue. Once we have a big outbreak, it doesn’t stay there ... the virus doesn’t discriminate between the inmates and the staff, who are going home to their family.”
Hinshaw also reported one new COVID -19 death Friday, a woman in her 80s who was a resident of the Millrise Place seniors village in southwest Calgary. The woman is the sixth Millrise resident to die of the virus. Earlier this week, Alberta announced it had appointed Agecare Health Services to take over operation of the facility from Retirement Concepts, a long-term care provider based in Vancouver.
The novel coronavirus has killed 114 Albertans since it was first detected in the province in early March, including 84 in continuing care facilities, where 678 cases have been confirmed.
Hinshaw said that for Mother’s Day this Sunday, those who wish to visit a family member in a longterm care facility must follow rules surrounding masks, social distancing and calling ahead to ensure they can safely visit.
In total, 6,098 Albertans have tested positive for COVID -19. Over the past week, the rate of newly reported infections has decreased, with 81 new cases reported Friday and only 54 new cases Thursday.
The decrease in new cases coincides with a dip in testing. Since Sunday, Alberta has only recorded one day in which it tested more than 3,100 people. In the two weeks prior, the province hit that mark every day.
Alberta currently has the capacity to test 7,000 people each day. In the coming weeks, that number will increase to 9,000 and then to 16,000.
Hinshaw said Thursday that the expanded testing capacity will come in handy when the province begins its phased reopening plan, which could see some businesses reopen as early as May 14.
“The reason why it’s important to make sure that we have a robust ability to test larger numbers is we are anticipating that when we start cautiously reopening into relaunch as people are interacting more there are multiple different kinds of viruses that could be passed between people,” Hinshaw said.
An additional outbreak at a Canada Post plant in Calgary was also confirmed Friday. Six workers there have tested positive for COVID -19.
Currently, 80 Albertans are in hospital with COVID-19, 17 of whom have been admitted to intensive care units, a decrease in both metrics from Thursday.
ELECTIVE SURGERIES RAMPING BACK UP
Thirty to 40 per cent of the province’s usual volume of surgeries has been maintained during the COVID-19 pandemic, AHS vice-president Mark Joffe said Friday.
Those surgeries are largely emergency and urgent surgeries, as well as ones for cancer or other diseases where it didn’t make sense for procedures to be delayed.
Now elective surgeries are restarting, following the province putting a pause on the procedures to vacate hospital space in preparation for a potential peak in COVID-19 cases that is no longer expected to be hit.
“Just this week, we have begun to open up day elective surgical procedures, and as of today we have conducted about 1,000 elective outpatient surgical procedures,” Joffe said, adding that in the next six weeks, the province hopes to get back to 70 to 80 per cent of its usual surgical volume.
Surgeries are being scheduled based on urgency and how long patients have been waiting for their procedures. Currently, surgeries where patients are staying overnight are not being conducted.