COCHRANE— Premier Jason Kenney announced Thursday (April 29) additional health measures will be coming to the province.
To bend the curve of COVID-19 starting Friday (April 30) new targeted health measures will be introduced on a regional basis. The health measures are targeted in hot spots, defined as regions with more than 350 cases per 100,000 people and 250 currently active cases, across the province.
“The restrictions currently in place will not bend the curve fast enough to get this third wave under control before the summer,” Kenney said, explaining the need for the additional protocols.
Hot spots include Fort McMurray, Edmonton, Calgary, Red Deer, Grande Prairie, Airdrie, Lethbridge and Strathcona county.
In these areas, junior and senior high schools will shift to online learning beginning Monday (May 3).
These regions will also see all indoor fitness and indoor sports shuttered.
Health measures will remain in place for two weeks even if a municipality falls below 350 cases per 100,000. After two weeks affected communities will return to Step 1 of the provinces reopening roll out.
As part of the new health measures restaurants will also be required to ensure people being served on patios are complying with current health measures and are from the same household or are close contacts of a single individual. Kenney said the province will work with restaurants to create a plan of action.
Kenney said the vast majority of transmissions are happening in homes and through social activities. He cautioned Albertans must follow current public health restrictions or the province will face even tougher health measures.
He also pledged tougher fines on those who break the rules.
“This is for the people are not taking the pandemic seriously and continue to put others at risk by not following the public health orders in place,” Kenney said.
The Town of Cochrane reported 178 active cases of COVID-19 as of the end of the day Wednesday (April 28). To date the town has identified 758 cases of the virus— Two people have died and 578 people have recovered.
Bow Valley High School, Cochrane High School, RancheView School, St. Timothy High School and Cochrane Christian Academy are reporting outbreaks of five or more cases of the virus. Glenbow Elementary School and Manachaban Middle School are on alert for two to four cases of the virus.
Over the last 24 hours, the province has identified 2,048 new cases of COVID-19 after the completion of 10,500 tests.
The provincial testing positivity rate 10.1 per cent.
There are 21,835 active cases of COVID-19 in Alberta, the highest number to date in the province.
There are 632 COVID-related hospitalizations, including 151 people in intensive care.
Three additional deaths were reported to Alberta Health in the last 24 hours. To date, 2,075 people have died.
The province is working to increase vaccine distribution to Albertans and the rollout continues to ramp up.
More than 1.52 million doses of vaccine have been distributed and 27.6 per cent of Albertans have received at least one dose.
Kenney pledged every adult in Alberta will receive their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine by the end of June, if shipments are received.
“There is no question vaccination is our ticket out of this,” Kenney said. “Widespread vaccination is the finish line that we all need to head for.”
