ALBERTA— Despite the recent spike in COVID-19 cases, Premier Jason Kenney announced no new COVID-19 public health measures would be introduced Thursday (April 1).
Kenney attributed the current surge in case numbers to people failing to adhere to current public health measures.
“All of our leading indicators are telling us that we are in a significant new wave of COVID-19,” Kenney said. “How bad that wave will be is up to all of us.”
The province identified 875 new cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours— These numbers include 322 variants of concern. Kenney noted daily case counts in Alberta have increased by 55 per cent in the last two weeks and are the highest they have been all year.
Variants account for about 33 per cent of current COVID-19 cases.
Kenney added the variant is sending more people to the hospital than the original virus.
“It’s only a matter of time before it becomes the dominant COVID strain in Alberta,” Kenney said.
Currently, there are 292 COVID-related hospitalizations in the province, including 59 people in intensive care. The average age of those admitted to hospital in Alberta is 62 and those needing intensive care is 58.
The province recorded four additional COVID-related deaths. To date, 1,994 Albertans have died.
The province has administered more than 530,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, including more than 100,000 people who have been fully vaccinated.
As of the end of the day Wednesday (April 1) there were a reported 47 active cases of COVID-19 in Cochrane. To date the town has identified 423 cases of the virus— Two people have died and 374 people have recovered.
Four schools in Cochrane are reporting multiple cases of COVID-19. Bow Valley High School is reporting an outbreak of five to ten cases of the virus, Cochrane High School is reporting an outbreak of 10 or more cases of COVID-19, Fireside School is on alert for two to four cases of the virus and Elizabeth Barrett Elementary School is on alert for two to four cases of COVID-19.
In Rocky View County, Springbank Community High School and Springbank Middle School are reporting an outbreak of five to nine cases of COVID-19, Bearspaw School is on alert for two to four cases of the virus and the Edge School for Athletes is reporting an outbreak of 10 or more cases of the virus.
The growing case numbers have been largely driven by the UK variant which has proven to be more contagious and more likely to result in severe outcomes.
The province expects to see around 500 COVID-19 patients hospitalized two weeks from now if growth continues at its current rate, Kenney said. He added the province could see 1,000 people hospitalized in a month.
“These variant attacks younger people harder, sends more people to the hospital and has proven to be more lethal,” Kenney said.
People are exhausted with COVID-19 and are letting their guard down, Kenney said, but the pandemic is not over and following public health measures will be essential in the coming weeks.
Transmission has been occurring in a variety of different situations, he said, but a common factor has been people not following public health measures.
He noted the province has not closed the door on additional targeted measures if necessary.
“The key thing is to get people to respect the rules in place,” Kenney said. “Not gathering inside is the single most important thing we can do at this time."
There are 8,653 active COVID-19 cases in Alberta.
