What you need to know about COVID-19 in Alberta – May 2020 Archive

AHS phone line staffed by occupational therapists and physiotherapists.

A new advice line set up to help Albertans with physical disabilities and injuries connect with rehabilitation advice during the pandemic is believed to be the first of its kind in Canada.

The toll-free line is 1-833-379-0563. The Rehabilitation Advice Line is available seven days a week, from 10 am to 6 pm.

Benefits increase with AISH support

People on AISH and Income Support who qualify for the Canada emergency response benefit (CERB) will be able to collect the federal employment subsidy — with a portion of it exempt from what’s counted for their provincial benefits. Many people receiving AISH or Income Support earn a wage from employment, as well.

The province will exempt a portion of the Canada emergency response benefit (CERB) for people on AISH and Income Support who qualify for the federal program.

CBC News Calgary May 31, 2020

Alberta daily history May 2020

What you need to know about COVID-19 in Alberta on Sunday, May 31

Provincial campgrounds will open to half capacity on Monday.

Testing has been made available to any person without symptoms who wants to be tested

• Alberta reported 18 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday, bringing the total active cases to 584.
• There are 52 people in hospital, six of whom are in intensive care. No additional deaths were reported Sunday, leaving the total deaths at 143.
• Provincial campgrounds will reopen tomorrow, but COVID-19 restrictions will keep half the sites closed.
• Alberta has partnered with a number of fast-food chains to provide free, non-medical masks starting in early June.
• AHS wants care home workers reporting to multiple sites in Vegreville during pandemic.
• CEMA announced Thursday the city will begin reopening its 1,100 playgrounds on Friday — three days ahead of schedule.
• Calgary’s quickly proliferating, expanded outdoor restaurant patios are getting mixed reviews.
• 3 southern Alberta nail and eyebrow salons ordered to close for offering esthetics services that could contribute to the spread of COVID-19. More than a dozen businesses in Calgary have been the subject of closure orders for breaking public health rules.
• Alberta’s sexual violence helpline saw a 57 per cent increase in calls during the first month of the pandemic and a 42 per cent increase during the first two months.
• Canmore closing portion of main street to cars to make room for pedestrians.
• Alberta campers turn to public land due to COVID-19.
• The Alberta government has scaled back the provincial COVID-19 news conferences it had been offering every weekday and is now holding them on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Planning a Canadian vacation? Some provinces may be off limits

Ottawa pledges millions to promote tourism within Canada amid COVID-19 pandemic

 

What you need to know today in Alberta

Campgrounds in Alberta’s national parks will remain closed until at least June 21, but provincial campgrounds will open at half capacity starting tomorrow.

The Alberta government is distributing 20 million masks meant to help limit the spread of COVID-19. They will be available for pick up from the drive-thrus of A&W, McDonald’s and Tim Hortons.

The number of active cases in the province continued to drop, sitting at 584 as of Sunday. Hospitalization rates also remained low with 52 people in hospital and six in intensive care.

In total, 6,283 people have recovered from the illness in Alberta. The total number of deaths was 143.

Most active COVID-19 cases are still found in the Calgary zone. Here’s a regional breakdown of cases:

•  Calgary zone:  440 active, 4,330 recovered.
•  Edmonton zone:  69 active, 464 recovered.
•  South zone:  42 active, 1,184 recovered.
•  North zone:  28 active, 202 recovered.
•  Central zone:  Two active, 95 recovered.
•  Unknown:  Three active, eight recovered.

To date, 658 cases have an unknown exposure.

So far, 235,415 Albertans have been tested and labs have performed 260,365 tests, with 3,138 tests completed in the last 24 hours. 

Across Canada

As efforts continue to curb the spread of COVID-19 in Canada, where the number of reported cases has surpassed 90,000, a cluster of cases in Québec elementary schools is shining a light on the cost of reopening the hardest hit provinces.

At least 41 staff and students tested positive for the novel coronavirus in the first two weeks after elementary schools outside the Montréal area reopened, the province’s education department says.

“It’s normal that by having the daycare, the school being open to the community, there can be cases,” said Dr. Horacio Arruda, the province’s director of public health.

“The advantage in those areas is that they’re young children, and we didn’t put any personnel who was high-risk (in the classroom).”

The numbers came from a survey of school boards conducted May 25, which found that 19 students and 22 staff members were infected. Twelve of the province’s 72 school boards did not offer up data.

News of the outbreaks came as Québec reported another 530 cases of the virus on Friday, pushing its total above the 50,000 mark and the death toll to 4,363. With 419 more cases on Saturday, the total climbed to 50,651.

In Ontario, cases have surged by 344 for a total of 27,210 with 2,230 deaths. Premier Doug Ford has said he is looking at reopening the province region by region.

As of 8 pm ET Saturday, Canada had 90,190 confirmed and presumptive coronavirus cases. A CBC News tally of deaths based on provincial data, regional information and CBC reporting stood at 7,136.

Statistics Canada, meanwhile, has announced that gross domestic product fell at an annualized rate of 8.2 per cent in the first three months of 2020 — the worst quarterly showing since 2009 — even though efforts to contain the novel coronavirus by shuttering businesses and schools didn’t begin in earnest until March.

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What you need to know about COVID-19 in Alberta on Saturday, May 30

Alberta has partnered with fast-food chains to offer free masks at drive-thrus.

Alberta moves to provincewide COVID-19 testing available to all — symptoms or not

• Alberta has partnered with a number of fast-food chains to provide free, non-medical masks starting in early June.
• Alberta reported just 13 new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday, bringing the total active cases to 604.
• There are 54 people in hospital, five of whom are in intensive care. One more person has died.
• CEMA announced Thursday the city will begin reopening its 1,100 playgrounds on Friday — three days ahead of schedule.
• Calgary’s quickly proliferating, expanded outdoor restaurant patios are getting mixed reviews.
• Alberta’s sexual violence helpline saw a 57 per cent increase in calls during the first month of the pandemic and a 42 per cent increase during the first two months.
• The Alberta government has scaled back the provincial COVID-19 news conferences it had been offering every weekday and is now holding them on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
• Canmore closing portion of main street to cars to make room for pedestrians.

Alberta Parks for now, for life, forever

 

What you need to know today in Alberta

The Alberta government is distributing 20 million masks meant to help limit the spread of COVID-19. They will be available for pick up from the drive-thrus of A&W, McDonald’s and Tim Hortons.

The Alberta Opposition says Premier Jason Kenney’s United Conservatives have a new “sugar daddy” in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and should not accept a federal COVID-19 wage subsidy the party has applied for.

There have been 143 deaths due to COVID-19 in the province. Of those, 108 were residents of continuing care facilities.

There are 53 people in hospital and five in intensive care. More than 257,000 tests have been completed.

Most active COVID-19 cases are still found in the Calgary zone. Here’s a regional breakdown of cases:

•  Calgary zone:  461 active cases, 4,295 recovered.
•  Edmonton zone:  67 active cases, 464 recovered.
•  South zone:  44 active cases, 1,182 recovered.
•  North zone:  27 active cases, 200 recovered.
•  Central zone:  2 active cases, 95 recovered.
•  Unknown:  3 active cases, 9 recovered.

Across Canada

As efforts continue to curb the spread of COVID-19 in Canada, where the number of reported cases has surpassed 90,000, a cluster of cases in Québec elementary schools is shining a light on the cost of reopening the hardest hit provinces.

At least 41 staff and students tested positive for the novel coronavirus in the first two weeks after elementary schools outside the Montréal area reopened, the province’s education department says.

“It’s normal that by having the daycare, the school being open to the community, there can be cases,” said Dr. Horacio Arruda, the province’s director of public health.

“The advantage in those areas is that they’re young children, and we didn’t put any personnel who was high-risk (in the classroom).”

The numbers came from a survey of school boards conducted May 25, which found that 19 students and 22 staff members were infected. Twelve of the province’s 72 school boards did not offer up data.

News of the outbreaks came as Québec reported another 530 cases of the virus on Friday, pushing its total above the 50,000 mark. With 419 more cases on Saturday, the total climbed to 50,651.

In Ontario, cases have surged by 344 for a total of 27,210 with 2,230 deaths. Premier Doug Ford has said he is looking at reopening the province region by region.

As of 8 pm ET Saturday, Canada had 90,190 confirmed and presumptive coronavirus cases. A CBC News tally of deaths based on provincial data, regional information and CBC’s reporting stood at 7,136.

Statistics Canada, meanwhile, has announced that gross domestic product fell at an annualized rate of 8.2 per cent in the first three months of 2020 — the worst quarterly showing since 2009 — even though efforts to contain the novel coronavirus by shuttering businesses and schools didn’t begin in earnest until March.

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• New Zealand nears coronavirus eradication, but virus has grim global hold
• Pandemic slowed U.S. immigration to a trickle before Trump ordered a freeze
• Iconic sites stay shut as France lifts lockdown restrictions

What you need to know about COVID-19 in Alberta on Friday, May 29

Calgary begins reopening its 1,100 playgrounds today.

Kenney will end state of public health emergency June 15. Let’s hope COVID-19 is amenable

• Alberta reported 24 new cases of COVID-19 Friday but no new deaths.
• CEMA announced Thursday the city will begin reopening its 1,100 playgrounds today — three days ahead of schedule.
• Calgary’s quickly proliferating expanded outdoor restaurant patios are getting mixed reviews.
• Alberta has ordered 20 million non-medical masks and plans to distribute them to residents, offering up to four masks per person at no cost. McDonald’s, Tim Hortons and A&W restaurants have partnered with the province to distribute the masks at drive-thrus.
• Alberta confirmed two more deaths from COVID-19 on Thursday and 29 new cases.
• There are now 652 active cases in the province, down from 679 on Wednesday.
• Alberta’s sexual violence helpline saw a 57 per cent increase in calls during the first month of the pandemic and a 42 per cent increase during the first two months.
• The Alberta government has scaled back the provincial COVID-19 news conferences it had been offering every weekday and is now holding them on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
• Liberal MPs call for national standards for long-term care homes.
• Ottawa extends large cruise ship ban until October to limit COVID-19 spread.

Calgary public schools to see bigger classrooms and fewer resources this fall

 

 

What you need to know today in Alberta

Alberta has partnered with a number of fast-food chains to provide free, non-medical masks starting in early June.

The Alberta government is distributing 20 million masks meant to help limit the spread of COVID-19. They will be available for pick up from the drive-thrus of A&W, McDonald’s and Tim Hortons.

Alberta reported Wednesday its first possible case of a new condition called multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children, or MIS-C.

The Alberta Opposition says Premier Jason Kenney’s United Conservatives have a new “sugar daddy” in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and should not accept a federal COVID-19 wage subsidy the party has applied for.

There have been 143 deaths due to COVID-19 in the province. Of those, 108 were residents of continuing care facilities.

There are 55 people in hospital and four in intensive care. More than 250,000 tests have been completed.

Across Canada

Canada’s economy shrank at an 8.2 per cent annual pace in the first three months of 2020, as an already weak economy in January and February was walloped by COVID-19 in March.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is being pressured by some of his own Liberal backbenchers to implement enforceable national standards for the operation of long-term care homes in Canada.

As of 6:56 pm ET Friday, Canada had 89,416 confirmed and presumptive coronavirus cases, with 47,531 of them considered recovered or resolved. A CBC News tally of deaths based on provincial data, regional information and CBC’s reporting stood at 7,046.

What you need to know about COVID-19 in Alberta on Thursday, May 28

1st possible case of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children reported.

• Alberta reported 29 new coronavirus cases on Thursday and two new deaths. That brings the province’s total number of confirmed cases to 6,955 with 143 deaths.
• There were 679 active cases of COVID-19 in Alberta on Wednesday — the lowest daily number since March 30. That number was down to 652 on Thursday.
• Alberta’s sexual violence helpline saw a 57 per cent increase in calls during the first month of the pandemic and a 42 per cent increase during the first two months.
• The Alberta government has scaled back the provincial COVID-19 news conferences it had been offering every weekday and is now holding them on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Calgary public schools to see bigger classrooms and fewer resources this fall

 

What you need to know today in Alberta

Alberta pauses trial of hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19 treatment

Alberta reported two more deaths from COVID-19 on Thursday, a woman in her 100s who was a resident of Intercare Chinook Care Centre in Calgary and a woman in her 80s who was a resident at Agecare Sunrise Gardens retirement community in Brooks.

Alberta reported Wednesday its first possible case of a new condition called multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children, or MIS-C.

Alberta’s chief medical officer of health, Dr. Deena Hinshaw said the syndrome is similar to Kawasaki disease and responds to treatments such as steroids.

Here’s the regional breakdown of cases on Thursday:

•  Calgary zone:  518 active.
•  South zone:  55 active.
•  Edmonton zone:  53 active.
•  North zone:  22 active.
•  Central zone:  2 active.

There are 50 people in hospital and four in intensive care. A total of 249,705 tests have been completed.

Across Canada

Mother of chronically ill child says Manitoba government failed her during COVID-19.

Critics are calling on the Ontario government to be more transparent with COVID-19 data. On Wednesday, Toronto Public Health bowed to public pressure and released COVID-19 case numbers for all of the city’s postal codes — information that may well spur more residents to get tested. This came just one day after Ontario Premier Doug Ford had rejected calls for a similar provincewide disclosure.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will cohost a major United Nations conference Thursday aimed at developing a co-ordinated global response to mitigate the devastating social and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As Canada’s total number of COVID-19 cases climbed to more than 88,000 on Thursday, New Brunswick began ramping up testing in a region of the province where it’s feared a new cluster of three cases could grow.

At least 150 people have been exposed to a medical professional in the Campbellton region who has COVID-19 and saw multiple patients over a two-week period, following his return to New Brunswick from Québec. Gilles Lanteigne, head of the Vitalité Health Network, said those exposed include 50 health-care workers at the Campbellton Regional Hospital and 100 people in the community

As of 5:50 pm ET on Thursday, Canada had 88,504 confirmed and presumptive coronavirus cases, with 46,844 considered resolved or recovered. A CBC News tally of deaths based on provincial health data, regional information and CBC reporting stood at 6,961.

According to a Johns Hopkins University case tracking, as of Thursday afternoon there were more than 5.9 million coronavirus cases worldwide, with nearly 358,000 deaths reported.

The U.S. accounts for almost 1.7 million of the cases and more than 100,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University.

What you need to know about COVID-19 in Alberta on Wednesday, May 27

There are 714 active cases in the province, 561 of them in Calgary.

29 of Canada’s national parks to reopen to day-use visitors June 1

• Many cancer screening procedures, put on hold during the pandemic, are now resuming, as the Alberta government eases COVID-19 restrictions. As those tests resume, doctors are working to identify roughly 250 breast cancers that went undiagnosed for two months.
• Alberta confirmed 25 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, and two additional deaths. There were 679 active cases.
• Calgary’s mayor is asking people to avoid crowding the city’s most popular parks with a simple message: “Don’t be like Toronto.”
• Lethbridge gym owner Lee Mein says he’s going to reopen his cage fighting gym June 1 regardless of what the law says. He has rallied some like-minded people online, but legal experts say he’s being irresponsible.
• There were three new outbreaks in the Calgary zone, at Ecco Recycling (five cases), a Walmart distribution warehouse (two active cases and seven recovered) and West Coast Reduction, which does food waste recycling (two active cases and five recovered).
• The Alberta government has scaled back the provincial COVID-19 news conferences it had been offering every weekday and is now holding them on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
• Royal Bank and BMO profits cut in half as banks set aside six times more money for bad loans. National Bank profit drops 32 per cent, as loan loss provisions soar.

Travel Alberta launches campaign to get Albertans travelling locally ‘where and when it’s responsible’

 

What you need to know today in Alberta

Alberta pauses trial of hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19 treatment

Alberta reported its first possible case of a new condition called multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children, or MIS-C, on Wednesday.

Alberta’s chief medical officer of health, Dr. Deena Hinshaw, said the syndrome is similar to Kawasaki disease and responds to treatments such as steroids.

Two seniors’ residences that experienced deadly COVID-19 outbreaks — one in Edmonton and another in northwestern Alberta — have seen a sharp decline in cases, with only five active cases remaining between them.

Here’s the regional breakdown of cases on Wednesday:

•  Calgary zone:  531 active.
•  South zone:  71 active.
•  Edmonton zone:  52 active.
•  North zone:  21 active.
•  Central zone:  2 active.

There are 45 people in hospital and five in intensive care. A total of 242,781 tests have been completed.

Alberta has 679 active cases of COVID-19, lowest number since March 30

Across Canada

Here’s what needs to happen before we can all get vaccinated for COVID-19.

Toronto and its surrounding regions account for a disproportionately high number of Ontario’s new cases of COVID-19, according to a CBC News analysis of provincial data on novel coronavirus infections.

A report prepared by the Canadian military about Québec long-term care homes says the division between “hot” and “cold” zones, proper use of protective equipment and staffing shortages remain major challenges in the facilities.

And on Tuesday, the military released a scathing report about the conditions at five Ontario long-term care homes, but many — including the government itself — say problems have been known for years.

As of 7:30 pm ET on Wednesday, Canada had 87,519 confirmed and presumptive cases of coronavirus, with 46,177 considered resolved or recovered. A CBC News tally of deaths based on provincial data, regional health information and CBC reporting stood at 6,858. Public health officials have cautioned that recorded figures don’t capture information on people who have not been tested and cases that are still under investigation.

Military alleges horrific conditions, abuse in pandemic-hit Ontario nursing homes

What you need to know about COVID-19 in Alberta on Tuesday, May 26

Province delays plan to have 30% of surgeries privately performed by 2023.

Antivirals best defence against a disease that may be here to stay, says COVID-19 researcher

• Thousands of potential layoffs in the Alberta health-care sector are on hold again as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. The new agreement reached this week among public sector unions and the province means bargaining won’t resume until September, and job protection provisions will remain in place until then.
• The Alberta government is delaying its plan to move some publicly funded procedures to facilities run by private, for-profit companies, due to the pandemic.
• As of Monday, restaurants, bars and salons in Calgary can join the rest of the province in Phase 1 of reopening their establishments.
• Alberta Catholics will be able to return to churches June 1. The Roman Catholic Bishops of Alberta issued guidelines Tuesday, developed following the recent release of the Alberta government’s guidance for places of public worship, as part of the province’s Stage 1 reopening.
• Alberta confirmed 22 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday. There was one additional death, a woman in her 80s at  JB Wood Continuing Care Centre in High Prairie, bringing the total deaths in the province to 139.
• There are 714 active cases in the province, 561 of which are in Calgary.
• There were three new outbreaks in the Calgary zone, at Ecco Recycling (five cases), a Walmart distribution warehouse (two active cases and seven recovered) and West Coast Reduction, which does food waste recycling (two active cases and five recovered).
• The Alberta government has scaled back the provincial COVID-19 news conferences it had been offering every weekday and is now only holding them on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
• In Brooks, Alberta, provincial officials set up a testing centre for all residents of the town that have no symptoms following an outbreak at a local slaughterhouse. Both BC and Alberta are testing people in outbreak situations, such as meat plants and prisons.
• In Saskatchewan and in Calgary, tests are also being offered to anyone working outside the home or those about to return to work as the economy reopens even if they don’t have symptoms.

Commercial rent relief program opens but businesses say it will help few

 

What you need to know today in Alberta

Alberta will allow private businesses to buy personal protective gear, including masks and gloves, from the province at fair market prices until June 30,, but after that they’ll need to secure their own suppliers.

Here’s the regional breakdown of cases on Tuesday:

•  Calgary zone:  561 active, 4,123 recovered.
•  South zone:  80 active, 1,146 recovered.
•  Edmonton zone:  49 active, 462 recovered.
•  North zone:  19 active, 200 recovered.
•  Central zone:  3 active, 95 recovered.
•  Unknown zone:  2 active cases, 22 recovered.

There are 45 people in hospital and five in intensive care. A total of 242,781 tests have been completed.

Across Canada

Here’s what needs to happen before we can all get vaccinated for COVID-19.

Québec reported its sixth consecutive daily decrease in the number of people hospitalized for COVID-19 on Monday, as retail stores across the Montreal area reopened.

COVID-19 appears to be infectious for only the first eight days after patients experience symptoms, Winnipeg researchers conclude in a study.

As Brazil and India struggle with surging coronavirus cases, a top health expert is warning that the world is still very much in the middle of the pandemic, dampening hopes for a speedy global economic rebound.

As of 6 pm ET on Tuesday, Canada had 86,636 confirmed and presumptive coronavirus cases, with 45,332 of those considered recovered or resolved. A CBC News tally of deaths based on provincial data, regional health information and CBC reporting stood at 6,721.

Military alleges horrific conditions, abuse in pandemic-hit Ontario nursing homes

 

What you need to know about COVID-19 in Alberta on Monday, May 25

Despite government’s OK to reopen, some businesses are proceeding with caution.

Calgary Muslims celebrate Eid COVID-19-style

• As of Monday, restaurants, bars and salons in Calgary can join the rest of the province in Phase 1 of reopening their establishments.
• Alberta confirmed 19 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday, and there were three deaths in Calgary, bringing the total deaths in the province to 138.
• There are 762 active cases in the province, 594 of which are in Calgary.
• The Calgary Zoo reopened to the public on Saturday with reduced capacity, under direction from Alberta Health Services.

Commercial rent relief program opens but businesses say it will help few

 

What you need to know about COVID-19 in Alberta on Sunday, May 24

Bars, restaurants, hair salons and barber shops can open on tomorrow in Calgary and Brooks .

The latest in drug treatment and vaccine development

• Alberta reported 42 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday, bringing the number of active cases in the province to 801. In the last 24 hours 4,015 new tests were completed.
• There are currently 46 people in hospital.
• The Calgary Zoo reopened to the public on Saturday with reduced capacity, under direction from Alberta Health Services.
• Bars, restaurants, hair salons and barbershops can open in Calgary and Brooks on Monday, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney announced Friday.
• Kenney also said that, as of June 1, day camps will be allowed to open with restrictions, post-secondary institutions can offer summer classes with caps on participants, and funeral services and places of worship can expand capacity.
• The Alberta government is considering changes to the province’s immigration practices, as a result of the pandemic.
• On June 3, AHS plans to reinstate inpatient labour and delivery and newborn care at Calgary South Health Campus.
• Alberta’s top doctor warned the public Thursday to be aware of COVID-19 complacency, as the province continues to see new case numbers declining.
• Boeing laying off hundreds in Winnipeg due to the pandemic.

COVID-19 has made life more isolated for the deaf community

 

What you need to know today in Alberta

Alberta regulator’s move to suspend oilpatch monitoring sets dangerous precedent, critics say

Bars, restaurants, hair salons and barbershops in Calgary and Brooks will be allowed to open on Monday, while more restrictions will be lifted across the province on June 1.

Premier Jason Kenney said the decision to open more businesses and services in the two communities is based on advice from the province’s chief medical officer of health.

Alberta reported 42 more cases of COVID-19 Sunday and no additional deaths.

A new advice line set up to help Albertans with physical disabilities and injuries connect with rehabilitation advice during the pandemic is believed to be the first of its kind in Canada. The toll-free phone line is 1-833-379-0563.

A regional breakdown of cases as of Sunday afternoon shows the impact of COVID-19 in different parts of the province:

•  Calgary zone:  629 active, 4,020 recovered.
•  South zone:  92 active, 1,132 recovered.
•  Edmonton zone:  55 active, 455 recovered.
•  North zone:  20 active, 200 recovered.
•  Central zone:  Three active, 95 recovered.
•  Unknown zome:  Two active cases, 22 recovered.

To date, 624 cases were due to an unknown exposure.

There are 69 active cases and 640 recovered cases at continuing care facilities; 101 facility residents have died.

Across Canada

Federal government launches benefit-finder tool for emergency aid as parties spar over return of Parliament

Ontario Premier Doug Ford urged the public to “please” get tested if they are worried they have symptoms of COVID-19 on Sunday after the province reported its highest new case count since May 8.

In Alberta and in other provinces, public health officers have warned Canadians to not become complacent to the COVID-19 virus as warm weather draws them outside.

Dr. Howard Njoo, Canada’s deputy chief public health officer, says public health officials anticipate the possibility of a second wave of COVID-19 this fall and winter.

As of 7 pm ET on Sunday, Canada had 84,699 confirmed and presumptive coronavirus cases, with 43,995 of those considered resolved or recovered. A CBC News tally of deaths attributed to coronavirus based on provincial data, regional health information and CBC journalism stood at 6,515.

A CBC News tally of deaths attributed to coronavirus based on provincial data, regional health information and CBC journalism stood at 6,447.

Alberta’s economic angst could have a deep, echoing impact in Newfoundland and Labrador

What you need to know about COVID-19 in Alberta on Saturday, May 23

Bars, restaurants, hair salons and barbershops can open on Monday in Calgary and Brooks .

Albertans in BC border towns find hostile reception at times, due to COVID-19 worries

• Bars, restaurants, hair salons and barbershops can open in Calgary and Brooks on May 25, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney announced Friday.
• Kenney also said that, as of June 1, day camps will be allowed to open with restrictions, post-secondary institutions can offer summer classes with caps on participants, and funeral services and places of worship can expand capacity.
• The Alberta government is considering changes to the province’s immigration practices, as a result of the pandemic.
• Alberta reported 18 new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday, along with one additional death.
• On June 3, AHS plans to reinstate inpatient labour and delivery and newborn care at Calgary’s South Health Campus.
• Alberta’s top doctor warned the public Thursday to be aware of COVID-19 complacency, as the province continues to see new case numbers declining.
• A new advice line has been set up to help Albertans with physical disabilities and injuries connect with rehabilitation advice during the pandemic. The advice line is believed to be the first of its kind in Canada.

Canada Child Benefit recipients getting an extra $300 per child this month

 

What you need to know today in Alberta

Bars, restaurants, hair salons and barbershops in Calgary and Brooks will be allowed to open on Monday, while more restrictions will be lifted across the province on June 1.

Premier Jason Kenney said the decision to open more businesses and services in the two communities is based on advice from the province’s chief medical officer of health.

Alberta reported 18 more cases of COVID-19 Saturday along with one death — a woman in her 90s, at the Chinook Care Centre in the Calgary Zone.

A new advice line set up to help Albertans with physical disabilities and injuries connect with rehabilitation advice during the pandemic is believed to be the first of its kind in Canada. The toll-free phone line is 1-833-379-0563.

A regional breakdown of cases as of Saturday afternoon shows the impact of COVID-19 in different parts of the province:

•  Calgary zone:  641 active, 3,971 recovered.
•  South zone:  93 active, 1,127 recovered.
•  Edmonton zone:  55 active, 455 recovered.
•  North zone:  19 active, 200 recovered.
•  Central zone:  3 active, 95 recovered.

What you need to know about COVID-19 in Alberta on Friday, May 22

Calgary and Brooks to find out if reopening can proceed .

Alberta campgrounds will open next month with 50% occupancy, no out-of-province campers

• Bars, restaurants, hair salons and barbershops can open in Calgary and Brooks on May 25, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney announced Friday.
• Kenney also said that, as of June 1, day camps will be allowed to open with restrictions, post-secondary institutions can offer summer classes with caps on participants, and funeral services and places of worship can expand capacity.
• Alberta reported 32 more cases of COVID-19 Friday and two more deaths.
• On June 3, AHS plans to reinstate inpatient labour and delivery and newborn care at Calgary South Health Campus.
• Alberta’s top doctor warned the public Thursday to be aware of COVID-19 complacency, as the province continues to see new case numbers declining.
• A new advice line has been set up to help Albertans with physical disabilities and injuries connect with rehabilitation advice during the pandemic. The advice line is believed to be the first of its kind in Canada.

Canada Child Benefit recipients getting an extra $300 per child this month

 

What you need to know about COVID-19 in Alberta on Thursday, May 21

Alberta to implement temperature screening at Edmonton and Calgary airports.

Angry and powerless: Temporary cuts to education will hurt vulnerable Alberta kids, advocates say

• Alberta’s top doctor warned the public Thursday to be aware of COVID-19 complacency, as the province continues to see new case numbers declining.
• The province reported four more deaths and 33 new cases on Thursday.
• Brooks, which was Alberta’s No. 1 hot spot for COVID-19, is now looking forward to a return to some normalcy with its JBS meat plant ready to start ramping up production again. It goes back to two shifts starting today.
• This week, there were three new outbreaks reported in the Calgary zone, as the city awaits a decision from the province – whether it will be safe to reopen restaurants and salons.
• There are now 16 outbreaks at businesses in the Calgary zone, and 17 outbreaks at seniors’ homes.
• International travellers face enhanced COVID-19 screening at Alberta airports.

Watch Travel bubbles considered for regions with low cases

 

What you need to know about COVID-19 in Alberta on Wednesday, May 20

The financial fallout from the pandemic could force Edmonton to stop transit service this summer.

Angry and powerless: Temporary cuts to education will hurt vulnerable Alberta kids, advocates say

• Edmonton could shut down public transit over the summer due to economic fallout of COVID-19.
• Alberta reported just 19 new cases on Wednesday.
• Calgarians only get a C+ for physical distancing over long weekend, CEMA chief warns.
• Alberta reported 33 new cases on Tuesday, the lowest since April 9, and no deaths.
• CBE begins budget deliberations as it faces funding shortfall, unknown impacts of COVID-19.
• Operators of continuing-care centres, nursing homes and assisted-living facilities to get extra $170 million for more staff, cleaning.
• Calgary and Brooks will learn on Friday whether more businesses can open on May 25.
• The JBS Foods plant in Brooks, where more than 600 workers contracted COVID-19, will increase its production from one shift to two on Thursday.
• There were three new outbreaks reported at Calgary workplaces, at produce supplier Thomas Fresh, a Subaru dealership in northeast Calgary and Golden Happiness Bakery.

 

What you need to know today in Alberta

The devastating impact on the budgets of Alberta’s cities is coming into focus, as Edmonton Mayor Don Iveson says the city could shut down public transit this summer in order to deal with the shortfall.

Cities aren’t allowed to run deficits and are facing a severe cash crunch from loss of revenues and increased costs. Transit alone is costing the cities millions each month. Mayors of both major cities have called for emergency funds from both the province and the federal government.

On the health front, however, the province reported its lowest count of known new cases since April 9, but the province’s chief medical officer of health, Dr. Deena Hinshaw, warned it’s still too early to tell whether the first stage of reopening the province has had an impact on spread of the virus.

A regional breakdown of cases, as of Tuesday afternoon, shows the impact of COVID-19 in different parts of the province:

•  Calgary zone:  784 active, 3,773 recovered.
•  South zone:  99 active, 1,105 recovered.
•  Edmonton zone:  59 active, 450 recovered.
•  North zone:  18 active, 197 recovered.
•  Central zone:  6 active, 92 recovered.
•  Unknown:  4 active, 20 recovered.

What you need to know about COVID-19 in Alberta on Tuesday, May 19

Active cases continue to fall in Alberta, with 33 new cases reported on Tuesday.

Watch What we know, what’s probably not true, and what we need to find out

• Calgary and Brooks will learn on Friday whether hair salons, barber shops, bars and restaurants can open on May 25.
• The province will give more than $14 million a month in extra funding to the operators of continuing-care centres, nursing homes and assisted-living facilities to pay for more staff and for extra cleaning during the pandemic, Alberta’s health minister said.
• The province reported 33 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday afternoon.
• A total of 10 people have tested positive for COVID-19 at Alpha House in Calgary, and 10 have tested positive at the Calgary Drop-In Centre.
• Another resident at McKenzie Towne Continuing Care Centre has tested positive for COVID-19. A $25-million class action suit has been filed against the care home, but it has yet to be certified by a judge.
• Wildlife experts warn of encounter risks, as Albertans return to parks.
• A group of Calgary volunteers is filling an AHS order for 12,000 face shields.
• One economic victim of COVID-19: Calgary’s usually booming Indian wedding industry.

 

What you need to know about COVID-19 in Alberta on Monday, May 18

The impact of outbreaks on Canada’s major meat processors has some looking to smaller players.

After spending months alone at sea, Calgary man surfaces to new reality

• Some think more small players are needed in the country’s meat processing industry in wake of pandemic.
• Edmonton places of worship eye gradual reopening under new guidelines.
• Alberta has increased limits on outdoor gatherings to 50 people from 15, as long as proper physical distancing is maintained.
• Another 39 cases of COVID-19 were reported in Alberta on Monday. One more person has died: a woman in her 70s at Intercare Brentwood in Calgary.
• There are currently 1,036 active cases in the province.
• Provincial parks are open over the long weekend, but some facilities remain closed and campfires are not permitted. Campsites will not reopen until June 1.
• HALO Air Ambulance in Medicine Hat says it will close without provincial funds.

Watch The 1918 Spanish Flu: Calgary’s first pandemic

 

What you need to know about COVID-19 in Alberta on Sunday, May 17

Alberta welcomed the Victoria Day weekend by increasing the limit for outdoor gatherings to 50 .

Alberta Parks overwhelmed by high demand for camping reservations

• Alberta has increased limits on outdoor gatherings to 50 people from 15, as long as proper physical distancing is maintained.
• Another 57 cases of COVID-19 and one additional death were reported in Alberta on Sunday.
• Provincial parks are open over the long weekend, but some facilities remain closed and campfires are not permitted. Campsites will not reopen until June 1.
• The Calgary Zoo will reopen to the public May 23, with limited capacity and timed entry.
• YMCA Calgary has cancelled the majority of its summer programming, including day and overnight camps.
• Health-care aides at long-term care homes say they’re still in the dark about wage top-ups promised by government.
• Alberta public health officials say they will likely know within a week whether reopening leads to a new wave of COVID-19.

Researchers use smartphone data to determine which businesses are potential COVID-19 ‘super-spreaders’

 

What you need to know about COVID-19 in Alberta on Saturday, May 16

Alberta is increasing limits on outdoor gatherings, just in time for the long weekend .

Alberta Parks overwhelmed by high demand for camping reservations

• Alberta is increasing limits on outdoor gatherings to 50 people from 15, as long as proper physical distancing is maintained, Dr. Deena Hinshaw announced Friday.
• Alberta reported 72 new cases of COVID-19 and one additional death on Saturday. The total number of cases in Alberta grew to 6,587, according to the province, of which 1,084 were active. Sixty people were in hospital, eight in intensive care.
• The latest death was a man in his 90s from the Intercare Brentwood Care Centre in Calgary zone. Ninety-two of the total 126 deaths due to the disease were residents in continuing care facilities.
• Provincial parks are open over the long weekend, but some facilities remain closed and campfires are not permitted. Campsites will not reopen until June 1.
• YMCA Calgary has cancelled the majority of its summer programming, including day and overnight camps.
• Health-care aides at long-term care homes say they’re still in the dark about wage top-ups promised by government.
• Alberta public health officials say they will likely know within a week whether reopening leads to a new wave of COVID-19.
• The province reported four more COVID-19 deaths and 58 new cases on Friday.

What works to flatten the curve and what science says on easing restrictions

 

What you need to know about COVID-19 in Alberta on Friday, May 15

With some restrictions lifted in most areas, province should know within a week if a second wave hits.

Alberta Parks overwhelmed by high demand for camping reservations

• Alberta reported four more deaths Friday, all at continuing care facilities in Calgary, and 58 new cases of COVID-19 in the province.
• Alberta is increasing limits on outdoor gatherings to 50 people from 15, as long as proper physical distancing is maintained, Dr. Deena Hinshaw announced Friday.
• YMCA Calgary has cancelled the majority of its summer programming, including day and overnight camps.
• Health-care aides at long-term care homes say they’re still in the dark about wage top ups promised by government.
• Alberta public health officials say they will likely know within a week whether reopening leads to a new wave of COVID-19.
• Outbreak at recycling facility impacts Calgary’s blue bin service.
• In Calgary, where restaurants and bars did not reopen, Mayor Naheed Nenshi asked Calgarians not to flock to nearby towns and cities without those restrictions.
• The province reported four more deaths, all at continuing care facilities in Calgary, and 58 new cases on Friday.

Class of COVID-19: Inventing high school graduation celebrations they will never forget

 

What you need to know today in Alberta

Alberta’s chief medical officer of health says the province should know within a week if yesterday’s reopening of bars, restaurants and some other businesses in most areas will lead to a surge in new cases.

Dr. Deena Hinshaw also encouraged Albertans to wear masks when going out to recently reopened spaces, but stopped short of mandating their use.

In Calgary, where restaurants and bars did not reopen, Mayor Naheed Nenshi asked Calgarians not to flock to nearby towns and cities without those restrictions.

Besides having more cases than any other jurisdiction in the province, the Calgary zone has also been the site of several workplace outbreaks. An update on those outbreaks was provided on Thursday: