Update: COVID-19 pandemic in Alberta (April 29 at 6 p.m.)

The Voice of Canada News:

Confirmed recovered cases now number 1,953, and 315 new cases of COVID-19 have been reported, bringing the total number to 5,165. Seven more Albertans have died.

Latest updates

• Cases have been identified in all zones across the province:
  • 3,520 cases in the Calgary zone
  • 833 cases in the South zone
  • 489  cases in the Edmonton zone
  • 205 cases in the North zone
  • 84 cases in the Central zone
  • 34 cases in zones yet to be confirmed
• Of these cases, there are currently 86 people in hospital, 22 of whom have been admitted to intensive care units (ICU).
• 580 cases are suspected of being community acquired.
• The total deaths are 87: 57 in the Calgary zone; 14 in the North zone; 11 in the Edmonton zone; four in the South zone; and one in the Central zone.
• To date, 503 cases have been confirmed at continuing care facilities, and 59 residents at these facilities have died.
• There have been 136,511 people tested for COVID-19 and a total of 143,886 tests performed by the lab. In the last 24 hours, 5,205 tests have been completed.
• The number of confirmed and recovered cases among health-care workers is available online. The vast majority of cases are believed to have acquired their infection outside of the workplace.

Outdoor gathering and physical distancing exemptions for Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo

• Due to the emergency flooding situation, Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health has issued an exemption to the existing COVID-19 gathering restrictions and mandated physical distancing in outdoor spaces for individuals in the Fort McMurray area who are engaged in flood suppression and prevention activities.
• It is recommended these individuals wear personal protective equipment, if available.
• The safety of Albertans is our top priority, and during emergency situations like this, communities need the ability to quickly and collectively respond as a community.

Outbreak strategy

• A strategy is in place to identify and respond to COVID-19 outbreaks. It involves three elements: prevention and preparedness, rapid response and timely notification, and outbreak management.

New and clarification of public orders

• New public orders have been put in place to help with the continued protection of residents in long-term care and supportive living, as well as to improve their quality of life.

CMOH Order 12-2020

• Effective April 29, the list of symptoms that require staff assessment and then testing is being expanded. In these facilities, anyone with even the mildest symptoms must immediately be isolated and tested for COVID-19. As soon as a COVID-19 case is identified, residents in the affected unit are now tested, even if they are feeling fine and show no symptoms. To protect the health of workers, any staff member caring for an isolated resident must also wear eye protection, along with all other appropriate PPE, including a gown, mask, visor and gloves. There is also new guidance to help support residents who wish to temporarily move into another setting like a family member’s home.