23 new cases COVID-19 in Alberta
Posted Mar 17, 2020 03:40:50 PM.
Last Updated Mar 17, 2020 04:18:43 PM.
EDMONTON – Alberta has confirmed 23 new cases of COVID-19, the rapidly-spreading coronavirus.
The total number of cases in the province now sits at 97. Five people with the virus are in hospital, two in intensive care.
To recap:
– 23 news cases, up to 97
– 6 cases may be community transmission
– all elective surgeries scrapped
– No more gatherings 50+, several businesses/public places now ordered closed
– says history shows if flu subsides in summer, it could return in fall #yeg #yyc #ableg— Courtney Theriault (@cspotweet) March 17, 2020
Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta’s chief medical officer of health, says they expect more cases to pop up as Canadians abroad return home and enter self-isolation.
Hinshaw says it was her recommendation to the province to declare a public health emergency as Alberta fights “a war on two fronts” in the rising number of both travel-related cases and community spread cases.
So far, there are approximately six community-spread cases of COVID-19 but there are other cases under investigation.
Hinshaw says there will likely be more information on community-spread cases on Wednesday.
Hinshaw says total community acquired cases is relatively small, the large jump today is largely tied to previous cases already identified.
— Courtney Theriault (@cspotweet) March 17, 2020
With Tuesday’s declaration of a public health emergency, Hinshaw added Alberta Health Services is postponing all elective or non-urgent surgeries, but it will continue with emergency ones. Hinshaw says Alberta Health will contact affected patients.
More coming.