Five more COVID-19 deaths connected to Good Samaritan outbreak
Posted Jul 30, 2020 3:46 pm.
Last Updated Jul 30, 2020 5:13 pm.
EDMONTON (660 NEWS) – Five more Albertans have died as a result of COVID-19.
The province is announcing five new deaths connected to the Good Samaritan Southgate care centre outbreak, involving a woman in her 70s, a woman in her 80s and three women in their 90s.
Two of the deaths were announced yesterday by the facility but had not yet been reported to Alberta Health.
This brings the total number of deaths linked to this outbreak to 21.
The province has announced that five more Albertans have died from COVID-19. All were connected to the outbreak at the Good Samaritan Southgate care centre.
113 new cases have been identified.#COVID19Alberta— 660 NEWS Calgary (@660NEWS) July 30, 2020
Additionally, 113 new cases of COVID-19 have been identified.
Of the 1,408 active cases, 91 are in hospital, and 18 are in intensive care units.
The province has tested almost 8,700 Albertans in the last 24 hours.
NEW:
– 113 new COVID cases in Alberta on 8670 tests (1.3% positive)
– 5 new deaths, up to 195 – all at Good Samaritan in #yeg
– 91 in hospital (+4), 18 of those in ICU (+1)
– active cases at 1408 (-22)#yeg #yyc #ableg #covid19ab pic.twitter.com/GsvpRfjDT2
— Courtney Theriault (@cspotweet) July 30, 2020
More than 566,000 Albertans have been tested, with a total of 676,000 tests being conducted.
The province is looking to increase testing and provide easier access to Albertans.
Community pharmacies can now start the process to begin testing.
Any pharmacy can apply to participate, but Hinshaw urges Albertans to be patient as they go through the paperwork to get approved.
AHS will still continue to provide testing and is working on reducing wait times.
Hinshaw reminds anyone who is experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or has been exposed to the virus to not be tested at clinics.
Instead, she says to book testing through AHS on their website.
As Good Samaritan cases grow, the percentage of cases between ages 20-39 has dropped to 42.4% (596 to of 1403) – the lowest percentage in a few weeks. #yeg #yyc #ableg #covid19ab pic.twitter.com/W8jiCO1TkH
— Courtney Theriault (@cspotweet) July 30, 2020
Lastly, Hinshaw warned against not taking the virus seriously and to continue working hard to flatten Alberta’s curve.
Health precautions should still be followed, even if a person has already been exposed, gotten sick, and recovered from COVID-19.
She says recent studies have not shown enough antibodies built up after infection to provide immunity.
