Alberta not experiencing a second wave of COVID-19, Hinshaw says

EDMONTON (660 NEWS) — Alberta’s top doctor says the province is not seeing a second wave of COVID-19 despite reporting triple-digit daily case numbers over the past few weeks.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in his address to the nation that the second wave of the pandemic was already underway in Alberta, B.C., Ontario and Quebec.

Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw doesn’t believe Alberta is in that category.

“The concept of a second wave implies that we don’t have any control or influence over the circulation of the virus,” Hinshaw said.

“And I think that certainly there are some provinces who have themselves determined that they are beginning what they’re calling a second wave. But in Alberta, I don’t think that’s where we’re at right now.”

I ask Hinshaw about the PM saying a second wave has begun.

Hinshaw doesn’t believe Alberta is in a second wave. She says the concept implies lack of control

— Jeff Slack (@Jeffslack660) September 24, 2020

The province has experienced an increased daily case count for the last few months, but Hinshaw says those have remained relatively stable.

“When I think about a second wave, I think about a very large spike of uncontrolled spread and that’s not our only possible future,” she said.

“Are other possible futures are a stable, relatively slow burn of a constant case count over time, or perhaps small ripples that go up and down.”

Health officials continue to monitor information about where spread is happening, but to date, they have not seen any single factor driving the majority of cases.

Hinshaw says at this moment the province does not plan to impose any additional restrictions.