Update 162: COVID-19 pandemic in Alberta (Dec. 18, 4:45 p.m.)

Latest updates

• Over the last 24 hours, 1,413 new cases were identified.
• There are 759 people in hospital due to COVID-19, including 141 in intensive care.
• There are 19,607 active cases in the province.
• To date, 67,159 Albertans have recovered from COVID-19.
• There was an increase of 19,538 tests (2,601,802 total) for a total of 1,600,211 people tested.
• The testing positivity rate is 7.4 per cent.
• In the last 24 hours, there were 25 additional COVID-related deaths reported: one on Dec. 4, one on Dec. 6, one on Dec. 9, one on Dec. 12, one on Dec. 13, five on Dec. 14, four on Dec. 15, seven on Dec. 16, and four on Dec. 17.
• The total number of COVID-19 related deaths is now 815.
• All zones across the province have cases:
  • Calgary Zone: 6,971 active cases and 26,980 recovered
  • South Zone: 511 active cases and 4,139 recovered
  • Edmonton Zone: 9,376 active cases and 27,794 recovered
  • North Zone: 1,201 active cases and 4,540 recovered
  • Central Zone: 1,473 active cases and 3,569 recovered
  • 75 active cases and 137 recovered cases in zones to be confirmed
  • Additional information, including case totals, is online.
• Currently, 443 schools, about 19 per cent, are on alert or have outbreaks, with 1,971 cases in total.
  • Of those, 145 schools are on alert, with 239 total cases.
  • Outbreaks are declared in 298 schools, including 128 on watch, with a total of 1,732 cases.
  • So far, in-school transmission has likely occurred in 367 schools. Of these, 191 have had only one new case result.
  • Based on data available to date, 346 schools have been removed from the alert list.
  • An online map lists schools with two or more confirmed cases, updated every school day.
• There are 1,020 active and 3,868 recovered cases at long-term care facilities and supportive/home living sites.
• To date, 526 of the 815 reported deaths (65 per cent) have been in long-term care facilities or supportive/home living sites.
• Alberta is reporting case numbers and information daily, including on weekends and holidays.

Rapid Testing

• Starting today, rapid point-of-care testing will begin at long-term care and designated supportive living facilities in the Edmonton Zone using dedicated mobile testing centres. Mobile testing centres are expected to be ready to deploy in the Calgary Zone starting the week of Dec. 21.
• Remote and rural hospitals in Alberta will receive rapid tests in late December and early January.
• Rapid testing has already been expanded to homeless shelters and centres in Calgary and Edmonton.

Vaccine distribution

• Priority health-care workers in Edmonton and Calgary are now receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.
• Alberta will receive 25,350 doses of Pfizer vaccine during the week of Dec. 21, in addition to 3,900 doses that arrived on Dec. 14. 
• The Pfizer vaccine must be administered at its delivery site and is being offered to respiratory therapists, intensive care unit physicians and staff, and eligible long-term care and designated supportive living facility workers.
• As more shipments arrive in the new year, immunization will focus on Phase 1 priority populations and will include residents of long-term care and designated supportive living facilities, followed by seniors aged 75 and over, and First Nations on reserve, Inuit and on-settlement Métis individuals aged 65 and over.

Expanding outreach supports

• Alberta has launched a comprehensive outreach program to reach communities with high levels of COVID-19 spread in Edmonton and Calgary to provide information about how to access supports people need to keep themselves and their families safe.

Provincewide restrictions to slow the spread of COVID-19

• In response to increasing case numbers, enhanced public measures prohibiting social gatherings, requiring masking and restricting businesses and services are in effect.
• These mandatory restrictions apply provincewide and will be in place for at least four weeks.
• All existing guidance and legal orders remain in place.

Enforcement of public health measures

• The government has granted certain Alberta peace officers and community peace officers temporary authority to enforce public health orders.
• Not following mandatory restrictions will result in fines of $1,000 per ticketed offence and up to $100,000 through the courts.

Albertans downloading tracer app

• All Albertans are encouraged to download the secure ABTraceTogether app, which is integrated with provincial contact tracing. The federal app is not a contact tracing app.
• Secure contact tracing is an effective tool to stop the spread by notifying people who were exposed to a confirmed case so they can isolate and be tested.
• Early issues have been fixed so the app can run in the background of all mobile devices.
• As of Dec. 17, 284,907 Albertans were using the ABTraceTogether app, 66 per cent on iOS and 34 per cent on Android. On average, 10 new users were registering every hour.
• Secure contact tracing is a cornerstone of Alberta’s Relaunch Strategy.

Influenza immunization

• Everyone, especially seniors and those at risk, is encouraged to get immunized against influenza.
• As of Dec. 12, 1,450,368 Albertans have received their flu shot. That means almost 33 per cent of Albertans are immunized against influenza so far this year.
• By appointment, doctors’ offices and participating pharmacies will immunize ages five and up.
• By appointment, public health clinics will immunize ages under five, their household members; people with no provincial health number; and where they are the only provider.

MyHealth Records quick access

• Parents and guardians can access the COVID-19 test results for children under the age of 18 through MyHealth Records (MHR) as soon as they are ready.
• More than 473,873 Albertans have MHR accounts.

Access to justice

• For the latest updates on court operations, please visit:
  • Traffic Court
  • Provincial Court
  • Court of Queen’s Bench
  • Court of Appeal

Alberta’s Recovery Plan

• Alberta’s Recovery Plan will create jobs, economic diversification and a strong economic future.

Addiction and mental health supports

• Confidential supports are available. The Mental Health Help Line at 1-877-303-2642 and the Addiction Help Line at 1-866-332-2322 operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Resources are also available online.
• The Kids Help Phone is available 24-7 and offers professional counselling, information and referrals and volunteer-led, text-based support to young people by texting CONNECT to 686868.
• Online resources provide advice on handling stressful situations and ways to talk with children.

Family violence prevention

• A 24-hour Family Violence Information Line at 310-1818 provides anonymous help in more than 170 languages.
• Alberta’s One Line for Sexual Violence is available at 1-866-403-8000, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• People fleeing family violence can call local police or the nearest RCMP detachment to apply for an Emergency Protection Order, or follow the steps in the Emergency Protection Orders Telephone Applications (COVID-19).
• Information sheets and other resources on family violence prevention are at alberta.ca/COVID19.

Alberta’s government is responding to the COVID-19 pandemic by protecting lives and livelihoods with precise measures to bend the curve, sustain small businesses and protect Alberta’s health-care system.

Quick facts

• Legally, all Albertans must physically distance and isolate when sick or with symptoms.
• Good hygiene is your best protection: wash your hands regularly for at least 20 seconds, avoid touching your face, cough or sneeze into an elbow or sleeve, and dispose of tissues appropriately.
• Please share acts of kindness during this difficult time at #AlbertaCares.
• Alberta Connects Contact Centre (310-4455) is open Monday to Friday, 8:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.