Provincial Press Release December December 14, 2020 @ 4:34pm published @ 6:03pm.
Everyone must continue to work to bend the curve and protect our health-care system. Alberta will soon receive 29,250 doses of Pfizer vaccine and will start immunizing priority health-care workers provincewide.
Latest updates
Over the last 24 hours, 1,887 new cases were identified.
There are 716 people in hospital due to COVID-19, including 136 in intensive care.
There are 21,123 active cases in the province.
To date, 60,130 Albertans have recovered from COVID-19.
There was an increase of 20,416 tests (2,528,107 total) for a total of 1,576,084 people tested.
The testing positivity rate is 9.2 per cent.
In the last 24 hours, there were 15 additional COVID-related deaths reported: one on Dec. 9, one on Dec. 10, three on Dec. 11, five on Dec. 12, and five on Dec. 13.
The total number of COVID-19 related deaths is now 733.
All zones across the province have cases:
Calgary Zone: 7,379 active cases and 24,547 recovered
South Zone: 583 active cases and 3,915 recovered
Edmonton Zone: 10,194 active cases and 24,458 recovered
North Zone: 1,287 active cases and 4,072 recovered
Central Zone: 1,594 active cases and 3,004 recovered
86 active cases and 134 recovered cases in zones to be confirmed
Additional information, including case totals, is online.
Currently, 450 schools, about 19 per cent, are on alert or have outbreaks, with 1,925 cases in total.
Of those, 152 schools are on alert, with 248 total cases.
Outbreaks are declared in 298 schools, including 127 on watch, with a total of 1,677 cases.
So far, in-school transmission has likely occurred in 345 schools. Of these, 178 have had only one new case result.
Based on data available to date, 324 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 937 active and 3,481 recovered cases at long-term care facilities and supportive/home living sites.
To date, 468 of the 733 reported deaths (64 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.
Alberta will deliver its first COVID-19 vaccines to critical health-care workers at the highest-risk facilities starting this week. The Pfizer vaccine has now been approved by Health Canada.
Alberta will receive 25,350 doses of Pfizer vaccine during the week of Dec. 21, in addition to 3,900 doses arriving this week.
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.
Alberta Health, AHS and local municipalities continue to closely monitor the spread across the province.
Enforcement of public health measures
The government has granted certain Alberta peace officers and community peace officers temporary authority to enforce public health orders.
Expanding these authorities increases the number of officers able to levy fines by about 700.
Not following mandatory restrictions will result in fines of $1,000 per ticketed offence and up to $100,000 through the courts.
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. 14, 284,396 Albertans were using the ABTraceTogether app, 66 per cent on iOS and 34 per cent on Android. On average, 12 new users were registering every hour.
Secure contact tracing is a cornerstone of Alberta’s Relaunch Strategy.
Symptoms for children and adults
Adults over age 18 should stay home and get tested if they have any COVID-19 symptoms.
Parents should refer to the daily screening checklist for guidance and instructions for children under 18.
Influenza immunization
Everyone, especially seniors and those at risk, is encouraged to get immunized against influenza.
As of Dec. 5, 1,365,073 Albertans have received their flu shot. That means almost 31 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.
As of Dec. 10, 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.
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