Alberta COVID-19 Update – December 3, 2020

Cases of COVID-19 continue to rise in Alberta. All Albertans must continue to follow all public health measures to help bend the curve and protect the health-care system.

Latest updates

• Over the last 24 hours, 1,854 new cases were identified.
• There are 511 people in hospital due to COVID-19, including 97 in intensive care.
• There are 17,743 active cases in the province.
• To date, 44,705 Albertans have recovered from COVID-19.
• There was an increase of 19,622 tests (2,309,153 total) for a total of 1,495,622 people tested.
• The testing positivity rate is 9.5 per cent.
• All zones across the province have cases:
  • Calgary Zone: 6,445 active cases and 18,942 recovered
  • South Zone: 633 active cases and 3,349 recovered
  • Edmonton Zone: 8,331 active cases and 17,309 recovered
  • North Zone: 991 active cases and 3,096 recovered
  • Central Zone: 1,251 active cases and 1,877 recovered
  • 92 active cases and 132 recovered cases in zones to be confirmed
  • Additional information, including case totals, is online.
• There are 766 active and 2,645 recovered cases at long-term care facilities and supportive/home living sites.
• To date, 367 of the 575 reported deaths (64 per cent) have been in long-term care facilities or supportive/home living sites
• In the last 24 hours, there were 14 additional COVID-related deaths reported: one on Nov. 27, two on Nov. 28, one on Nov. 29, five on Nov. 30, two on Dec. 1, and three on Dec. 2.
• The total number of COVID-19 related deaths is now 575.
• Alberta is reporting case numbers and information daily, including on weekends and holidays.

Schools

• Currently, 407 schools, about 17 per cent, are on alert or have outbreaks, with 1,561 cases in total.
• Of those, 187 schools are on alert, with 290 total cases.
• Outbreaks are declared in 220 schools, including 100 on watch, with a total of 1,271 cases.
• So far, in-school transmission has likely occurred in 261 schools. Of these, 126 have had only one new case result.
• Based on data available to date, 269 schools have been removed from the alert list.
• Students in Grades 7 to 12 are attending school through at-home learning until Jan. 8, except during Winter Break, and will continue at-home learning after the break and resume in-person classes on Jan. 11.
• Students in kindergarten to Grade 6 will continue in-person learning until their scheduled Winter Break, move to at-home learning after the break, and resume in-person classes on Jan. 11.
• Students with disabilities and students in outreach programs who require support and services that cannot be met through at-home learning can continue to receive supports and services in-person at school.
• An online map lists schools with two or more confirmed cases, updated every school day.

Vaccine distribution

• A new task force has been appointed to prepare for the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.
• Several vaccines are undergoing review and awaiting approval by Health Canada.
• Immunization will proceed in phases, beginning in early 2021, once vaccines are received.
• Phase 1 will include Albertans most at-risk of severe illness and death from COVID-19, as well as health-care workers and long-term care and supportive living staff.

Strong restrictions to slow the spread of COVID-19

• Strong, targeted public health measures are in place across Alberta. These include mandatory provincewide measures and those targeted at regions under enhanced status.
• These restrictions and increased enforcement are intended to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in communities, protect hospitals, keep schools, places of worshipand businesses open as much as possible, and better protect vulnerable Albertans.
• Though announced on Nov. 24, it will take several weeks to determine the full impact of these restrictions on the spread of COVID-19.
• All existing guidance and legal orders remain in place in all areas.
• Alberta Health, AHS and local municipalities continue to closely monitor the spread across the province.

Enforcement of public health measures

• The government is granting certain Alberta peace officers and community peace officers temporary authority to enforce public health orders.
• Expanding these authorities will increase the number of officers able to levy fines by about 700.
• Not following mandatory restrictions could result in fines of $1,000 per ticketed offence and up to $100,000 through the courts.

International traveller COVID-19 pilot

• An Alberta-Canada joint pilot program is testing an alternative to the 14-day quarantine requirement for international travellers while continuing to protect Canadians from COVID-19.
• Participants are closely monitored daily for symptoms and must follow enhanced preventive health measures, such as wearing masks in public places and avoiding visiting high-risk groups.