As of Monday March 23, there are 2,036 cases in Canada with less than half, 859 cases, in the western provinces..Officials are becoming upset with the lack of compliance from Canadians with regard to public health recommendations. In the event that a balance between personal freedom and public health and safety measures cannot be struck, leaders are opting to implement further restrictions..As of Monday, PEI has completed a shutdown of non-essential businesses to keep people at home. Ontario and Quebec have each announced an impending shutdown of non-essential businesses to begin at midnight March 24. Quebec’s shutdown is in place until April 13 after their numbers spiked from 221 to 628 Monday..Alberta.There have been 42 new cases announced in Alberta bringing the province’s total to 301. 24 cases are believed to be from community spread..Calgary Emergency Management Agency announced Monday morning that Calgary playgrounds will closed in an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19. The announcement comes just one day after Rocky View Schools announced they will restrict access to all playgrounds on school property..“Even mild symptoms can result in infection,” Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health said Monday..Dr. Hinshaw also said that contact with surfaces which were previously touched by someone who was positive for the virus, can transmit the virus..Alberta will not be testing those who have minor symptoms asking instead that those who present minor symptoms self-isolate for 14 days..Hinshaw said new measures will be taken to protect health workers. Those who work within the system, including contractors and non-medical staff, will be tested prior to coming to work..While people are still being encouraged to go outside and to go for walk, Hinshaw said that social distancing is still very important..Mountain day trips are not recommended at this time as many public washrooms and other public access buildings are now closed, Hinshaw said..Those who need additional assistance for mental health are encouraged to reach out to someone they trust..Alberta Health Services has developed a text messaging system to help offer encouragement to deal with Alberta’s “new normal”..Dr. Hinshaw reiterated that the province must monitor the measures currently in place to determine whether those measures are sufficient or need to be strengthened. If the current measures are found to be insufficient in flattening the curve of infections, additional measures may be implemented..Based on new information, individuals may be able to return to work after 10 days rather than 14..Additional information for Alberta residents can be found here..British Columbia.The province announced 48 new cases bringing its total to 472 with 100 recovered and 13 deaths..Six long-term care facilities have seen infections including Lynn Valley where 36 residents and 19 staff have tested positive, Hollyburn, Haro Park (10 residents and 12 staff), Delta View long term care (one staff) and German Canada House (one staff)..Grocers, banks and pharmacies have deemed essential businesses, Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.’s health official stated..The province is also looking to increase precautions for long-term care facilities which will mean a further reduction in visitation accessibility..The City of Vancouver has announced that it will fine businesses up to $50,000 if social distancing recommendations are not followed. Individuals could be fined up to $1,000 within the city..Additional information for B.C. residents can be found here..Manitoba.One new case was identified in Manitoba but the province’s numbers remain at 20 as one presumptive case has been found negative..The single case that was unrelated to travel was under investigation but was eventually determined to be a false positive according to chief provincial public health officer Dr. Brent Roussin..All residents who are returning from travel outside of the province, even within Canada, are asked to self-isolate upon their return..“I want to make it clear that this is not just a suggestion,” Roussin said during a briefing Monday..“We have this in place because the risk to Manitobans is real, since all of our cases have been imported from travel. We are appealing to people’s civic duties.”.At this time there are no plans to limit travel within the province..The province has completed more than 4,000 tests and there is no longer anyone in hospital for COVID-19-related illness..There have been no deaths from COVID-19 in Manitoba..Additional information for Manitoba residents can be found here..Saskatchewan.The province has identified 14 new, confirmed cases, bringing the province’s total to 65 confirmed and one presumptive case..Two of the cases are individuals between the ages of five and 19, all others are adults according to the government press release on Monday..61 per cent of the cases are in males and 39 per cent are in females..All residents who are returning from destinations outside of Canada are subject to “mandatory self-isolation order”, said the release..“Anyone identified by a Ministry of Health Official as a close contact of someone with COVID-19 shall go into mandatory self-isolation for 14 days from the date of having been exposed.”.Additional information for Saskatchewan residents can be found here..Provincial tallies:.Quebec: 628 confirmed and presumptive cases, including 1 recovered and 5 deathsOntario: 489 cases, including 5 recovered and 3 deathsBritish Columbia: 472 confirmed cases, including 5 recovered and 13 deathsAlberta: 301 confirmed cases including one deathSaskatchewan: 66 confirmed and presumptive casesNova Scotia: 28 confirmed and presumptive casesManitoba: 20 confirmed and presumptive casesNew Brunswick: 17 confirmed and presumptive casesPrince Edward Island: 3 confirmed casesNewfoundland and Labrador: 9 confirmed and presumptive casesNorthwest Territories: 1 confirmed caseYukon: 2 confirmed cases.Deirdre Mitchell-MacLean is a Senior Reporter with Western Standard.dmaclean@westernstandardonline.com.Twitter @Mitchell_AB
As of Monday March 23, there are 2,036 cases in Canada with less than half, 859 cases, in the western provinces..Officials are becoming upset with the lack of compliance from Canadians with regard to public health recommendations. In the event that a balance between personal freedom and public health and safety measures cannot be struck, leaders are opting to implement further restrictions..As of Monday, PEI has completed a shutdown of non-essential businesses to keep people at home. Ontario and Quebec have each announced an impending shutdown of non-essential businesses to begin at midnight March 24. Quebec’s shutdown is in place until April 13 after their numbers spiked from 221 to 628 Monday..Alberta.There have been 42 new cases announced in Alberta bringing the province’s total to 301. 24 cases are believed to be from community spread..Calgary Emergency Management Agency announced Monday morning that Calgary playgrounds will closed in an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19. The announcement comes just one day after Rocky View Schools announced they will restrict access to all playgrounds on school property..“Even mild symptoms can result in infection,” Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health said Monday..Dr. Hinshaw also said that contact with surfaces which were previously touched by someone who was positive for the virus, can transmit the virus..Alberta will not be testing those who have minor symptoms asking instead that those who present minor symptoms self-isolate for 14 days..Hinshaw said new measures will be taken to protect health workers. Those who work within the system, including contractors and non-medical staff, will be tested prior to coming to work..While people are still being encouraged to go outside and to go for walk, Hinshaw said that social distancing is still very important..Mountain day trips are not recommended at this time as many public washrooms and other public access buildings are now closed, Hinshaw said..Those who need additional assistance for mental health are encouraged to reach out to someone they trust..Alberta Health Services has developed a text messaging system to help offer encouragement to deal with Alberta’s “new normal”..Dr. Hinshaw reiterated that the province must monitor the measures currently in place to determine whether those measures are sufficient or need to be strengthened. If the current measures are found to be insufficient in flattening the curve of infections, additional measures may be implemented..Based on new information, individuals may be able to return to work after 10 days rather than 14..Additional information for Alberta residents can be found here..British Columbia.The province announced 48 new cases bringing its total to 472 with 100 recovered and 13 deaths..Six long-term care facilities have seen infections including Lynn Valley where 36 residents and 19 staff have tested positive, Hollyburn, Haro Park (10 residents and 12 staff), Delta View long term care (one staff) and German Canada House (one staff)..Grocers, banks and pharmacies have deemed essential businesses, Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.’s health official stated..The province is also looking to increase precautions for long-term care facilities which will mean a further reduction in visitation accessibility..The City of Vancouver has announced that it will fine businesses up to $50,000 if social distancing recommendations are not followed. Individuals could be fined up to $1,000 within the city..Additional information for B.C. residents can be found here..Manitoba.One new case was identified in Manitoba but the province’s numbers remain at 20 as one presumptive case has been found negative..The single case that was unrelated to travel was under investigation but was eventually determined to be a false positive according to chief provincial public health officer Dr. Brent Roussin..All residents who are returning from travel outside of the province, even within Canada, are asked to self-isolate upon their return..“I want to make it clear that this is not just a suggestion,” Roussin said during a briefing Monday..“We have this in place because the risk to Manitobans is real, since all of our cases have been imported from travel. We are appealing to people’s civic duties.”.At this time there are no plans to limit travel within the province..The province has completed more than 4,000 tests and there is no longer anyone in hospital for COVID-19-related illness..There have been no deaths from COVID-19 in Manitoba..Additional information for Manitoba residents can be found here..Saskatchewan.The province has identified 14 new, confirmed cases, bringing the province’s total to 65 confirmed and one presumptive case..Two of the cases are individuals between the ages of five and 19, all others are adults according to the government press release on Monday..61 per cent of the cases are in males and 39 per cent are in females..All residents who are returning from destinations outside of Canada are subject to “mandatory self-isolation order”, said the release..“Anyone identified by a Ministry of Health Official as a close contact of someone with COVID-19 shall go into mandatory self-isolation for 14 days from the date of having been exposed.”.Additional information for Saskatchewan residents can be found here..Provincial tallies:.Quebec: 628 confirmed and presumptive cases, including 1 recovered and 5 deathsOntario: 489 cases, including 5 recovered and 3 deathsBritish Columbia: 472 confirmed cases, including 5 recovered and 13 deathsAlberta: 301 confirmed cases including one deathSaskatchewan: 66 confirmed and presumptive casesNova Scotia: 28 confirmed and presumptive casesManitoba: 20 confirmed and presumptive casesNew Brunswick: 17 confirmed and presumptive casesPrince Edward Island: 3 confirmed casesNewfoundland and Labrador: 9 confirmed and presumptive casesNorthwest Territories: 1 confirmed caseYukon: 2 confirmed cases.Deirdre Mitchell-MacLean is a Senior Reporter with Western Standard.dmaclean@westernstandardonline.com.Twitter @Mitchell_AB
