What you need to know about COVID-19 in Alberta on Tuesday, May 19
Active cases continue to fall in Alberta, with 33 new cases reported on Tuesday
The latest:
- Calgary and Brooks will learn on Friday whether hair salons, barber shops, bars and restaurants can open on May 25.
- The province will give more than $14 million a month in extra funding to the operators of continuing-care centres, nursing homes and assisted-living facilities to pay for more staff and for extra cleaning during the pandemic, Alberta's health minister said.
- The province reported 33 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday afternoon.
- A total of 10 people have tested positive for COVID-19 at Alpha House in Calgary, and 10 have tested positive at the Calgary Drop-In Centre.
- Another resident at McKenzie Towne Continuing Care Centre has tested positive for COVID-19. A $25-million class action suit has been filed against the care home, but it has yet to be certified by a judge.
- Wildlife experts warn of encounter risks as Albertans return to parks.
- A group of Calgary volunteers is filling an AHS order for 12,000 face shields.
- One economic victim of COVID-19: Calgary's usually booming Indian wedding industry.
What you need to know today in Alberta:
Case counts in Alberta continue to fall, including in the Calgary zone, which has seen the highest numbers in the province since the pandemic began.
Watch: Cities verging on financial crisis with rising costs, reduced revenue
Alberta's chief medical officer of health, Dr. Deena Hinshaw, said Tuesday that while it's too early to see the full impact of relaunching, so far the numbers have held steady.
"We need to remember that being safe, while relaunching the economy, can save lives. The virus is still with us and we must do everything we can to prevent the spread at home, when we are out, and when we are at work," she said.
"I want to remind you that working remotely where possible is still recommended until Stage 2 of our relaunch."
The province, as of Tuesday afternoon, had 1,004 active cases, and 5,854 people had recovered. A total of 128 people have died, and 218,964 tests have been completed.
A regional breakdown of cases as of Tuesday shows the impact of COVID-19 in different parts of the province:
- Calgary zone: 810 active, 3,732 recovered.
- South zone: 107 active, 1,097 recovered.
- Edmonton zone: 58 active cases, 448 recovered.
- North zone: 17 active cases, 197 recovered.
- Central zone: 7 active cases, 91 recovered.
- Unknown: 5 active, 19 recovered.
What you need to know today in Canada:
The border between Canada and the United States will remain closed to non-essential travel for another month, the federal government announced on Tuesday.
Ottawa also announced expanded eligibility for small business loans as part of its pandemic aid package.
As of 8:30 a.m. ET on Tuesday, Canada had 78,072 confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19, with 39,251 cases considered recovered or resolved. A CBC News tally of coronavirus deaths based on provincial data, regional health information and CBC's reporting stood at 5,943.
Watch: What we know, what's probably not true, and what we need to find out
Self-assessment and supports:
Alberta Health Services has an online self-assessment tool that you can use to determine if you have symptoms of COVID-19.
The province says Albertans who have returned to Canada from other countries must self-isolate. Unless your situation is critical and requires a call to 911, Albertans are advised to call Health Link at 811 before visiting a physician, hospital or other health-care facility.
Watch: COVID-19: What has 2 months of physical distancing accomplished?
If you have symptoms, even mild, you are to self-isolate for 10 days from the onset of symptoms.
You can find Alberta Health Services' latest coronavirus updates here.
The province also operates a confidential mental health support line at 1-877-303-2642 and addiction help line at 1-866-332-2322, available from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., seven days a week.
Online resources are available for advice on handling stressful situations and ways to talk with children.
There is a 24-hour family violence information line at 310-1818 to get anonymous help in more than 170 languages, and Alberta's One Line for Sexual Violence is available at 1-866-403-8000, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.