Active coronavirus cases in Alberta highest they've been since May

COVID-19 in Alberta took a significant turn over this past weekend.

Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw spoke at a press conference on Monday afternoon, stating that the province had seen 578 new cases over the past three days, eight new deaths, and a spike in active cases higher than we’d seen all summer.

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According to Hinshaw, Alberta Health Service detected 97 new cases on Friday, October 2, 263 on Saturday, October 3, and 218 on Sunday, October 4.

These cases come as a result of the 12,630 tests completed on October 2, 17,445 on October 3, and 15,923 on October 4.

Saturday’s 263 cases detected marked the most cases detected in a single day for Alberta since April 28 — two days before the peak of the pandemic — and is surpassed by only three other single-day increases seen on April 21, 22, and 23.

Province of Alberta

Active cases in Alberta have now reached 1,783, a mark that hasn’t been seen since the downslope of the initial curve in early May, and has surpassed the number of active cases that the province has seen all throughout the summer.

Hinshaw noted that Albertans should be cautious about attending Thanksgiving dinners this upcoming long weekend, as increased social gatherings have the potential to raise case numbers even higher.

“I know that many are planning for gatherings this weekend and I sympathize with the desire to be with the people we love most to celebrate all that we have to be thankful for — however, this is not a normal Thanksgiving,” she said.

“I urge you to keep your gatherings limited to your household and cohort members, no more. I ask that you keep your gatherings as small as possible at outdoors if possible, and don’t share serving spoons or dishes.”

Province of Alberta

As always, Albertans are encouraged to practice safe physical distancing, wear a mask when out in public, maintain proper hand hygiene, and stay at home if they are feeling at all sick.

Anyone experiencing coronavirus symptoms should fill out the online self-assessment at Alberta Health Services’ website and book a coronavirus test if prompted.