Alberta potentially crests peak as daily recoveries surpass new cases

Note: While local parks, shops, and events are beginning to reopen, Alberta Health Services is reminding individuals to monitor their health for signs and symptoms of COVID-19. And if you’re not feeling well, they recommend staying home at this time. If you decide to go out, maintain the 6-feet physical distancing guidelines.

Alberta could be on its way to recovery.

The COVID-19 pandemic that has shut down much of the province for nearly two months could be past its peak here in Alberta, as the number of new recoveries has begun to surpass new confirmed cases day by day.

This means that Alberta’s curve of active cases has begun to descend, after having crested at 3,178 active cases on April 30.

Province of Alberta

This is not a guarantee that the province has actually seen the worst of the respiratory virus, however, as there is still the chance that this is merely a brief dip before active cases begin to rise once more.

Alberta has already seen that happen, in fact, as April 3 saw a smaller peak at 882 cases, curving downwards to as low as 726 on April 12 before shooting up again into the 3,000s.

Still, the Province of Alberta has been cautiously congratulatory to Albertans in the way that they have responded to the ongoing pandemic, though all praise has been following immediately by warnings that we must remain steadfast in our physical distancing measures if we hope for the peak to truly be behind us.

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Not only have recoveries been steadily increasing over the past few days, with a total of 2,942 as of May 4, but the number of newly confirmed coronavirus cases has also been on the decline.

Alberta saw just 70 new cases on May 4, 97 on May 3, 97 on May 2, and 218 on May 1.

This is a small sample size and it is too early to say for sure that the rate of new infections will continue this downward trend.

The Province of Alberta recently eased some coronavirus restrictions, which included lifting the bans on golf courses, allowing vehicle access to provincial parks, and permitting some sporting activities.

Premier Jason Kenney noted during the May 1 announcement that Stage 1 of the province’s relaunch strategy could come into effect as early as May 14, though the timing and permanency of those new permissions are tied closely to the number of new cases, and hospitalizations, the province sees in the coming weeks.

We’re still not out of the woods yet, but if we keep abiding by physical distancing measures, washing our hands, and doing our part, we could very well be on our way to getting back to (relative) normal.