Only half of Alberta's variant COVID-19 cases are tied to travel

Feb 17 2021, 3:28 am

Dr. Deena Hinshaw addressed a concerning rise in variant COVID-19 infections in the province, saying only half are tied to travel and the other half are from community spread or unknown origins.

Alberta discovered 50 new variant COVID-19 infections over the long weekend, an average of 12 new variant cases per day since Friday.

“I am particularly concerned about the growing number of cases not tied to travel,” Hinshaw said.

Alberta has now seen 221 total variant infections, with most of them occurring in the Calgary zone.

variant covid alberta

Government of Alberta

Hinshaw added Alberta’s public health staff are monitoring global research about the variants to update public health guidance.

People who live in a household with a person infected with a variant of concern now have to self-isolate for two weeks. Normally, only the COVID-19 patient has to self-isolate by law.

The province has also confirmed variant spread at one school, where a child was unknowingly contagious after their parent returned from travel a broad. Two individuals from the school later tested positive.

 

Megan DevlinMegan Devlin

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