Alberta’s chief medical officer of health said Tuesday that while the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the province has risen to 14, all cases so far have been connected to patients travelling.
“I want to assure Albertans that all these cases are travel-related,” Dr. Deena Hinshaw said at an afternoon news conference in Edmonton. “Our public health measures are doing precisely what they were intended to do: detect new cases and take immediate action.
“This means that the number of confirmed cases will likely continue to increase in the weeks ahead. But it’s important to remember that every new travel-related case that is confirmed represents another case where we can take an action to isolate the virus and prevent its spread.
“These are not cases that are spreading within the province. We’re not seeing that transmission at this time.”
The new confirmed cases of COVID-19 involve three new patients in the Edmonton Zone and four new patients in the Calgary Zone. The Edmonton Zone cases involve a man in his 70s and a woman in her 60s who had travelled together, as well as a woman in her 30s who had also recently travelled outside of Canada.
The Calgary Zone cases involve a man in his 50s, two women in their 30s and a woman in her 40s.
1:21 Alberta now has 14 confirmed coronavirus cases
Alberta now has 14 confirmed coronavirus cases
The cases involve people who were travelling in either France, the Netherlands, Egypt, Iran, Taiwan, Germany, Malaysia, Trinidad and Tobago, Panama, Philippines and the United States.
In many cases, Hinshaw said the people who contracted the virus had travelled to more than just one country.
“It is too early to know where each person contracted the virus,” she said, adding that all new cases are now recovering in isolation at home and that health officials are working to speak to anyone who may have come into contact with them.
“Albertans planning travel in the coming weeks should monitor Health Canada advisories,” Hinshaw said.
Hinshaw said Albertans who are returning to Canada from abroad should closely monitor for any signs of illness for 14 days. She noted that even a mild cough or fever in such a case warrants a call to Health Link by dialing 811. Anyone experiencing potential symptoms of COVID-19 should not go to a doctor’s office or hospital.
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“Take seriously the role that all of us now play in protecting our fellow citizens,” Hinshaw said. “If you are feeling ill and you’re not sure if you should stay home or not, think about the people in your life who have a medical condition or who are elderly, and think about the action you would want others to take, protecting your loved ones, and take that same action.
“We all need to be vigilant.”
In order to avoid having people potentially infected with COVID-19 show up in health-care settings, Hinshaw said Albertans who believe they may have coronavirus symptoms should call Health Link. Then, paramedics or public health nurses have been going to homes for testing and a determination is made to follow up.
Hinshaw added that anyone feeling ill should not visit a long-term care facility or seniors’ accommodation. She said Albertans need to be vigilant in terms of taking steps to avoid potential spread of the virus “in case we do get local spread, to set that new normal: that we need to have enhanced barriers between ourselves and others.
“We can only be successful in this response if we do this together.”
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One of the previously confirmed cases is now receiving treatment in hospital, Hinshaw told reporters as she provided an update on the provincial response to the virus.
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“The individual who is receiving treatment is someone with a pre-existing chronic health condition.”
1:47 Alberta seniors facilities keep watchful eye on coronavirus developments
Alberta seniors facilities keep watchful eye on coronavirus developments
While most people will only have minor symptoms, Hinshaw pointed out that “COVID-19 can be extremely serious and even fatal for seniors and those with underlying health conditions.”
One of the Alberta cases involves a person who contracted the virus was also on the same MS Braemar cruise ship in the Caribbean.
In a news release, Health Minister Tyler Shandro said “Alberta is well-prepared for this challenge, and our system continues to respond quickly and effectively to every confirmed case.”
“I want to thank all of our health professionals for their continued dedication,” he added.
“We will ensure that our public health professionals and the health system overall have the resources they need to protect Albertans, now and in the days ahead.”
The Alberta government said Tuesday that the risk level in the province is currently low although it is possible that could change in the future.
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When asked whether it’s known if someone who contracts COVID-19 then becomes immune to the virus, Hinshaw said “that’s something that’s an active area of investigation in countries like China where they have already seen the disease and I don’t think we’ve seen a lot of concrete evidence yet… [but] we would expect there would be immunity.”
“However, it’s a bit too early to say. We need to wait until we see definitive evidence of that.”
1:06 Dr. Hinshaw responds to Albertans’ complaints of longs waits calling Health Link
Dr. Hinshaw responds to Albertans’ complaints of longs waits calling Health Link
HALIFAX – The Nova Scotia government says it could be months before it reveals how many people are on the wait-list for a family doctor.
The head of the province’s health authority told reporters Wednesday that the government won’t release updated data until the 160,000 people who were on the wait-list in June are contacted to verify whether they still need primary care.
Karen Oldfield said Nova Scotia Health is working on validating the primary care wait-list data before posting new numbers, and that work may take a matter of months. The most recent public wait-list figures are from June 1, when 160,234 people, or about 16 per cent of the population, were on it.
“It’s going to take time to make 160,000 calls,” Oldfield said. “We are not talking weeks, we are talking months.”
The interim CEO and president of Nova Scotia Health said people on the list are being asked where they live, whether they still need a family doctor, and to give an update on their health.
A spokesperson with the province’s Health Department says the government and its health authority are “working hard” to turn the wait-list registry into a useful tool, adding that the data will be shared once it is validated.
Nova Scotia’s NDP are calling on Premier Tim Houston to immediately release statistics on how many people are looking for a family doctor. On Tuesday, the NDP introduced a bill that would require the health minister to make the number public every month.
“It is unacceptable for the list to be more than three months out of date,” NDP Leader Claudia Chender said Tuesday.
Chender said releasing this data regularly is vital so Nova Scotians can track the government’s progress on its main 2021 campaign promise: fixing health care.
The number of people in need of a family doctor has more than doubled between the 2021 summer election campaign and June 2024. Since September 2021 about 300 doctors have been added to the provincial health system, the Health Department said.
“We’ll know if Tim Houston is keeping his 2021 election promise to fix health care when Nova Scotians are attached to primary care,” Chender said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 11, 2024.
ST. JOHN’S, N.L. – Newfoundland and Labrador‘s chief medical officer is monitoring the rise of whooping cough infections across the province as cases of the highly contagious disease continue to grow across Canada.
Dr. Janice Fitzgerald says that so far this year, the province has recorded 230 confirmed cases of the vaccine-preventable respiratory tract infection, also known as pertussis.
Late last month, Quebec reported more than 11,000 cases during the same time period, while Ontario counted 470 cases, well above the five-year average of 98. In Quebec, the majority of patients are between the ages of 10 and 14.
Meanwhile, New Brunswick has declared a whooping cough outbreak across the province. A total of 141 cases were reported by last month, exceeding the five-year average of 34.
The disease can lead to severe complications among vulnerable populations including infants, who are at the highest risk of suffering from complications like pneumonia and seizures. Symptoms may start with a runny nose, mild fever and cough, then progress to severe coughing accompanied by a distinctive “whooping” sound during inhalation.
“The public, especially pregnant people and those in close contact with infants, are encouraged to be aware of symptoms related to pertussis and to ensure vaccinations are up to date,” Newfoundland and Labrador’s Health Department said in a statement.
Whooping cough can be treated with antibiotics, but vaccination is the most effective way to control the spread of the disease. As a result, the province has expanded immunization efforts this school year. While booster doses are already offered in Grade 9, the vaccine is now being offered to Grade 8 students as well.
Public health officials say whooping cough is a cyclical disease that increases every two to five or six years.
Meanwhile, New Brunswick’s acting chief medical officer of health expects the current case count to get worse before tapering off.
A rise in whooping cough cases has also been reported in the United States and elsewhere. The Pan American Health Organization issued an alert in July encouraging countries to ramp up their surveillance and vaccination coverage.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 10, 2024.
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