Alberta confirmed 1,155 new cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, provincial officials said Friday.
“Our current situation is grim,” Dr. Deena Hinshaw said. She added this week, Alberta confirmed more new active cases than any other week since the pandemic began.
There are now 10,655 active cases in the province; 4,272 in the Calgary zone and 4,520 in the Edmonton zone.
Alberta’s positivity rate sits at 6.5 per cent. More than 17,000 lab tests were done over the last 24 hours.
There are 310 Albertans in hospital with COVID-19; 58 of whom are in intensive care units.
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1:00 ‘Our current situation is grim’: Alberta record 1,155 COVID-19 cases, 11 deaths on Friday
‘Our current situation is grim’: Alberta record 1,155 COVID-19 cases, 11 deaths on Friday
Hinshaw said that while Alberta Health Services can expand ICU capacity in Edmonton and Calgary, it means those beds aren’t available to patients with other illnesses.
“AHS is working to increase capacity for COVID-19 patients if needed,” she said. “Those expanded capacity beds mean less services for others. We cannot do that.
“It means stopping and delaying other services. That’s the impact we want to avoid.”
Hinshaw stressed everyone must do their part to reduce pressure on all aspects of the health-care system.
“The system is taxed.”
1:46 Hinshaw assures Albertans there are enough ICU beds for COVID-19
Hinshaw assures Albertans there are enough ICU beds for COVID-19
She said contact tracers are working tirelessly and “heroically” but they’re facing “an uphill battle.”
Eleven deaths connected to COVID-19 were reported Friday, bringing Alberta’s pandemic death toll to 462.
“Eleven fellow Albertans are gone and their family and friends are mourning their deaths,” Hinshaw said.
Seven of the deaths were linked to outbreaks: The deaths of a woman in her 90s, a woman in her 80s and a man in his 80s are linked to the Edmonton General Care Centre; the deaths of a woman in her 60s and a man in his 90s are linked to the Grey Nuns Community Hospital; the death of a woman in her 90s in the Edmonton zone is connected to Covenant Care Chateau Vitaline; and the death of a man in his 70s from the North zone is linked to Grande Prairie Care Centre.
A man in his 60s from the Edmonton zone, a man in his 60s from the South zone, a woman in her 70s from the Calgary zone and a man in his 80s from the Central zone also died.
Hinshaw said she continues to be concerned with the tragic outcomes in Alberta. It would be a mistake, she said, for people to think severe outcomes only occur in older people.
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“This week, two individuals in their 30s died of this virus.
“While both had co-morbidities, they were not life-threatening on their own.”
Hinshaw explained many Albertans have chronic conditions, which can include things like high blood pressure or diabetes.
Alberta Health said 32,835 people have recovered from the disease.
1:59 AHS sees several cases where designated family or supports intentionally did not disclose COVID-19 status
AHS sees several cases where designated family or supports intentionally did not disclose COVID-19 status
No new restrictions announced
Neither Premier Jason Kenney nor Health Minister Tyler Shandro joined Friday’s news conference. Hinshaw explained elected officials traditionally participate in COVID-19 updates when there are announcements or changes to be made public.
There were no new restrictions announced by Hinshaw Friday.
She said she and her team continue to discuss possible additional measures to present to decision-makers.
“I cannot speak for the premier… but as a part of the recommendations I’ve made, there’s always been consideration of the impact of COVID-19 and the impacts restrictions have.”
Hinshaw said her job means she’s responsible for the whole health of Albertans.
“It has been challenging to consider what the right balance is and what the right suite of measures would be to bring down COVID-19 rates while maintaining the mental benefits of socialization, of being employed, of being able to have physical activity.”
1:32 ‘This is deadly serious’: Hinshaw asks Albertans to abide by public health rules for COVID-19
She had hoped the recent measures would have somewhat slowed the spread but that hasn’t been the case, Hinshaw said. Therefore, she said her team will need to make recommendations on additional restrictions.
“We cannot let COVID-19 spread unchecked.”
A spokesperson for the premier’s office said: “The government depends on the best scientific advice from its medical experts, including Chief Medical Officer of Health Hinshaw.
“Her team is currently preparing a suite of options,” Christine Myatt said in an email to Global News. “The government will of course clearly communicate any decisions to the public if/when those occur.”
1:16 Hinshaw says finding balance in fighting COVID-19 ‘challenging’ amid calls for more restrictions
Hinshaw says finding balance in fighting COVID-19 ‘challenging’ amid calls for more restrictions
Last Friday, the premier joined Hinshaw for the news conference, announcing new health measures in an attempt to lower COVID-19 rates and hospitalizations. They included a request not to host social gatherings at home and that masks be worn in work places.
On Nov. 12, the province announced indoor group fitness classes and team sports would be prohibited for two weeks from Nov. 13-27 in the Calgary area, Edmonton area, Fort McMurray, Grande Prairie, Lethbridge and Red Deer.
Restaurants and pubs in the above areas, as well as areas on “enhanced status” must stop liquor sales by 10 p.m. and close by 11 p.m. This measure will also be in place from Nov. 13-27.
1:26 COVID-19: Alberta announces 2-week pause on group fitness, group performance classes and indoor team sports
The mayor of Calgary doesn’t think the current restrictions are helping.
“We should have seen numbers go down by now,” Naheed Nenshi said during a 770 CHQR interview on The Morning News With Sue Deyell And Andrew Schultz on Friday.
“Typically we see the numbers respond — if they’re going to respond — within five to 14 days. Fourteen is really the outlier. And the fact that they haven’t responded is actually quite concerning.
“It’s not about panic or fear but it’s about being very clear-headed… about looking at these numbers and where they’re going.”
Nenshi said the most concerning numbers are the rising hospitalizations, ICU admissions and deaths. He said he spoke with Hinshaw and the premier earlier this week and they’re also very, very worried.
“It’s very clear that they’re very concerned by these numbers. The premier continues to be concerned about particularly what will happen to retail businesses as we go into the Christmas season if we have more of a shutdown.
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“But I think it’s pretty clear that more restrictive measures will be coming for the province sooner rather than later,” he said.
“I would not be at all surprised if they went with more restrictions prior to the end of the two-week period that they announced last week, especially with numbers like yesterday’s.”
1:52 New initiative encourages Edmontonians to shop local
New initiative encourages Edmontonians to shop local
Whatever rules are in place, Nenshi is encouraging people to support local business as much as possible but in a safe way: shop online and order from a small local business using its website, delivery or curb-side pickup.
“A lot of businesses have been telling me: ‘Look, if you’re going to do this, please do it now so we have the opportunity to salvage some of the Christmas season… Get this over with. Don’t keep waiting,’” Nenshi said.
“Today, Ontario is going to announce more restrictions, there’s now a mask mandate in every province across the country except Alberta, so I imagine the pressure on the provincial government on this is pretty high.
“Let’s not wait for government to tell us the right thing to do,” he added. “It’s time for people to start restricting our activities now.”
TORONTO – Roots Corp. may have built its brand on all things comfy and cosy, but its CEO says activewear is now “really becoming a core part” of the brand.
The category, which at Roots spans leggings, tracksuits, sports bras and bike shorts, has seen such sustained double-digit growth that Meghan Roach plans to make it a key part of the business’ future.
“It’s an area … you will see us continue to expand upon,” she told analysts on a Friday call.
The Toronto-based retailer’s push into activewear has taken shape over many years and included several turns as the official designer and supplier of Team Canada’s Olympic uniform.
But consumers have had plenty of choice when it comes to workout gear and other apparel suited to their sporting needs. On top of the slew of athletic brands like Nike and Adidas, shoppers have also gravitated toward Lululemon Athletica Inc., Alo and Vuori, ramping up competition in the activewear category.
Roach feels Roots’ toehold in the category stems from the fit, feel and following its merchandise has cultivated.
“Our product really resonates with (shoppers) because you can wear it through multiple different use cases and occasions,” she said.
“We’ve been seeing customers come back again and again for some of these core products in our activewear collection.”
Her remarks came the same day as Roots revealed it lost $5.2 million in its latest quarter compared with a loss of $5.3 million in the same quarter last year.
The company said the second-quarter loss amounted to 13 cents per diluted share for the quarter ended Aug. 3, the same as a year earlier.
In presenting the results, Roach reminded analysts that the first half of the year is usually “seasonally small,” representing just 30 per cent of the company’s annual sales.
Sales for the second quarter totalled $47.7 million, down from $49.4 million in the same quarter last year.
The move lower came as direct-to-consumer sales amounted to $36.4 million, down from $37.1 million a year earlier, as comparable sales edged down 0.2 per cent.
The numbers reflect the fact that Roots continued to grapple with inventory challenges in the company’s Cooper fleece line that first cropped up in its previous quarter.
Roots recently began to use artificial intelligence to assist with daily inventory replenishments and said more tools helping with allocation will go live in the next quarter.
Beyond that time period, the company intends to keep exploring AI and renovate more of its stores.
It will also re-evaluate its design ranks.
Roots announced Friday that chief product officer Karuna Scheinfeld has stepped down.
Rather than fill the role, the company plans to hire senior level design talent with international experience in the outdoor and activewear sectors who will take on tasks previously done by the chief product officer.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
VANCOUVER – Mediated talks between the union representing HandyDART workers in Metro Vancouver and its employer, Transdev, are set to resume today as a strike that has stopped most services drags into a second week.
No timeline has been set for the length of the negotiations, but Joe McCann, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1724, says they are willing to stay there as long as it takes, even if talks drag on all night.
About 600 employees of the door-to-door transit service for people unable to navigate the conventional transit system have been on strike since last Tuesday, pausing service for all but essential medical trips.
Hundreds of drivers rallied outside TransLink’s head office earlier this week, calling for the transportation provider to intervene in the dispute with Transdev, which was contracted to oversee HandyDART service.
Transdev said earlier this week that it will provide a reply to the union’s latest proposal on Thursday.
A statement from the company said it “strongly believes” that their employees deserve fair wages, and that a fair contract “must balance the needs of their employees, clients and taxpayers.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
MONTREAL – Travel company Transat AT Inc. reported a loss in its latest quarter compared with a profit a year earlier as its revenue edged lower.
The parent company of Air Transat says it lost $39.9 million or $1.03 per diluted share in its quarter ended July 31.
The result compared with a profit of $57.3 million or $1.49 per diluted share a year earlier.
Revenue in what was the company’s third quarter totalled $736.2 million, down from $746.3 million in the same quarter last year.
On an adjusted basis, Transat says it lost $1.10 per share in its latest quarter compared with an adjusted profit of $1.10 per share a year earlier.
Transat chief executive Annick Guérard says demand for leisure travel remains healthy, as evidenced by higher traffic, but consumers are increasingly price conscious given the current economic uncertainty.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
