Alberta reported 15 new cases and nine recoveries of COVID-19 in the RMWB.
14 new cases and all recoveries occurred in Fort McMurray, while there is one new case outside the urban service area.
In Fort McMurray, there are 53 active cases, one death, and 205 resolved cases of the illness.
Outside the urban service area, there are still five active cases and 62 recoveries of COVID-19.
RELATED: Northern Lights Regional Health Centre no longer on COVID-19 watch list
Dr. Deena Hinshaw, chief medical officer of health, provided the update on Alberta’s COVID-19 response via videoconference.
While she tested negative for COVID-19 over the weekend, Hinshaw said she opted to stay home to deal with a sore throat she picked up on Sept. 25.
She addressed herd immunity and other concerns around the virus.
Hinshaw says death not the only concern with COVID.
Over past seven months, 1/67 people between 20-39 has needed hospital care, 1/18 for those 40-69 and 1/4 aged 70+.
Says we don’t want to overload health system with more cases. #yeg #yyc #ableg #covid19ab
— Courtney Theriault (@cspotweet) September 28, 2020
Across the province, there are 406 new cases and four additional deaths linked to COVID-19.
There were 60 on Sept. 25, 184 on Sept. 26, and 162 on Sept. 27.
Less than one percent of the 51,264 tests conducted during the three day period came back positive.
NEW:
– 406 cases in AB over the past 72 hours on 51264 tests (0.8% +)
– 4 new deaths, up to 265
– 63 in hospital (+7), 15 in ICU (+1)
– 1549 active cases (+52)#yeg #yyc #ableg #covid19ab pic.twitter.com/JzJtaOFs5Q— Courtney Theriault (@cspotweet) September 28, 2020
Health Minister Tyler Shandro was also present for the daily update.
He answered questions about Alberta Health Services’ proposed plan to consolidate all municipal emergency dispatch services.
Shandro met with the delegation of mayors and fire chiefs from Wood Buffalo, Lethbridge, Red Deer, and Calgary on Sept. 25.
RELATED: Mayors, fire chiefs meet with Health Minister Shandro in Edmonton
“If the evidence shows that response times are adversely affected, then I’m going to be against it, but that’s not the evidence I’ve seen right now from AHS.”
Shandro said he told the delegation he would examine the information they provided.
“Any change that we make to Emergency Health Services, including EMS, has to be about making sure that we’re improving the care that patients get in the time that they need it, and where they need to go then afterwards.”
The government of Alberta previously overruled a plan to consolidate EMS dispatch services in 2013.
Alberta has 1549 active cases, 265 deaths, and 15,935 recovered cases of COVID-19.
63 Albertans are in hospital with 15 in intensive care.
Despite the outbreak at Foothills, Hinshaw said these numbers are well within Alberta’s capacity.
Foothills outbreak
The hospital in Calgary imposed visitation restrictions except for end-of-life scenarios.
Hinshaw shared her concerns about the rise in cases at Foothills.
READ MORE: Calgary hospital restricts visitors, postpones surgeries as COVID-19 infections grow
To date, four patients linked to the hospital died of COVID-19.
Hinshaw will next provide a live update on Oct. 1, 2020.
