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Alberta expands enforcement of COVID-19 public health orders to peace officers

Last Updated Nov 27, 2020 at 4:20 pm MDT

PHOTO. Alberta Justice Minister Kaycee Madu. Supplied by 660 News.

Alberta Justice Minister Kaycee Madu joined the chief medical officer of health, Dr Deena Hinshaw for the Nov. 27 update.

Madu said peace officers across the province could now enforce Alberta’s public health orders.

He said Alberta Peace Officers and the community Peace Officers working for the municipalities may enforce the regulations, including the ban on social gatherings.

Hinshaw urged Albertans to follow the rules and respect officials trying to help contain the spread of the virus.

She mentioned recent reports of verbal abuse directed towards inspectors and other enforcement officers.

Fines could range from $1000 to $100,000.

When asked about faith-based groups and services in enhanced areas, Albertans must wear masks at all times in those settings.

Speakers may take off their masks so long as they maintain physical distancing.

Once finished, they must put their masks back on their faces.

Alberta included group study sessions in private residences in the temporary ban.

When asked about vaccines, Hinshaw said when it comes to Alberta, the timeline for vaccines is a moving target.

Ontario and Quebec are due to receive and administer vaccines in early January of next year, or even as early as late December 2020.

Alberta reported 15 new cases and eight recovered of COVID-19 in the RMWB over the last 24 hours.

All but one of the new cases are in Fort McMurray, which has 185 active cases, two deaths, and 500 recovered cases of the infection.

Outside the urban service area, there are 29 active cases and 73 resolved cases of COVID-19.

The RMWB is under a COVID-19 watch list for schools as Father Mercredi Community High School has an outbreak situation with ties to at least five active cases of the illness.

Across the province, Alberta reports 1227 new cases and nine additional deaths linked to COVID-19.

The positivity rate for the latest round of testing for 16,284 swabs is 7.5 per cent.

405 Albertans are in hospital receiving treatment for COVID-19, which is up from 383 on Nov. 26.

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Of those, 86 Albertans are in intensive care.

There are 14,217 active cases, 519 deaths, and 38,369 recoveries of COVID-19 in Alberta.