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'Assume it's the U.K. variant': Hinshaw says variants dominant as cases skyrocket

Last Updated Apr 8, 2021 at 7:43 pm MDT

CALGARY (660 NEWS) — “We have now reached the point where variants of concern are the dominant strains of new COVID-19 cases in our province.”

That coming from Dr. Deena Hinshaw Thursday as variants of concern continue to take hold of Alberta.

On Thursday, Alberta identified 1,429 cases of COVID-19, with 717 being variants of concern.

Variants now make up about 45 per cent of all active cases in the province.

“By far the most common is the U.K. variant or B.1.1.7 which makes up 99 per cent of all of our variant cases confirmed to date,” said Hinshaw. “We have now reached the point that if you test positive you should assume you have the U.K. variant.”

Hinshaw says due to this, the province will now be focusing its efforts of its specialized variant contact tracing team on the P.1 and B.1.351 variants.

She added going forward they will be treating cases and contacts of the B.1.1.7 variant and the original COVID-19 strain the same.

Effective Thursday, the province will now be offering testing twice to close contacts of all confirmed cases regardless of what kind of COVID-19 strain they may have been exposed to.

Anyone considered a close contact will be offered a test when they are notified, and then again 10 days after being exposed.

The province is also aligning its isolation requirements for the original COVID-19 strain and B.1.1.7 strain.

“We will continue to strongly encourage all new COVID cases to isolate way from other household members in isolation hotels or other, appropriate, separate accommodations,” she said. “However, for original and B.1.1.7 variant cases, if a case has a separate bedroom and separate bathroom, and remains completely separated from the rest of their household for their infectious period we will consider the 14-day quarantine period for household contacts to begin on the last day of contact with the case.”

During question period, Hinshaw was asked about businesses across the province that have come forward saying they will not be closing down and will continue to offer their services to patrons.

“I would ask them to consider our current situation,” she said as she pointed to the influenza pandemic in 2009 and the difference in ICU occupancy from then to now.

“The heigh of our occupancy was 35 cases in ICU at any given time, we now have over 80 people in our ICUs and the numbers will continue to rise as our case count rises.

We need everyone to pull together.”