CALGARY (660 NEWS) — Alberta Premier Jason Kenney says the source of one of the worst outbreaks in the province came from a child’s birthday party in Athabasca County.
Kenney says the party can be used as an example as to why current restrictions need to remain in place.
And with an infection rate of about 1,900 active cases per 100,000 people, the county just north of Edmonton sits at the top of a list nobody wants to be on.
Here's Premier Kenney painting the picture in Athabasca County, where he says a kid's birthday party has led to one of the largest infection incidents in Canada since the pandemic onset.#yeg #yyc #ableg #covid19ab pic.twitter.com/UyqBgJGei1
— Courtney Theriault (@cspotweet) April 13, 2021
“That would be the largest local outbreak, in a local area, since the pandemic began in Alberta, and I think one of the highest local infection rates in any local community in Canada since the pandemic began,” Kenney said. “Sadly much of that was transmitted by kids, much of that coming out of a birthday party.”
Kenney says it’s believed everyone who attended the party got sick, with an outbreak being declared at a school in Athabasca County.
“It then went to parents homes, that then went to coworkers that then affected the whole community. This isn’t to target the community it’s just simply to give you an example of what happens when people think they should just be exempt from the guidelines.”
But, Kenney adds that everyone can sympathize with the families wanting to give their children a good birthday.
“Parents who hosted that birthday undoubtedly did so because they love their kids and wanted to give their kids a chance to have a normal birthday celebration and socialize with their friends. Everyone can understand that — parents who were concerned about their children’s mental health.”
As of Tuesday afternoon, Athabasca County has 249 active cases of COVID-19.
