The number of active COVID-19 cases at the Drumheller Institution has dropped to zero, more than four months since the first reported cases were confirmed in December 2020, which prompted the institution to declare an outbreak and seek support from the Canadian Red Cross.
The medium-security federal penitentiary will remain under outbreak status until 28 days after the last recovered case; according to the Correctional Services Canada website the outbreak is projected to lift on Monday, May 24.
“Given the issues we’ve seen this weekend, and the record high cases reported, we are developing a package of stronger public health measures which I expect to announce tomorrow (Tuesday, May 4),” Alberta Premier Jason Kenney said during the Monday, May 3 COVID update.
66 New Cases Of COVID-19 In Province » The Coast 89 7 FM
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Locally, following a surge in cases mid-March which saw active cases in the Drumheller Valley rise to a record high of 75 on March 16, cases continue to fluctuate.
“We have now administered more than one million doses of vaccine in the province,” Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw said during the Thursday, April 15 COVID update.
It was also announced the AstraZeneca vaccine, which was previously paused due to a rare increased risk of blood clots, was made available to eligible Albertans aged 40 and older starting on Tuesday, April 20; previously the vaccine was not recommended for anyone under 55.
It was no April Fool’s joke when Alberta Premier Jason Kenney announced there would be no easing of restrictions ahead of the Easter long weekend during the Thursday, April 1 regular COVID update.
As new case numbers continue to climb, with 875 new cases reported during the Thursday update, so too are the number of variants of concern cases.
“Instead of delivering a message of openness and optimism, I’m here instead with a plea. Please, please follow Alberta’s health restrictions and guidelines this weekend, and in the weeks to come,” Premier Kenney said during the press conference.
He reminded Albertans of the ongoing restriction on indoor social gatherings, and encouraged those who wished to gather to do so outside with social distancing.
Premier Jason Kenney announced on Tuesday, December 22 a second shipment of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine had been received by the province, and 10 communities, including Drumheller, would each receive 975 doses.
Health Canada approved the Pfizer vaccine, for people 16 years of age and older, on Wednesday December 9; two weeks later, on December 23, the first dose was administered in the Central Health Zone, which includes the Town of Drumheller.
Michelle Viste, a laboratory and x-ray technician at the Hanna Health Centre, and the first to receive the COVID-19 vaccine for the zone told the Mail, “I was very surprised to be the first, but I am honoured.”
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