Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw. (Government of Alberta)

By David Opinko

61 new cases of COVID-19 in Alberta in one day, two more in South Zone

Mar 25, 2020 | 4:26 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – “Now is not the time to visit grandparents for dinner. Now is not the time to host or attend a potluck dinner with friends. Now is not the time to plan for a family reunion. This is the time to stay home and work together to prevent the spread.”

Those were just a few of the comments from Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw as she provided Wednesday’s update on COVID-19 in Alberta.

The province announced the largest number of new cases of the virus in a single day.

Dr. Hinshaw says, with the inclusion of 61 cases confirmed Wednesday, there are now 419 in the province.

33 are believed to be the result of community transmission.

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20 patients have been hospitalized, eight of which have attended the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

As LNN reported Tuesday, two people have died of COVID-19 in Alberta.

There are now 10 confirmed cases in the Alberta Health Services South Health Zone, an increase of two from Tuesday’s report. The new ones are both in Medicine Hat.

Cases in the region are as follows:

• Medicine Hat – four
• West Lethbridge – three
• South Lethbridge – two
• M.D. of Taber – one

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“We must all do everything possible to follow all public health recommendations in place,” says Dr. Hinshaw. “All of us have a role and responsibility to stop the spread.”

She is asking the public to take extra precautions even within their own homes.

This includes not sharing open foods like bowls of popcorn or fruit. Food should be served by just one person so as to limit the number of people touching a utensil.

Dr. Hinshaw says she spoke to religious leaders this week about upcoming holidays like Easter and Ramadan and how people should plan for them.

“Now is not the time to plan any travel, even to other cities or provinces or to attend large family gatherings or dinners. We must maintain social distancing practices even when we are together with family.”

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