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

By David Opinko

Dr. Hinshaw warns COVID-19 could cause inflammatory disease in children

May 27, 2020 | 3:53 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – The Government of Alberta has given its latest daily update on COVID-19 for Wednesday, May 27.

Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw says 25 new cases were confirmed, bringing the provincial total to 6,926 to date. Of those, 6,106 patients have fully recovered while 679 cases are still ongoing.

This means that less than 10 per cent of all people who have tested positive in the province at one point are still afflicted.

“This is the fewest number of active cases in Alberta since March 30.”

Only one additional person in the South Health Zone contracted COVID-19, a person from Brooks.

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43 people are currently in hospital from the virus, four of whom are in intensive care units (ICU).

Another two Albertans have died as a result of COVID-19, both of whom were from the Calgary zone, taking that total to 141.

Dr. Hinshaw says we are still learning new things about COVID-19 almost every day as it is still so new.

She adds that multiple jurisdictions around the world have reported it resulting in what is being called multi-system inflammatory syndrome in children (MISC). It is relatively new and one instance of this is believed to be occurring in Alberta.

“It is similar to an inflammatory disease known as Kawasaki’s Disease and responds to treatments such as steroids.”

“MISC involves inflammation of multiple organs including the heart, kidneys, blood vessels, and nervous system. Fever is a key feature of this syndrome.”

Dr. Hinshaw says she knowns that MISC can be scary for parents, but it “appears to be rare and it is treatable.”

She believes it is an important lesson in understanding that we do not know everything about COVID-19 and need to continue to research it.

The breakdown by regional health zone is as follows:

• Calgary zone – 4,804 cases, 531 active
  • 103 deaths (two new)
  • 35 in hospital, three in ICU
• South zone – 1,235 cases, 71 active
  • Eight deaths
  • Two in hospital
• Edmonton zone – 527 cases, 52 active
  • 13 deaths
  • Four in hospital, one in ICU
• North zone – 237 cases, 21 active
  • 16 deaths
  • Two in hospital
• Central zone – 99 cases, two active
  • One death

The breakdown for the South Health Zone by community is as follows:

• Brooks – 1,096 cases (one new), 34 active, seven deaths
• Medicine Hat – 41 cases, eight active
• Lethbridge – 27 cases, seven active
  • West Lethbridge – 12 cases, four active
  • South Lethbridge – 12 cases, three active
  • North Lethbridge – Three cases, zero active
• Cardston County – 24 cases, 13 active
• County of Newell – 15 cases, two active
• Cypress County – 14 cases, six active
• Fort Macleod – Five cases, one active
• Special Areas No. 2 – Two cases, zero active, one death
• M.D. of Taber – Two cases, zero active
• County of Forty Mile – Two cases, zero active
• Lethbridge County – One case, zero active