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

By David Opinko

Province expands COVID-19 testing eligibility to those without symptoms

May 29, 2020 | 3:57 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – As the province looks ahead to Stage 2 of the Relaunch Strategy, more people will be able to get tested for the novel coronavirus.

Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw says, starting Friday, residents of Calgary can sign up to get a COVID-19 test. Asymptomatic testing will expand to the rest of the province on Monday, June 1.

“This will help provide data to further understand the impacts of moving to Stage 2 of Alberta’s relaunch strategy. Expanded testing will also help us to understand where there might be undetected positive cases, and therefore, prevent further spread of the virus.”

Stage 2 will include the reopening of K-12 schools with restrictions, more scheduled surgeries, some larger gatherings, movie theatres, and personal services such as artificial tanning, esthetics, cosmetic skin and body treatments, manicures, pedicures, waxing, facial treatments, massage and reflexology.

Although nothing has been officially set in stone yet, Premier Jason Kenney previously said that Stage 2 will not happen before June 19.

Week-in-review: Passenger rail, a big investment in Coaldale and an NFL draftee from Lethbridge

May 04, 2024

What's Happening in Lethbridge this weekend: May 3, 2024

May 03, 2024

Week-in-review: Municipal election changes, a leadership debate and green bins

Apr 27, 2024

Dr. Hinshaw also provided the daily update for COVID-19 cases for Friday.

There were just 22 new infections, bringing the provincial total to 6,979. Of those, 612 are still active.

55 people remain in hospital, four of whom have been admitted to intensive care units (ICU).

She was happy to report that there were no additional cases anywhere in the South Health Zone and no more deaths across the province.

Health officials reached a new benchmark when it comes to testing, surpassing a quarter of a million tests, now at 253,459. Dr. Hinshaw says anywhere between 2,000 to 4,000 tests per day have been processed recently.

The breakdown by regional health zone is as follows:

• Calgary zone – 4,850 cases
  • 104 deaths
• South zone – 1,235 cases
  • Nine deaths
• Edmonton zone – 531 cases
  • 13 deaths
• North zone – 242 cases
  • 16 deaths
• Central zone – 99 cases
  • One death

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

• Brooks – 1,096 cases, 22 active, eight 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, five active
• County of Newell – 15 cases, one active
• Cypress County – 14 cases, six active
• Fort Macleod – Five cases, zero 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