Premiere Jason Kenney - Gov't of Alberta

By Dori Modney with files from Tiffany Goodwein

Static number of new Covid cases – Premier Kenney concedes to help to alleviate hospital strain

Sep 30, 2021 | 5:52 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB. –– With Alberta hospitals under extreme stress during the fourth wave of this pandemic, Premier Jason Kenney says health care workers from the Canadian Military, Canadian Red Cross, and the Province of Newfoundland are being brought in to help.

Speaking during an update on Thursday, Kenney says plans are being finalized with the Armed Forces to provide 8-10 trained ICU medical personnel. The military staff will likely be based at CFB Edmonton and will support hospitals in that city where the need is greatest.

The province is also working with the Red Cross to bring up to 20 trained staff, some with ICU training to help out at the Red Deer Regional Hospital which Kenney says is under severe stress due to low vaccination rates in rural central Alberta.

Kenney noted that Newfoundland will be sending a medical team that will be deployed to work in Fort McMurray.

“I know Alberta health care workers will be grateful for the helping hand and that all Albertans are thankful for any assistance at this challenging time.”

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Health Minister Jason Copping says right now every bed counts and Alberta Health Services is reaching a point where they can’t continue to expand ICU capacity.

Kenney has also asked the Federal Government to secure a shipment of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine. Kenney says many unvaccinated Albertans have indicated that they are willing to receive this vaccine instead of the other three currently available.

“We want to do everything we can to help get these folks the protection that they need” Doses of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine could arrive as early as next week.

Over the last couple of weeks, Kenney says he has been speaking to private Alberta businesses about the importance of ensuring staff are vaccinated to help reduce pressure on the healthcare system.

To keep the momentum going, the Premier says the Cabinet Committee approved a requirement on Thursday that all 25 thousand employees of the Alberta Public Service show proof of vaccination or a regular rapid negative test result.

“The message is clear: we value our public servants and the important work that they do, that’s why we want to ensure they are operating in safe workplaces and that we are doing everything we can to protect the millions of Albertans to whom they provide services”.

Starting October 15th, employees will be able to declare their vaccination status and submit proof of full vaccination. They have until November 30 to provide this and will be given paid time to get immunized if they are not. Employees who do not provide proof of vaccination by the required deadline will be provided with additional education about the safety and efficacy of vaccines in addition to the other testing requirements.

The Ministers of Health and Education will be writing to school boards in the coming days to ask that they consider similar policies for their staff, including teachers.

On Thursday (Sept 30), the province released COVID-19 numbers, from the 24 hours.

1,706 cases were confirmed across the province, bringing the total to 298,172. Of those, 20,255 cases are active while 275,200 people have recovered.

Since Wednesday’s update, 20 Albertans died from COVID with seven in the Central Zone, three in the Edmonton Zone, one in the Calgary Zone, three in the North Zone, and six in the South Zone. To date, 2,717 people in the province have died as a result of the pandemic. There are 1083 hospitalized COVID cases, with 263 of those in ICU.

The deaths in the South Zone were included five residents of Medicine Hat and one in Brooks.

Below is a breakdown of cases per health zone in Alberta:

• Calgary Zone – 113,229 cases, 4,831 active
  • 283 in hospital, 94 in ICU
  • 780 deaths (one new)
• Edmonton Zone – 95,704 cases, 5,175 active
  • 332 in hospital, 110 in ICU
  • 1,189 deaths (three new)
• North Zone – 38,864 cases, 3,989 active
  • 147 in hospital, 12 in ICU
  • 269 deaths (three new)
• Central Zone – 30,887 cases, 3,942 active
  • 181 in hospital, 19 in ICU
  • 268 deaths (seven new)
• South Zone – 19,613 cases, 2,295 active
  • 140 in hospital, 28 in ICU
  • 208 deaths (six new)

Below is a breakdown of cases in the South Health Zone. The numbers in brackets show new cases or deaths over the past 24 hours:

• Lethbridge – 6,124 cases (40 new), 487 active, 45 deaths
  • West Lethbridge – 2,231 cases (6 new), 138 active, five deaths
  • North Lethbridge – 2,028 cases (21 new), 181 active, 13 deaths
  • South Lethbridge – 1,849 cases (13 new), 165 active, 27 deaths
• Medicine Hat – 3,903 cases (49 new), 660 active, 57 deaths (5 new)
• Brooks – 1,955 cases (15 new), 166 active, 19 deaths (one new)
• Lethbridge County – 1,685 cases (40 new), 172 active, 14 deaths
• Cardston County – 1,546 cases (32 new), 166 active, 25 deaths
• M.D. of Taber – 1,033 cases (12 new), 176 active, 11 deaths
• Cypress County – 754 cases (six new), 106 active, four deaths
• County of Warner – 630 cases (seven new), 77 active, three deaths
• M.D. of Pincher Creek – 533 cases (three new), 59 active, eight deaths
• Fort Macleod – 455 cases (seven new), 47 active, six deaths
• County of Newell – 392 cases (seven new), 56 active, five deaths
• County of Forty Mile – 271 cases (eight new), 76 active, five deaths
• Crowsnest Pass – 128 cases, 12 active, one death
• Waterton – Seven cases, zero active, zero deaths