Eight active cases identified in County of Barrhead

The number of active COVID-19 cases within the County of Barrhead has increased from five on Dec. 2 to eight on Dec. 8, according to the geospatial map listing all cases of the novel coronavirus throughout Alberta. 

In addition, the number of recovered cases has increased from 26 to 28, and there have been two deaths attributed to COVID-19 within the county. 

There are no schools or long-term care facilities in the Barrhead area listed as currently experiencing an outbreak. 

Within the Town of Whitecourt, there are currently seven active cases, along with 34 recoveries. Woodlands County still has only one recovery listed on the map. 

Lac Ste. Anne County currently has 40 active cases and 105 recoveries, as well as six deaths. Extendicare Mayerthorpe is still listed as experiencing an outbreak. 

Earlier today, Premier Jason Kenney announced a series of heavy new restrictions that will be in place for at least the next four weeks. (Further details on those restrictions can be found here.)

Kenney said he has made no secret of the fact that the Alberta government has been reluctant to use extraordinary powers to impose heavy restrictions.

"Those of us in government who frankly have secure paychecks can too easily make the mistake of thinking of these policies as abstractions. It's too easy to think of them as just words on a piece of paper, or to think of social and economic activity ... as some kind of a switch that the government can simply flip on or off at will," he said.

"The mental, emotional and health consequences of these decisions are devastating, and leaders should not turn away from admitting that."

While Alberta has taken a regional approach to the pandemic until now, Kenney said the virus is spreading at an alarming rate in all parts of the province and many of the patients currently in urban hospitals hail from rural areas. 

“The bottom line is that we must have a co-ordinated province-wide approach now,” he said.

Kenney also acknowledged the effect these restrictions will have on family gatherings at Christmas, but stressed that infections from at-home gatherings was driving the increase in COVID-19 numbers. 

If Alberta relaxes its guard to allow large family gatherings for the holidays, “we will without a shadow of a doubt see a large increase in hospitalizations and fatalities,” he said. 

“We simply cannot let this Christmas turn into a tragedy.”

Kevin Berger, TownandCountryToday.com