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Alberta

Capacity limits, masks and other restrictions lifted this Tuesday

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Alberta to lift almost all remaining health restrictions

As COVID-19 hospitalizations continue to decline and pressure on the health-care system decreases, step two of the province’s path back to normal will begin on March 1.

Since step one began on Feb. 8, COVID-19 positivity rates in the province have continued to decline. Hospitalizations in intensive and non-intensive care have also steadily declined and are at the lowest levels since Jan. 22.

Effective March 1, Alberta will begin step two, which will include the end of limits on social gatherings, capacity limits for large venues, remaining school requirements, screening of youth for activities, the mandatory work-from-home order and public masking requirements except in high-risk settings.

“Over the last three weeks, cases and hospitalizations have continued to drop as we have started lifting restrictions. This promising trend puts Alberta in a position to safely remove the majority of remaining public health measures. This is a good day for Albertans as we get another step closer to getting back to normal.”

Jason Kenney, Premier

“I am pleased to see that the stress on our health-care system continues to lessen. Not only does this allow us to ease more public health measures, it also reduces the pressure and strain on our dedicated health-care workers who have worked tirelessly through the pandemic to provide expert care to Albertans.”

Jason Copping, Minister of Health

Under step two, masking requirements in high-risk settings will continue, including at AHS facilities, continuing care centres and on public transit. Isolation remains mandatory for anyone with COVID-19 symptoms or a positive test result. These public health protections will remain in place until step three, which will occur at a later date provided hospitalizations continue to decline.

Step two

Effective March 1:

  • Remaining provincial school requirements (including cohorting) will be removed.
  • Screening prior to youth activities will no longer be required.
  • Capacity limits will be lifted for all venues.
  • Limits on social gatherings will be removed.
  • The provincial mask mandate will be lifted in most settings. However, masking will still be required in high-risk settings, including on public transit, at Alberta Health Services-operated and contracted facilities and all continuing care settings.
  • Restrictions on interactive activities, liquor service and operating hours will be lifted
  • Mandatory work-from-home requirements will be removed.

Step three

To be determined based on hospitalization rates continuing to trend downwards.

  • COVID-19-specific measures in continuing care and acute care settings and on public transit will be removed.
  • Mandatory isolation becomes a recommendation only.

Additional details on all restrictions and measures in place are available at alberta.ca/CovidMeasures.

Alberta

‘Tragic accident’ blamed for recent death of giraffe at Calgary Zoo

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The Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo says a “tragic accident” led to the recent death of an adult Masai giraffe. A statement from the zoo says the female giraffe named Emara died May 19 after tangling one of her horns on a cable surrounding her enclosure. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo-Sergei Belskey

Calgary

The Calgary Zoo says a “tragic accident” led to the recent death of one of its adult Masai giraffes.

A statement from the zoo says a female giraffe named Emara died May 19 after tangling one of her horns in a cable surrounding her enclosure.

The statement says a necropsy revealed Emara fell against the enclosure fence and died almost instantly of a broken neck.

Emara, who had just turned 12, came to Calgary from the San Diego Zoo in 2016.

The statement says she was a treasured member at the zoo and was known for her cautious yet curious personality and gentle nature.

The zoo says it is checking fencing within its African Savannah Yard enclosure to see if changes are needed to better protect the other giraffes and animals that share the space.

Doug Whiteside, interim associate director of animal care and welfare at the zoo, said Emara was in her prime and was in excellent health when she died.

“Major life changes such as this not only affect our people but can affect our animal residents as well,” Whiteside said in the statement Monday.

He said the zoo’s remaining giraffes, Nabo and Moshi, are doing well.

Grief counsellors are being made available to Emara’s caregivers and other zoo staff.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 29, 2023.

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2023 Election

Some of the memorable comments made during Alberta election campaign

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