Alberta
Watch: Province advising all large gatherings (over 250 people) in Alberta to cancel until further notice
Update on COVID-19 in Alberta
Alberta is adopting aggressive new public health measures to help limit the spread of the novel coronavirus, officially known as COVID-19.
Effective immediately, the Alberta government is asking all large gatherings or international events in the province to be cancelled and advising Albertans against travel outside of the country.
Four new cases of COVID-19 have now been confirmed in Alberta, bringing the total number in the province to 23, all travel-related. One patient continues to recover in hospital, while all others are in isolation at home.
“We are doing everything possible to limit the spread of COVID-19 in our province. The virus is spreading rapidly and is now a global threat. We are implementing these new measures to slow its spread and limit the risks in the weeks ahead. Protecting the health of Albertans is, and always will be, our top priority.”
“The coming weeks are vital in our fight to protect Alberta from COVID-19. These are serious steps, and ones we do not take lightly. I am calling on every Albertan and organization to assist our public health efforts and do their very best to comply with the public health guidance. It is critical that Albertans come together to do our part in keeping Albertans healthy and safe.”
New public health restrictions
Alberta is asking organizers to cancel any events that have more than 250 attendees. This includes large sporting events, conferences and community events. It does not extend to places of worship, grocery stores, airports or shopping centres.
Any event that has more than 50 attendees and expects to have international participants, or involves critical infrastructure staff, seniors, or other high-risk populations should also be cancelled.
Events that do not meet these criteria can proceed, but risk mitigation must be in place, such as sanitizer stations and distancing between attendees.
At this time, schools and daycares can remain open but steps should be taken to ensure that no more than 250 individuals are in the same room at any given time.
Travel outside of the country is not being recommended at this time. Given the rapid global spread of the virus, it is no longer possible to assess health risks for the duration of the trip.
New cases of COVID-19
Four additional cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in the province. One of the confirmed cases is a two-year-old child from the Calgary zone who is now recovering at home.
The child who has tested positive for COVID-19 returned with their family from a vacation in Florida and developed mild symptoms once in Alberta. The child attended a local daycare from March 2-6 and tested positive on March 11.
The child is expected to make a full recovery.
As soon as the case tested positive, health officials took immediate action to protect the health of Albertans. On the advice of Alberta Health Services, the daycare has temporarily closed to limit exposure to the virus. All close contacts are self-isolating for 14 days while being monitored by health officials.
Any Albertan who has not been contacted directly by Alberta Health Services is not at risk.
The other three newly confirmed cases involve a woman in her thirties, a male in his fifties, and a woman in her seventies. They are all from the Calgary zone.
The travellers returned from travelling in Jordan, Egypt, France, Germany, and the United States, specifically Florida.
All Albertans are encouraged to visit alberta.ca/COVID19 for the latest information, guidance and resources.
Calgary (CP) – Calgary police have identified a 15-year-old girl who was fatally shot this week as investigators try to determine whether she was the intended target or if it was a case of mistaken identity.
Officers responded to reports of a shooting in an alley in the Martindale neighbourhood early Tuesday morning.
They say the teenager was a passenger in a vehicle when she was shot and that the driver, who was not injured, immediately fled the scene before pulling over to call police.
Police say investigators have received several tips from the public.
They say evidence from the scene leads police to believe it was targeted, but investigators haven’t determined whether the occupants of the vehicle were the intended targets.
The girl has been identified as Sarah Alexis Jorquera of Calgary.
“This was a senseless act of violence that took the life of a young girl,” Staff Sgt. Martin Schiavetta of the homicide unit said in a statement Wednesday.
“At this point, we have more questions than answers and are working around the clock to hold those responsible accountable. Losing a 15-year-old is a tragic loss for our community, her school, her friends and, most importantly, her family.”
Police ask anyone with any information about the shooting to call investigators.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 29, 2023.
Ukrainian evacuees Dmytro Syrman, left, his wife, Anastasiia, centre, and their four-year-old daughter Varvara attend a news conference highlighting the need for temporary housing in Calgary on Wednesday, March 29, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
By Bill Graveland in Calgary
After six months under Russian occupation, Dmytro Syrman and his family decided to flee Ukraine for a safer life abroad and are now in Calgary.
The family lived in Dniprorudne, a mining city of 17,000 in southern Ukraine. Syrman worked as a human resources manager at an iron factory.
In August, Syrman, his wife, Anastasiia, and four-year-old daughter Varvara embarked on a six-day, 3,000-kilometre drive to Poland.
“On the 24 of February, when the Russian army attacked Ukraine and occupied our city in March 2022, we lost everything,” Syrman said Wednesday.
He said they began planning their escape when they realized Russian soldiers weren’t leaving their city.
“We started all of this because we were scared for Varvara,” he said. “When Russian bombs were falling near our city it was really scary.”
Their home is still under Russian occupation.
For the past year the family stayed in Poland, sent in their paperwork to come to Canada, and two weeks ago arrived in Calgary.
They’re now staying with a host family for a month while they look for long-term accommodation and to find jobs.
“We are here and starting a new life. We can’t believe about people who don’t know us and many helped us. We’re really shocked,” Syrman said.
The Syrmans were helped by Calgary’s Centre for Newcomers, which started a campaign to find 100 hosts for Ukrainian families or individuals for a month while they find housing of their own.
Kelly Ernst, chief program officer with the centre, said there has been a flood of Ukrainians trying to take advantage of a federal program that allows them to temporarily resettle in Canada.
The Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel program has been extended until July and Ernst said he expects people will continue to flee the war-torn country.
“We’re in a desperate, dire need at the moment for host homes to try to accommodate the evacuees coming from Ukraine. It’s reaching the proportions of being a crisis moment,” said Ernst.
He said people arriving elsewhere in Canada are migrating to Calgary because the rents are lower than in larger cities such as Toronto and Vancouver.
Ernst said approximately 450 people have been arriving in Calgary every week from Ukraine and his organization has helped people staying nights in the airport, off the street and at homeless shelters.
Natalia Shem, who is the manager of housing for the Ukrainian evacuees, said it’s difficult for the newcomers to find somewhere to live before arriving.
“It’s almost impossible to find long-term rent being outside of Canada and people who come here need one month of stay,” Shem said. “It’s an average time a family can find long-term rent, job and settle down here in Canada.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 29, 2023.
Stand for the ‘common person’ Pierre Poilievre tells faithful gathered in Ottawa
City of Red Deer puts out call to private owners interested in selling or leasing property for integrated homeless shelter
Pop Quiz: You Know You’re A Woke Punchline When…
Hockey Tolerance Is A Two-Way Street, Not A One-Way Road
-
Bruce Dowbiggin2 days ago
Hockey Tolerance Is A Two-Way Street, Not A One-Way Road
-
Business2 days agoFederal budget 2023 includes $59.5 billion in new spending, looks to increase revenue
-
Business2 days agoBankman-Fried charged with paying $40M bribe to China
-
Alberta2 days ago‘A miracle’: Advocate says help being planned for victims of Calgary house explosion
-
Economy2 days agoNewsAlert: $491B budget invests in clean electricity, health care
-
Business2 days agoBudget 2023: Liberals add foreign interference office, new money-laundering rules
-
conflict2 days agoAmnesty: West’s ‘double standards’ fuel Mideast repression
-
Business2 days agoBudget 2023: Key highlights from the federal Liberals’ spending plan