WESTLOCK - Westlock now has one confirmed coronavirus case within the county boundaries.
No details are yet available about the individual who tested positive, or whether the person resides in Westlock County, the Town of Westlock, or the Village of Clyde.
The location of the case in Westlock was confirmed via the provincial government's geospatial data regarding the spread of coronavirus.
Raymond Cormie, CEO of Homeland Housing, confirmed that neither seniors’ lodge in Westlock – Pembina or Smithfield – is affected by the virus.
Traffic through the senior facilities he operates has dropped by about 80-90 per cent, said Cormie over the phone March 25, following the strict measures put in place by Alberta Health Services.
“Today at Pembina, we had six visitors and at Smithfield, we had three visitors and four deliveries for things like prescriptions,” he clarified.
A greeter at the door of each lodge confirms that a visitor is on the list of designated visitors, checks their temperature and runs through the AHS-provided symptom questionnaire before allowing them inside.
Today, the province announced 61 additional COVID-19 cases, bringing the total in the province to 419.
“We suspect up to 33 of the 419 cases may be community transmission, which is five more than we talked about yesterday,” said Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta’s chief medical officer, in the press conference.
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The provincial government continues to place emphasis on self-isolation for people who have returned from abroad or display symptoms, and social distancing for everyone else.
New enforcement measures were also announced for people who don’t follow the measures made mandatory by Alberta Health Services. Police can issue fines of up to $1,000 for a first offence.
Westlock County announced it was closing its office to the public March 13 after a staff member had returned from international travel, but according to an e-mail to the News from reeve Lou Hall, she had no knowledge of any confirmed cases in Westlock at the time. Results from the staff member's test were supposed to take four or five days.
Andreea Resmerita, TownandCountryToday.com
Follow me on Twitter @andreea_res
