MOUNTAIN VIEW COUNTY - Rural Alberta elected officials are being called on to urge their constituents to do more to fight the spread of COVID-19.
In a video address to the Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA) convention today (Nov. 4), Premier Jason Kenney said the recent rise in cases must be addressed.
“We are facing a significant wave of new cases and if they continue in this direction they will pose a very serious challenge to the ability of our health-care system to cope,” said Kenney.
“I want to call upon all of you as community leaders to help us to spread that message. We need to convey to people that if the current trends continue we are going to have to move more and more people out of acute care beds, delay more and more surgeries, and those actions will have negative downstream health consequences which we want to avoid.
“Please work with us to convey that message and to work with your local public health officials.”
On Tuesday Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta's chief medical officer of health, said a daily average of 567 new cases of COVID-19 were identified in the province since Oct. 30.
The RMA represents 69 rural municipalities, including Mountain View and Red Deer counties.
Bruce Beattie, reeve of Mountain View County, said rural leaders will take up Kenney’s call for action.
“I absolutely couldn’t agree more,” said Beattie. “I think that in many cases we are not taking it as seriously as it is. The longer (the pandemic) goes on the harder it seems to be to retain that level of conscience and to listen to the medical experts.
“Wear a mask when you can and try to keep social distance and keep the size of those social groups down. You are doing it for your neighbour and you are doing it for your family. It’s very important and I support that message.”
As of end of day Nov. 2, the Didsbury local geographic area (includes Carstairs and south Mountain View County) has had 30 cases since the pandemic began (three active), the Olds local geographic area (includes north Mountain View County) has had 17 cases (four active), and the Innisfail local geographic area (includes south Red Deer County) has had 13 cases (two active).
After going months without a second case since the pandemic began, the Sundre local geographic area (includes west Mountain View County) has had five cases with four of those listed as active as of end of day Nov. 2.
Premier Kenney opened his address to RMA by commending Al Kemmere for his six years as RMA president.
“Thank you Al for your leadership of RMA and rural communities across our province for many years,” said Kenney.
Kemmere is the Mountain View County councillor for Division 7. His final term as RMA president ends this week.
