Alberta reports 1,625 new cases of COVID-19, changes testing and contact tracing recommendations
Alberta reported 1,625 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday after conducting about 11,800 tests.
This gives the province a high pandemic positivity rate of approximately 13.6%. The previous high was 13.44%, reached on May 2, 2021.
No new deaths have been reported to Alberta Health in the past 24 hours.
According to Dr. Deena Hinshaw, more than 196,000 appointments have been booked for third doses since the province expanded eligibility criteria for anyone over the age of 18 on Wednesday.
There are 318 people hospitalized with COVID-19, including 64 in intensive care.
“While these numbers have fallen over the past week, it is important to remember that these are still very high baselines and it is too early to tell what the impact of gravity will be. of our Omicron cases,” Hinshaw said.
The province reported 506 new cases of Omicron, bringing the pandemic total to 2,637 so far.
Hinshaw said she would return for in-person updates on December 28 and 30 with full data updates scheduled for December 29 and January 4.
CHANGES TO TESTING AND CONTACT TRACING
The province’s top doctor has announced new recommendations for COVID-19 testing in Alberta as active cases rise.
“With cases growing exponentially, we also need to start retaining testing capacity,” Hinshaw said.
Alberta Health recommends that anyone who is symptomatic and has access to a rapid test kit, isolate and use that test result instead of scheduling a PCR test.
If someone tests positive after using a rapid test and is symptomatic, Hinshaw said they should notify close contacts of potential exposure and self-isolate.
If the test result is negative, but a person has symptoms of COVID-19, Hinshaw added they should wait 24 to 48 hours and get a second rapid test. If this result is negative, isolation is still recommended until symptoms resolve.
Exceptions to the new testing recommendations include those working in high-priority settings, like healthcare and continuing care facilities, and those with a high-risk condition.
“This is aligned with other provinces and is necessary to ensure our teams focus their efforts on the highest priority metrics,” Hinshaw said.
Alberta Health is asking anyone with an appointment for a PCR test after testing positive on a rapid test kit to cancel their appointment to free up space for high-risk Albertans. Asymptomatic tests for close contacts will no longer be eligible for PCR testing.
The province is also changing its approach to contact tracing, as Omicron cases double within two to three days, Hinshaw added.
“It’s a lot faster than what we’ve had with the Delta variant for the past six months,” she said.
“At this point, PCR tests should be used for those with symptoms and especially those without access to rapid tests.”
Alberta Health will focus on investigating COVID-19 cases and exposures in high priority settings, such as health care and continuing care facilities.
Those who get a PCR test will still be notified of their test result but will not be investigated for contact tracing. Hinshaw said research teams “no longer have the capacity” to do this for every positive case identified.
As a result of these changes, Hinshaw said data on the health zone in which an Omicron and another COVID-19 case is identified will not be publicly available.
“DEEPLY PROBLEM”
The Official Opposition is concerned about contact tracing and changes to eligibility for PCR testing, especially as a “deeply troubling” rise in coronavirus cases continues.
NDP health critic David Shepherd said in a statement after Hinshaw’s announcement that now is not the time to cut testing because it jeopardizes the province’s response.
“Why does the government go dark in the middle of a crisis?” Shepherd asked. “Why didn’t they foresee a crisis they should have seen coming?
“As Omicron spreads at an unprecedented rate, the UCP government has once again made the decision not to lead and leave Albertans to fend for themselves.”
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