COVID-19 isolation hotel for Calgary homeless has first guests, no known cases

Doctors say there are no cases of COVID-19 among Calgary's homeless population, but hotel rooms have been retro-fitted to help house those in need.

Calgary — A Calgary hotel that's being used to house people with no fixed address who need to isolate during the COVID-19 pandemic is about one-tenth full more than a week after it opened.

Clients are gradually being transferred to the hotel, where 100 rooms spread over four floors have been retooled for the assisted isolation site.

Dr. Kerri Treherne, the site's medical lead, says there are no confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus within Calgary's homeless population.

But the rooms are also for homeless people who are waiting for test results to come back, have symptoms or have come into contact with someone known to have COVID-19.

Treherne, who works with the Alex Community Health Centre, says there are 10 clients staying at the hotel and two are in the process of being transferred.

She says there are roughly 50 medical, security, cleaning and other staff working right now, but many more will be needed.