Active Edmonton COVID-19 cases rising while Calgary cases drop

Edmonton COVID cases on the rise A rise in COVID cases in Edmonton is contrasting a decrease in the south. Bill Fortier explains.

Edmonton — Alberta's pandemic picture is changing. A rise in active cases in Edmonton is contrasting a decrease in Calgary. The most active region of our city is also shifting.

Edmonton, which entered stage one of relaxed restrictions before Calgary, has gone from 44 cases to 140 in June alone, while Calgary has dropped by more than 100 active cases.

“Definitely Edmonton has been a bigger presence over the last one to two weeks,” said infectious disease expert Dr. Lynora Saxinger.

Some of the increase, attributed to a couple of family events.

“It does look like people might be feeling more confident than really the situation deserves,” Saxinger said.

For the last few months, the majority of cases in Edmonton were also on the north side, but now, the most active cases are in the south.

Rutherford now has the most active cases, and the highest rate of any AHS defined zone in Edmonton.

The next highest are the two zones that make up Mill Woods.

If Alberta’s two biggest cities continue their current trends, Edmonton could surpass Calgary in active cases in days.

The shift is prompting a warning from Saxinger that the time of physical distancing and masks is not over.

“If we neglect that, I think we’re going to start seeing some problems pretty quickly, actually,” she said.

And her advice is for the long term. Dr. Saxinger believes the need to remain cautious won’t go away until there’s a vaccine.