Alberta exceeds 8,000 active COVID-19 cases, 200 hospitalizations

Officials resist additional COVID-19 measures Other provinces are increasing COVID-19 restrictions while Alberta takes a different approach. CTV News Edmonton’s Bill Fortier reports.

EDMONTON — Alberta has 8,090 active cases of COVID-19 after the province reported another 713 infections Tuesday.

The number of COVID-19 patients admitted to hospital set a new pandemic record Tuesday with 207 people, 43 of whom are in intensive care.

The death toll increased to 376 after the province reported seven new deaths — all but one connected to continuing care outbreaks.

The Calgary zone has more cases than the Edmonton zone now with 3,434 and 3,255, respectively.

SHOULD ALBERTA IMPOSE MORE RESTRICTIONS?

Despite the sharp rise in cases, Alberta health officials continue to resist calls for more measures to lower the spread of the disease.

Premier Jason Kenney and Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw put a 15-person limit on gatherings and asked Edmontonians and Calgarians to not have people over in their homes.

Some 70 Alberta doctors, and now, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, want more restrictions.

“I’m imploring the premiers and the mayors to please do the right thing: Act now to protect public health,” Trudeau said.

Alberta has the second-highest rate cases per capita behind Manitoba where a strict lockdown will start later this week.

Ontario tightened restriction in Toronto, and its premier said he won’t hesitate to extend them if necessary.

Mayor Don Iveson says it’s hard for Edmonton to act alone and wants all levels of government to work together on decisions this big.

“I think we look to partner with all orders of government to meet the needs of Canadians to get through this pandemic and to ensure the resiliency of our economy," he said Tuesday. "I would just as soon have the medical officers of health make that call rather than these calls becoming political."

But Kenney has repeatedly opposed a second lockdown.

“Nobody wants that to happen here in Alberta,” he said last Friday.

“We’ve seen other jurisdictions implement sweeping lockdowns, indiscriminately violating people’s rights and destroying livelihoods.”