ATHABASCA - The Athabasca area has recorded its first COVID-19 related death.
On Feb. 7, the Government of Alberta's geospatial map showed one death in the region, which includes the municipalities of Athabasca County, Town of Athabasca and Village of Boyle. It's the second recorded in the Town & Country region this week after the Westlock area recorded its own second death Feb. 4. There have also been two previous deaths in the Barrhead region.
Details such as age, gender and precise location of the deaths are not provided by the government or Alberta Health Services for privacy reasons. It was one of four deaths recorded in Alberta today, bringing the total number of deaths related to COVID-19 since March to 1,709 — the average age of death is 82.
The Athabasca Healthcare Centre and Boyle School are still considered to have outbreaks with two positive cases each. They will retain that status until 28 days after the last positive case in each facility passes.
An outbreak was declared Jan. 31 at the Athabasca Health Centre, where two people associated with the facility tested positive for the virus and remains under review of the medical officer of health, infection prevention and control specialists, AHS Workplace Health and Safety, and local site leadership.
Visitors to the hospital are restricted at this time.
“The Athabasca Healthcare Centre remains a safe place to receive care,” read a Feb. 2 statement from Alberta Health Services.
“Patients within the hospital will continue to receive the treatment, care and support they need. To keep everyone safe, only designated family/support persons will be allowed to visit in end-of-life or other extenuating circumstances.”
AHS encourages everyone else to continue to meet with their loved ones virtually.
The statement goes on to say contact tracing for anyone potentially exposed to those individuals is also ongoing. There is also no increased risk to patients in the hospital as anyone with symptoms or who has tested positive for COVID-19 is isolated and treated in designated rooms.
"All AHS facilities, including the Athabasca Healthcare Centre, follow rigorous infection prevention and control standards. All healthcare workers are asked to self-assess for COVID-19 symptoms and exposure risk using a screening tool before reporting to a site for their shift, and our frontline teams are practicing continuous masking and wearing eye protection while at work.”
It is not known if there is a connection between the Athabasca region's first death and the declared outbreak.
On Jan. 25, Aspen View Public Schools announced two positive results for COVID-19 at Boyle School.
Fifty-three students and seven staff who had close contact with the positive cases were directed to stay home.
“Aspen View and Boyle School administration are diligently following Alberta Health Services guidance to ensure the necessary steps are taken to protect the health and safety of students and staff,” said superintendent Neil O’Shea in a media release at the time.
Even with two declared outbreaks though, the number of active cases are falling fast, along with the active case rate per 100,000 residents.
On Sunday, there were 11 active cases in the Athabasca region — down from 19 on Thursday.
The active case rate per 100,000 sits at 84.1, with a population of 13,073.
Recoveries sit at 186, for a total of 198 cases since March.
Active cases in the Boyle area are down to four and there have been 66 cases in all.
The County of Barrhead had reached zero active cases, but now lists six, with 49 recoveries. Westlock County reports eight active cases and 166 recoveries.
On Jan. 28, Premier Jason Kenney announced a schedule to relax the remaining restrictions starting Monday, Feb. 8, and will continue to do so on a sliding scale, based on the number of those hospitalized because of the virus. At 450 hospitalizations, the government hopes to ease some restrictions on retail shops and community halls, hotels, banquet halls and conference centres.
On Sunday, the province reported 351 new cases, bringing the current number in Alberta to 6,242 — 432 are in hospital and 81 of them, are in intensive care.
There have been 118,816 recoveries since March.
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