WESTLOCK — There are two active COVID-19 cases in the Westlock area as of Aug. 31, and a total of six cases since the start of the pandemic.
An update of the Alberta government’s geospatial data tracking showed the most recent case in the area, the second in less than three days.
The other four people who’ve been diagnosed have since recovered, including one Town of Westlock employee.
Doctors in Westlock have kickstarted a campaign to promote wearing masks in the community. While town councillors decided not to pass a face covering bylaw, the town is continuing to campaign for their use where social distancing is not possible.
The Alberta Health Services threshold for the Westlock area to be considered a community under COVID-19 watch is 10 active cases, according to Town of Westlock mayor Ralph Leriger.
Today’s numbers, which have just been released during Alberta’s chief medical health officer Deena Hinshaw’s press conference, show 1,370 active cases across the province, 551 of them located in Edmonton. Eight people are in intensive care units of the 44 total COVID-related hospitalizations.
In total, 13,476 Albertans have contracted COVID, and 239 people have died—two in the past 72 hours.
The neighbouring community of Athabasca also has two active cases of a total of eight. Meanwhile, Barrhead’s three cases have all recovered. No deaths have been recorded in either area.
