19 new and 14 recovered cases of COVID-19 were in the City of Grande Prairie on Tuesday. Alberta Health Services says there are now 185 active cases of the virus in the municipality, with 853 cases considered recovered.
In the County of Grande Prairie, seven new cases and three recoveries were reported over the last 24 hours. The county now has 50 active cases of COVID-19.
Across the province, 669 new cases of COVID were confirmed from 14,888 tests on Tuesday. 744 people remain in hospital, with 124 requiring the ICU.
21 new COVID-19 related deaths were also reported over the last 24 hours, including one in the AHS North zone. AHS says the deceased was a man in his 70s, adding the case included comorbidities.
Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw is also urging business owners and employers not to ask employees to return to work earlier than the 14-day quarantine period that requires them to be away.
“Not only is this the wrong thing to do to protect each other, it is also illegal,” she says.
“A test is only a snapshot of a particular point in time, and someone who has been exposed to the virus can become sick up to 14 days after their exposure,” Dr. Hinshaw adds.
She suggests it is critical that the mandated quarantine and isolation protocols are followed and respected by not only employers, however, but by all Albertans.
