Alberta to keep COVID-19 testing past Sept. 27
The Alberta government has decided to continue testing for COVID-19 past Sept. 27 as the fourth wave continues to grow across the province.
On July 28, Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw announced a series of changes to Alberta's testing and isolation rules that would have ended widespread COVID-19 testing by Aug. 30.
After two weeks that saw Hinshaw apologize for the way she communicated the changes in an op-ed, as well as several protests and criticism toward the province, she reversed part of her decision on Aug. 13 and kept symptomatic testing until at least Sept. 27.
As of Friday, Sept. 3, Alberta had 13,495 active cases and 515 patients with COVID-19 in hospital, including 118 in ICU.
Four-hundred of the 515 people in hospital, or 78 per cent, have not received one dose of the vaccine.
With mounting cases and hospitalizations, and a slow vaccine uptick, Alberta has decided to continue to test for COVID-19 past its Sept. 27 deadline.
Alberta Health Director Chris Bourdeau told CTV News tests will remain available for people with COVID-19 symptoms, as well as workers and residents at specific outbreak sites.
Last Friday, Premier Jason Kenney, Health Minister Tyler Shandro and Hinshaw gave their first press conferences in weeks and announced some new restrictions, including masking in indoor spaces across the province, and an incentive of $100 for people to get vaccinated.
The province will report four days worth of COVID-19 data on Tuesday.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs to start for Canucks in Game 1 vs. Oilers
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs will start in net for the Canucks as Vancouver kicks off a second-round series against the Edmonton Oilers Wednesday night.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.