Editor's note: This story was updated March 26 to reflect the most recent data from the Alberta Government.
The inevitable has occurred – COVID-19 has arrived in Rocky View County (RVC).
As of March 26, four residents have tested positive for the virus in Chestermere, five in Cochrane-Springbank, five in Airdrie-Balzac and one in Crossfield.
"The report of confirmed cases in Chestermere is very troubling for me, as I am sure it is for many in our community,” said Chestermere’s mayor, Marshall Chalmers, in a statement.
Details on each confirmed case, such as the age of the person, the community they live in or whether their infection was travel-related or the result of community transmission, are not released by Alberta Health Services (AHS), to protect the privacy of those infected.
"As per standard practice for all cases of COVID-19, AHS has directly contacted any individual considered exposed to these cases and these people are now also in self-isolation and being tested for COVID-19," read a statement from the health authority.
According to AHS, only those individuals contacted directly by AHS are considered to be exposed to any case.
"If you are not contacted directly by AHS, you are not considered exposed," AHS said.
With the news of Chestermere’s first confirmed cases, Chalmers said he encourages residents to abide by provincial directives, such as practicing social distancing, staying home when feeling unwell, avoiding social gatherings, practicing frequent hand-washing for at least 20 seconds and regularly sanitizing surfaces.
“Regardless of the details of the cases, we need everyone to take this situation seriously and take every precaution possible,” he said.
On the western side of the county, Cochrane Mayor Jeff Genung addressed the area’s first confirmed cases in a Facebook Live video March 16. He said the community is “in uncharted territory.”
“The current health and safety concerns around the COVID-19 pandemic are creating a great deal of uncertainty,” he said in the video. “This morning, I was made aware that there are confirmed cases in Cochrane. While this is unsettling, it is a reminder that we are not immune to this. The health and well-being of our community and the continued delivery of public service remains our top priority.”
The jurisdiction that includes Crossfield, Irricana and Beiseker also had one confirmed case of the novel coronavirus as of March 26, according to the provincial government's data.
Two days after the case was recorded, the Town officially declared a state of local emergency, which provides the municipality with access to additional measures under the Emergency Management Act to help prevent the spread of the virus in the local area.
“The Town of Crossfield takes this situation extremely seriously and council has taken this step as a means of protecting our local community,” Mayor Jo Tennant said. “Our top priority is the health, safety and well-being of our community members and ensuring essential services continue to be provided.”
The State of Local Emergency remains in place for seven days, unless renewed or revoked by council. According to Tennant, the Town will continue to follow the guidelines and recommendations of the province in its response to the pandemic. Community members are urged to access credible sources of information as the situation continues to develop.
“Town council and staff thank the community for their support during these trying times,” Tennant said. “It is a challenge to follow the province’s recommendations, and we appreciate the community’s willingness to get on board and work together to beat this.”
As of 4 p.m. March 26, there are 486 lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Alberta, with 300 of those – 62 per cent – in the Calgary Health Zone. Rocky View County is included in the Calgary zone.
In total, more than 36,174 people in Alberta have been tested for the virus, with 1.34 per cent testing positive.
COVID-19 UPDATE: Follow our COVID-19 special section for the latest local and national news on the coronavirus pandemic, as well as resources, FAQs and more.
Scott Strasser, AirdrieToday.com
Follow me on Twitter @scottstrasser19
