By Shaun Penner

COVID-19 UPDATE

Peace River, Valleyview areas add first confirmed cases of COVID-19

Mar 26, 2020 | 3:49 PM

The Peace River and Valleyview areas now have their first confirmed cases of COVID-19.

The province’s aggregate data website was updated during Dr. Deena Hinshaw’s daily update on Thursday, showing one case in the Valleyview area and one in the Peace River area. These are two of the three confirmed cases added in the North Zone on March 26. The North Zone’s total now sits at 26.

The Valleyview area recorded its first case of COVID-19, according to the province’s aggregate data website (Photo: Government of Alberta)

Photo: Government of Alberta

Though it is not known whether these cases or other cases in the Peace Region are travel-related or community transmission, Dr. Hinshaw says they have staff working all across the province to get in contact with anyone who may have been exposed.

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“Contact tracers in all zones are working tirelessly to make sure that anyone who was in contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19 is notified, and knows to self-isolate.”

The Mayor of Peace River, Tom Tarpey, issued a statement about the confirmed case in the town’s area, saying the news may be disconcerting but people should not panic.

“Instead we need to focus on the steps that we can take to limit the spread. That means self-isolating if you feel unwell. When you’re feeling well it means social/physical distancing, keeping 6ft (2m) between yourself and others. I really want to emphasize the value of following the advice and directives of Alberta Health.”

Those cases are two of the 67 cases added in the province on Thursday, bringing the province’s total to 486.

The Peace Region’s total number of confirmations of COVID-19 from the provincial health authority now sits at 13. Those cases are in the following areas:

• City of Grande Prairie: two cases
• County of Grande Prairie one case
• Valleyview (includes DeBolt and Crooked Creek): one case
• High Prairie: five cases
• Slave Lake: three cases
• Peace River: one case

Dr. Hinshaw did provide an updated total on the number of patients across Alberta, which jumped to 27 on Thursday. Those 27 individuals who have recovered are included in the 486 individuals in Alberta to have contracted the virus.