Previous influenza testing being revisited by AHS
By GILLIAN SLADE on March 13, 2020.
gslade@medicinehatnews.com@MHNGillianSlade Alberta Health says there is no evidence to suggest that people were experiencing COVID-19 symptoms before testing began but previous influenza laboratory tests are being revisited. “We are relying on the global evidence that is emerging around the virus and focusing on detecting new cases and take immediate action to protect the health of Albertans,” said Tom McMillan, assistant director communications for Alberta Health. Previous laboratory tests for influenza though are now being looked at through the COVID-19 lens. “We are also conducting testing of samples from the existing influenza surveillance network,” said McMillan. The total number of cases in Alberta now stands at 23 with most cases in the Calgary and Edmonton areas. There are still no cases confirmed in Medicine Hat. Any person who is swabbed for a laboratory test related to a respiratory illness is also being tested for COVID-19, said McMillan. This applies to all hospital, emergency, urgent care and long-term care facilities. Alberta is currently testing anyone who has symptoms after having travelled anywhere outside of Canada within the last 14 days, or has had close contact with a person with symptoms or is confirmed with COVID-19. Of about 128,000 cases of COVID-19 around the world, it is important to remember that more than 68,300 people have already completely recovered, according to a Johns Hopkins University map of the world, provided on Alberta Health Services website. https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6 11-10
