As Alberta continues to battle the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, local case numbers are on the decline.
Although the Town of Drumheller currently has higher than 50 cases per 100,000 population, it has maintained fewer than 30 active cases and remains under lower restrictions.
“I know we had all hoped we would be out of this by now, but we are still in the midst of a third wave. Thankfully, our case numbers have stabilized and transmission is slowing down, but we still have a way to go yet,” said Alberta Premier Jason Kenney during an update on Monday, May 17.
During the update, Premier Kenney addressed several common myths and misconceptions regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.
There are currently 647 people in hospital across the province with COVID-186 of whom are “critically ill” in ICU.
Additionally, there are 55 people also in ICU with non-COVID related life-threatening conditions.
“Normally our healthcare system is set up to care for about 170 people in ICU,” Premier Kenney said, noting ICUs are currently “over 40 per cent” above capacity with 241 patients, and reiterated the current measures in place are necessary to prevent the cancellation of surgeries and further triage of patients.
Premier Kenney also addressed the myth COVID-19 is a “big city problem.” While Edmonton and Calgary have high active case numbers, Premier Kenney noted there are several rural regions with active case rates per 100,000 population two to three times those in urban areas.
“This is not an urban versus rural issue,” he stated.
Nearly 2.2 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine has been administered, with almost 49 per cent of Albertans aged 12 and older having received at least one dose of the vaccine as of Saturday, May 15.
Only active case numbers were available Monday, May 17; recovered cases are from Sunday, May 16.
As of Monday, May 17 there are 18 active and 446 recovered cases of COVID-19 in the Town of Drumheller, which includes 181 recovered cases at the Drumheller Institution.
Starland County currently has zero active cases. There are also 30 active cases in Kneehill County and 19 active cases in Wheatland County; although Wheatland County has fallen below 30 active cases the county will remain on enhanced restrictions for a minimum of three weeks as per current guidelines.

Despite the endless changing of restrictions and the fleeting opportunities to practice, the Canadian Badlands Aquatic Club swimmers have shown great improvements and resilience.
While this week the swimming pools will be closed, the team did get an opportunity to compete, virtually.
“Because Swim Alberta had cancelled all competitions across the province, I received this email from a BC club called the Pacific Coast Club, asking us to join in their virtual meet,’ said Coach Morgan Syvertsen. “We signed up and got all the kids to pick their events and last week we spent timing events every day. It’s like this teeny tiny little swim meet but it has been great.”
“I’ve been telling all the parents despite all the setbacks, the kids have just kept getting better and better and sure enough they pulled off some excellent times.”
The results of the meet are not completely tabulated at the time of publishing, but Syvertsen said several swimmers posted their personal bests at the virtual swim meet, one even besting their time by six seconds.
“It is giving them some incentive to pick up where we may leave off for next year. We have unfinished business,” he said.
The virtual meet was a good chance for the swimmers to compete.
Last season many swimmers had qualified with provincial time and qualified to compete, but the day before the meet, it was cancelled, and they missed that opportunity.
“They were waiting for an opportunity to show their stuff. That was two competition seasons we have lost and now two swimmers have graduated,” he said.