Alberta’s chief medical officer of health has confirmed the province’s first presumptive case of novel coronavirus, officially known as COVID-19.

The individual is a woman in her fifties who lives in the Calgary zone. The case is travel-related and she is recovering in isolation at home with support from public health officials.

“We take this extremely seriously and are doing all we can to minimize risk and to keep Albertans safe. While some may be concerned, I remind Albertans that the risk is still low in our province. We are already taking the necessary precautions to prevent the infection from spreading,” said Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Chief Medical Officer of Health.

The affected individual had recently returned from travel on board a Grand Princess cruise ship in California. Officials detected the case on March 5.

Health officials are currently identifying close contacts of this individual. They will also be asked to self-isolate at home, away from the public, and will be closely monitored by public health officials. If they do develop symptoms, health officials will coordinate getting them into care immediately while ensuring that the public and health-care workers are not exposed.

“Alberta’s health-care system is ready and already taking swift action. Measures to protect both the public and front-line health-care workers have been in place for weeks. I have full confidence that our front-line health-care workers are ready and able to handle this challenge,” said Tyler Shandro, Minister of Health.

Health officials are asking anyone who has returned from a Grand Princess Cruise to Alberta in the last two weeks to self-isolate until 14 days have passed since their visit.

Since January, Alberta’s public health officials have been working closely with the Public Health Agency of Canada and other partners to monitor COVID-19 and assess public health risks.

Alberta Health and Alberta Health Services will continue to closely monitor the situation, conduct surveillance and appropriate laboratory testing, and provide public health and infection control guidance.

The risk is still considered low in Alberta.

    The Southern Alberta Energy from Waste  Association (SAEWA) has selected its preferred site for its future operations.
    For over a decade SAEWA, a non-profit coalition of municipalities has been working on researching and implementing an energy recovery from non-recyclable waste materials facility. This could utilize a number of different technologies including incineration, gasification or anaerobic digestion.
    It received a $400,000 grant from Alberta Community Partnership program to research sites and from 11 potential locations, it identified the Newell Regional landfill as the top contender.
    The Drumheller and District Solid Waste Management Association (DDSWMA) is a member of SAEWA, however, it is considering whether it will remain.
    DDSWMA has 15 regional members and 19 waste transfer stations. The Regional landfill is in Drumheller.
    “We said, as an association, we would figure out where they were going to site it and then make a determination about what we are going to do going forward,” said Drumheller CAO Darryl Drohomerski.
    He said as an association, they have paid their dues for 2020, however, they are still going to take a hard look at whether they will remain a part of SAEWA.
    He said if DDSWA decides it does not want to continue with its membership in SAEWA, individual municipalities can opt-in or opt-out.
    He says Drumheller has some reservations about the plan. Transportation is one factor. Moving waste to a site further away could mean a greater cost for transportation.
    “If you are Standard or Rockyford, it is probably equidistant, but for the rest, it is probably further to travel,” he said.
    He also adds if a municipality decides to join SAEWA, and leave DDSWMA, it is a five-year process, or it would have to pay a premium.
    “Drumheller would be out. Why would we take a landfill that has 40 to 60 years of life in its current arrangement and say we are going to ship it?” he asks.
    Councillor Fred Makowecki, who sits on DDSWMA, agrees.
    “Drumheller has a landfill within its boundaries. It makes no economic sense to send refuse 100 kilometres away,” said Makowecki.
    He adds at this point there is no indication of what the tipping fees and transportation fees will cost and says the project is still in its infancy.
    “Along the project spectrum of where they are, they are still in the early stage of it because they haven’t done a detailed design, they have done a detailed cost estimate of it, they still need to get approvals from the Alberta Environment, so there is a fair bit of work to do,” he said. “There are lots of questions unanswered on the process.”