By Canadian Press

COVID challenge: Alberta premier urges end to house parties as infections rise

Nov 6, 2020 | 3:58 PM

EDMONTON — Premier Jason Kenney is strongly urging Albertans to stop holding house parties and get-togethers to bend the curve on sharply rising COVID-19 cases.

Alberta has reported just over 1,400 new cases over the last two days, and Kenney says the province is at “a turning point” and more stringent measures may come if this initiative fails.

Kenney says many new infections have been traced to house parties and gatherings. 

He says the existing limit of 15 people at most gatherings in Edmonton and Calgary is being expanded to other communities, most of them in and around those two cities.

Kenney acknowledges there are calls to lock down the economy, as was done in the spring when restaurants, bars and retailers were closed to limit the spread of the virus.

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But he says that solution now would make things worse, snipping the financial lifelines of some of those businesses that are hanging by a thread.

He says the pragmatic and realistic goal is not to get to zero COVID-19 cases, but to get infections under control so they don’t overwhelm the health system.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 6, 2020.

The Canadian Press