Not every positive COVID-19 case at oil work camps is being added to numbers in the RMWB.
That’s according to staff for Premier Jason Kenney, Health Minister Tyler Shandro, and Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health.
Those who contract the virus at any site will be added to local numbers of the region where they have a home address.
This includes individuals from the east coast, Saskatchewan, British Colombia, and other parts of Alberta.
“The map is populated based on the individual’s primary address, as reported to Alberta Health. This means that individuals with primary addresses in Fort McMurray and Wood Buffalo appear on the map and in the region’s case total,” said Tom McMillian, Spokesperson for Alberta Health.
“Individuals who have an address that is in Calgary, for example, but work in Fort McMurray would appear as a case in Calgary.”
Kenney and Shandro both claimed commuters were added to local numbers on Monday when they gave a COVID-19 update.
However, Kenney’s Press Secretary Jerrica Goodwin and Shandro’s Press Secretary Steve Buick have since provided statements clarifying this mistake.
“Cases are reported in two different formats: outbreak reports including all cases by site and totals for Alberta cases reported by municipality/ local geographic area,” added Buick.
“Outbreak reports include out-of-region/province “commuter” workers. Case totals on the map do not.”
The RMWB’s Chief Administrative Officer, Jamie Doyle, said at Wood Buffalo council’s meeting on Tuesday the number one reason for the increase in cases across the region is spread among households with social gatherings also playing a big part.
