2 more die in south Edmonton care centre COVID-19 outbreak, total now 31

A COVID-19 outbreak at a south Edmonton care home has killed two more people.

The deaths, reported Sunday, bring the total number of dead at the Good Samaritan Southgate Care Centre to 31.

As of Sunday, nine residents remained sick with the respiratory illness and eight employees remained infected.

Since the outbreak began, 39 residents have recovered, the same number ofrecoveries among residentsreported more than a week ago.

At least 25 employees have also recovered from the illness.

The outbreak was first declared on June 13 and is considered the deadliest care centre outbreak in Alberta surpassing the 21 deaths reported at Calgary's Extendicare Hillcrestlast month.

The centre, at 4225 107th St., has been working with Alberta Health Services in an attempt to curb the spread through reduced contact, increased sanitizationand enhanced testing.

The centre has cancelledoutdoorvisits andbrought in additional cleaning staff, It screens employees and residents twice a day.

AHShad considered taking over day-to-day operations ofthe facility in mid-July, butdecided the move was not necessary.

• Alberta records 144 new COVID-19 cases, two deaths

The city has seen an uptick in cases and the Good Samaritanis not the only Edmonton health facility dealing with an outbreak.

On Friday, Alberta Health Services confirmed two staff at the Grey Nuns Community Hospital in southeast Edmonton had tested positive for COVID-19, officially marking an outbreak at the facility.

There are also three COVID-19 patients in the hospital, but they are not considered part of the outbreak since they acquired the disease outside the facility.

During its daily update on Friday, Alberta confirmed 144 new cases of COVID-19, the biggest single-day total since mid-July.

With 676 active cases, the Edmonton zone also accounted for more than half of the province's 1,144 active cases.

The province also recorded two more deaths from the disease on Friday which brought the total to 230.

• Three more COVID-19 deaths at Edmonton care centre devastated by outbreak