EDMONTON—The Alberta government has ordered the immediate cancellation of all kindergarten to Grade 12 classes in the province and closure of daycares as it tries to limit the spread of COVID-19.
Dr. Deena Hinshaw says there have been 17 cases of the disease detected in the province in the last 24 hours including seven people who appear to have contracted the virus at a gathering in Calgary.
Alberta now has 56 reported cases of COVID-19 and Hinshaw says the discovery of non-travel-related cases in Alberta is concerning.
The province had initially planned to keep classes running while asking students to keep their distance from one another and extra cleaning for classrooms.
But Hinshaw says teachers on the front lines told her those steps would be impossible and the decision to cancel classes was made.
Provincial Education Minister Adriana LaGrange says provincial achievement tests will be cancelled this year, but Grade 12 diploma exams will go ahead.
The Canadian Press
CHEK News
