Alberta Health Services (AHS) released updated numbers on the Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) outbreak in the province and the number of confirmed cases has risen to 49, going back to July 1.
Calgary accounts for 28 cases, while Edmonton has seen 13. The total is up from 18 cases confirmed as of last week.
In the United States, 27 states and the District of Columbia have confirmed cases of EV-D68, totaling 175 people. AHS says at this time, it is NOT known whether the cases of EV-D68 recently confirmed in Alberta are the same strain as the strain of EV-D68 currently circulating in the USA. Alberta’s Provincial Laboratory of Public Health continues to work with the National laboratory to determine whether the EV-D68 cases in Alberta are being caused by the same EV-D68 that has been reported in the USA.
Albertans are encouraged to follow these simple precautions to protect themselves from circulating viruses, including enteroviruses:
- Using soap and warm water, wash your hands thoroughly and often, including after coughing, sneezing, using tissues or the washroom, and before eating or preparing foods. Alcohol-based hand rub or sanitizer can also be helpful if hands are not visibly soiled.
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when sneezing or coughing. If you don’t have a tissue, always cough or sneeze into your arm, not into your hands. Throw away tissues after wiping your nose or covering a cough and wash your hand.
- Make a point of keeping hands and fingers away from your eyes, nose and mouth
- If you have symptoms of illness, including fever, cough, runny nose or sneezing, stay home from work, school, daycare, or any social function. Please also refrain from visiting family, friends or loved ones in hospitals, care facilities or seniors lodges, until you have fully recovered.
- Keep household surfaces clean, regularly using a household cleaner (follow directions on the product label) For more infectious disease news and information, visit and “like” the Infectious Disease News Facebook page
