What you need to know about COVID-19 in Alberta on Friday, April 24

The latest:

• Alberta has announced a $1-billion well reclamation program.
• Alberta reported five more deaths from COVID-19 on Friday and 297 new cases.
• Three of the new cases are on the Stoney Nakoda First Nation.
• There are also 2 new cases at Mountain View Poultry in Okotoks.
• Calgary has extended a ban on events on city land to the end of August.
• As the number of Alberta doctors withdrawing hospital services grows, one of those doctors says government has broken trust, removed stability.
• Union president wants independent party to make decisions about safety of meat plants.
• More City of Edmonton employees will be laid off this spring, but numbers aren't yet known.
• The Alberta government has authorized the finance minister to borrow up to $25 billion.
• The province will roll out a contact-tracing upp as part of its pandemic response.

What you need to know today in Alberta:

The Alberta economy is being battered by the pandemic, and the government has authorized the finance minister to borrow up to $25 billion to deal with the crisis. The NDP supports the move, but has suggestions on how that money should be spent.

On Friday, the government announced a $1-billion program to reclaim oil and gas wells, something it says will create 5,300 jobs in the province.

The government also said it's close to rolling out a contact-tracing app that will alert users as to whether they came into contact with someone who tested positive. Details are few. The government says the app is voluntary. Alberta's privacy commissioner is waiting on a privacy impact statement.

Alberta reported five more deaths and 297 new cases on Friday afternoon.

The regional breakdown of cases as of Friday was:

• Calgary zone: 2,833.
• Edmonton zone: 466.
• South zone: 444.
• North zone: 165.
• Central zone: 82.
• Unknown: 27.

What you need to know today in Canada:

The federal government will offer rent relief for businesses forced to shut down during the pandemic.

The plan is to provide loans to cover up to 75 per cent of the rental cost through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.

A portion of the loan will be non-repayable.

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4 years ago

Duration 2:02

The curve for COVID-19 cases in Canada is starting to flatten, but before cases see a major decrease in the number of deaths that number will continue to rise.

That comes as projected spending by Ottawa on direct supports due to COVID-19 hits $145 billion.

As of 5:30p.m.ET on Friday, Canada had 43,562confirmed and presumptive cases, with 15,492listed by provinces and territories as resolved or recovered.

A CBC News tally of coronavirus-related deaths, which is based on provincial data, local public health information and CBC reporting, put the death toll at 2,345in Canada, plus two deaths abroad.

Self-assessment and supports:

Alberta Health Services has an online self-assessment tool that you can use to determine if you have symptoms of COVID-19.

The province says Albertans who have returned to Canada from other countries must self-isolate. Unless your situation is critical and requires a call to 911, Albertans are advised to call Health Link at 811 before visiting a physician, hospital or other health-care facility.

If you have symptoms, even mild, you are to self-isolate for 10 days from the onset of symptoms.

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You can find Alberta Health Services' latest coronavirus updates here.

The province also operates a confidential mental health support line at 1-877-303-2642 and addiction help line at 1-866-332-2322, available from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., seven days a week.

Online resources are available for advice on handling stressful situations and ways to talk with children.

There is a 24-hour family violence information line at 310-1818 to get anonymous help in more than 170 languages, and Alberta's One Line for Sexual Violence is available at 1-866-403-8000, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.