All Stories

No COVID restrictions in AB; feds loosen travel restrictions

Pearl Lorentzen Lakeside Leader On June 13, the province of Alberta announced that it was lifting remaining COVID-19 restrictions. The next day, the federal government also made an announcement easing some travel (and other) restrictions. Alberta The news release says,…
COVID reporting changes and one M.D. of Opportunity death

Pearl Lorentzen Lakeside Leader Unless something newsworthy happens, this will be the last COVID-19 report for a while. The Leader will continue to monitor numbers and announcements. Weekly reporting Starting on March 23, the Alberta government is releasing COVID-19 numbers…
COVID numbers down, but one M.D. of Opportunity death

Pearl Lorentzen Lakeside Leader The week of March 12 to 18 the number of active cases in the M.D. of Lesser Slave River and its close neighbours decreased or remained the same.  Lesser Slave had seven new and seven recovered…
SL COVID outbreaks removed

Pearl Lorentzen Lakeside Leader From March 4 to 11 (eight days), nine COVID outbreaks were removed from Slave Lake and surrounding municipalities. These included the remaining two outbreaks in Slave Lake (Vanderwell Heritage Place and continuing care). A social media…
One local death ruled not COVID

Pearl Lorentzen Lakeside Leader As of February 28, the M.D. of Lesser Slave River is back down to 14 COVID-19 deaths.  On that day, the death of a man in his 40s was removed from the list of COVID-19 deaths.…
March 1, all but two COVID health restrictions removed

Leader staff On Saturday, February 26, the provincial government announced that on March 1 step two of COVID reopening starts. This removes everything except to restrictions. Masks are still required in hospitals and public transit. Also, isolation for people with…
Four nearby COVID deaths

Pearl Lorentzen Lakeside Leader From Feb. 18 to 25, 11 people from the AHS North Zone died from COVID-19. None of these people were from Slave Lake, but four were from nearby communities – Westlock County (incl. Westlock): two, Woodlands…
One local death from COVID, plus four nearby

Pearl Lorentzen Lakeside Leader The week of Feb. 11 to 17, 15 people died from COVID-19 in the AHS North Zone. One was from the M.D. of Lesser Slave River (LSR), and could have been from Slave Lake, Sawridge First…
SL homeless shelter COVID outbreak; at-home learning

Pearl Lorentzen Lakeside Leader The Slave Lake homeless shelter has a COVID-19 outbreak. Also, schools run by First Nations paused in-class learning.  Outbreak The first COVID case at the shelter was on Jan. 19, said Homeless Coalition coordinator Jule Asterisk…
Two LSR and two Westlock COVID deaths

New outbreaks: Wabasca and Athabasca Pearl Lorentzen Lakeside Leader The week of January 22 to 28, two people from the M.D. of Lesser Slave River (incl. Slave Lake and Sawridge First Nation) and two from Westlock County (incl. Westlock) died…
COVID finds its way into continuing care

Details on lodge outbreak Pearl Lorentzen Lakeside Leader On January 18, COVID outbreaks were added to the list on alberta.ca at the Slave Lake Continuing Care and Pembina Lodge in Westlock. These brought the total of nearby outbreaks to two…
SL Lodge COVID outbreak and four in nearby municipalities

Pearl Lorentzen Lakeside Leader The week of January 8 to 14, there were new COVID-19 outbreaks at Vanderwell Heritage Place (aka. the Lodge) in Slave Lake, Westlock acute care, and Extendicare Athabasca. Westlock Continuing Care and Smithfield Lodge (in Westlock)…
A new year of COVID starts with an unknown curve

Pearl Lorentzen Lakeside Leader The M.D. of Lesser Slave River (incl. Slave Lake and Sawridge First Nation) had 17 new COVID cases from December 30 to January 7 (eight days). However, nearby there was much more growth. Westlock County had…
COVID weekly: A Lesser Slave death and outbreak

Pearl Lorentzen Lakeside Leader During Christmas week, one more person from the M.D. of Lesser Slave River or the Town of Slave Lake or Sawridge First Nation died from COVID-19. This was the 12th LSR death since the COVID-19 pandemic…