Saskatchewan now has a total of 353 cases of COVID-19.
On Sunday, the province saw a rise of another four cases, three out of the four new cases today are in the North and one is in the Regina area
The active case total is 61 of the 353 cases. The active case load went up by four from Saturday’s update.
The province reminded people to practice proper behavior as there is a move towards re-opening. Saskatchewan residents must continue to take measures to stop the spread of COVID-19. This includes limiting gatherings to no more than 10 people and practicing physical distancing.
With extreme caution and under the following conditions, one or two close families may form an extended household group: The families or friends must remain consistent. Do not visit different families or friends every day, If you are going to create an extended household group, consider if any member of the group has any chronic health conditions that would put them at greater risk, or if they are in close contact with someone who could be vulnerable. Gatherings must still follow the public health order and be no more than 10 people, stay home if you are ill and maintain physical distancing where possible the province’s release said.
The province added individuals should always be aware of who you have been in contact with over the past two weeks. These are the people who would need to be contacted by public health if you were to test positive for COVID-19.
On Friday following consultation with the Mayor of La Loche and other northern leaders, Saskatchewan’s Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Saqib Shahab signed a Public Health Order restricting all non-critical travel into and out of northern Saskatchewan, specifically the Northern Saskatchewan Administration District.
Dr. Shahab also issued a strong recommendation against non-essential travel between communities within northern Saskatchewan.
The province is continuing to increase testing and contact tracing in the La Loche area and is working closely with community leaders to ensure everyone who is required to do so is able to self-isolate.
There were no additional recoveries reported and that total remains at 288.
While 38 of the cases are health care workers, however, the source of the infections may not be related to health care in all instances.
Of the 353 cases in the province, 138 cases are travellers which remains the same as yesterday’s update, 148 are community contacts which includes mass gatherings which is an increase of two over yesterday, 35 have no known exposures and 32 are under investigation by local public health, both of those totals increased by one over yesterday. There are currently five people in hospital in the province, an increase of one over yesterday. Two are in intensive care and three are in inpatient care, locations of hospitalizations were not included in government information.
Prince Albert’s region, the north, reports 68 cases an increase of three over yesterday, 150 of the cases are from the Saskatoon area which remains the same total as yesterday, 74 are from the Regina area, the remaining numbers are the same as yesterday’s update with 15 are from the south, 11 are from the central region and 35 are from the far north.
The age breakdown shows 29 cases in the 19 years of age and under while the rest are adults. The 20-39-year-old age range has 126 cases an increase of one from yesterday, 120 cases are in the 40-59-year-old age range (an increase of two) and 67 cases are in the 60-79-year-old age range, which is an increase of one and 11 are in the 80-year-old and over range ; the gender breakdown remains 51 per cent of the cases being males and 49 per cent being females.
There have been no additional deaths reported as of Sunday and the provincial total remains at four. To date, 27,884 COVID-19 tests have been performed in the province. As of April 22 when other provincial and national numbers are available from the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), Saskatchewan’s per capita rate was 20,864 people tested per million population and exceeds the national rate of 16,497 people tested per million population.
