The Saskatchewan government reported five new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday—none of which were located in a region that’s been a growing area of concern over the past week.
The province said two of the new cases are in the south, one is in the Saskatoon region, one is in the far north and one is in the central region. Saskatchewan also saw four more recoveries.
No new cases were reported in the northern area, which includes Prince Albert, Meadow Lake, Melfort and North Battleford. With a cluster of new cases of the virus in the Prince Albert area, visitation is restricted at the Victoria Hospital and long-term care homes, including Herb Bassett Home, Pineview Terrace and Mont St. Joseph Home.
With Thursday’s new figures, the province now has 48 active cases—25 in the far north, eight in the north, six in the Saskatoon area, two in the central region, and seven in the south.
Five people with COVID-19 are in hospital. Two are receiving inpatient care in the north and two are receiving inpatient care in Saskatoon, while an additional person in Saskatoon is in intensive care.
Saskatchewa has had 813 cases of COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic.
Of those cases:
- 168 cases are related to travel, 484 are community contacts (including mass gatherings), 114 have no known exposures and 47 are under investigation by local public health.
- 55 cases are health care workers; however, the source of the infections is not related to their work environments in all instances.
- 339 of the cases are from the far north, 192 are from the Saskatoon area, 120 are from the north, 80 are from the Regina area, 68 are from the south and 14 are from the central region.
- 118 cases involve people 19 years of age and under, 284 cases are in the 20-39 age range, 254 are in the 40-59 age range, 136 are in the 60-79 age range and 21 are in the 80-plus range.
- 51 per cent of the cases are females and 49 per cent are males.
- 15 deaths related to COVID-19 have been reported to date.
So far, 71,757 COVID‐19 tests have been performed in Saskatchewan. That’s an increase of 882 since Wednesday.
Guidelines for temporary food vendors, racing, rodeos, banquet and conference facilities, car shows and trade shows released
The provincial government has released guidance for businesses and events reopening in the second part of Phase 4 of the Re-Open Saskatchewan Plan.
This includes temporary food vendors, racing, rodeos, banquet and conference facilities, car shows and trade shows.
Here are the guidelines:
Seating Areas
Seating areas are now permitted at drive-in theatres, as well as public and farmers markets. Physical distancing is required between tables and only members of the same group should be seated together.
Safe Summer Camping at Provincial Parks
- Visitors to Saskatchewan parks are asked to bring their own hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes, maintain physical distance from others, respect the restrictions and rules that are in place, and stay home if they are not feeling well.
- A variety of safety protocols are now in place at the outdoor pools in provincial parks, including a significant reduction in the capacity of the pools.
- Campers that have booked their campsites and already purchased an Annual Park Entry Permit should proceed directly to their sites. They will be automatically checked-in.
- Washroom access is limited to one household at a time, but campers are encouraged to use the facilities in their trailers or recreational vehicles.
- Individuals from different extended household groups must maintain a physical distance of two metres outdoors, indoors, on the beach and in the water. Towels and beach gear should be set up with four metres between groups to allow physical distancing to be maintained for those entering or exiting the area.
- Towels, beach toys, food and other items should not be shared between members of different groups.
- If the beach area is full, please use adjacent grass areas, where available, to ensure group and individual physical distancing is maintained.
Live Performances
Effective July 16, live performances will be permitted in restaurants and licensed establishments, as well as at public and farmers markets. Physical distancing will be required, with greater distances needed depending on the activity and instruments involved. Dance floors and karaoke are not permitted at this time.
Additional information will continue to be added to the Re-Open Saskatchewan plan based on direction from public health officials and input from businesses and service providers.
Saskatchewan residents are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the guidelines and follow their recommendations to ensure the province can continue to re-open in a safe manner without a significant increase in the transmission of COVID-19.
Guidelines for door-to-door solicitation, garage sales and the donation of used items are currently being developed. As of Thursday, the government did not have a date for when those guidelines will be released.
More to come.
