Majority of 26 new COVID-19 cases in northern half of Saskatchewan

Of all cases, 112 are considered active. Two more people have recovered, bringing the provincial total to 297.

There are 10 people in hospital, with seven receiving inpatient care (four are in the North region and three are in Saskatoon.) Three patients are in intensive care in Saskatoon.

The latest COVID-19 numbers and locations as of May 1. (submitted photo/SHA)

Of the 415 cases, 138 are travellers, 163 are community contacts (including mass gatherings), 38 have no known exposures and 76 remain under investigation by Public Health.

Across the province, 40 of the cases are health care workers (although not all sourced their infections at work), 156 are from the Saskatoon area, 81 from the North, 75 from the Regina area, 77 from the Far North, 15 from the South, and 11 from the central region.

There are 39 cases involving people 19 years of age or under.

There are 151 cases in the 20 to 39 age range, 139 in the 40 to 59 age range, 73 are in the 60 to 79 age range and 13 are in the 80-plus age range.

Fifty per cent of cases are males and 50 per cent are females.

There have been six people who have died from COVID-19 in Saskatchewan.

To date, 30,357 tests for the virus have been performed.

A graph of the latest numbers as of May 1. (Aaron Schuze/northeastNOW Staff)

La Loche Outbreak

SHA CEO Scott Livingstone said 19 mobile testing teams are being deployed to La Loche and will visit 750 households in La Loche, Clearwater River Dene Nation, Black Point and Garson Lake.

Each team will comprise of two clinical staff members and a local staff member.

The teams will also do public education and determine if the home is suitable for self-isolation.

“It’s a broader approach for assessing not just contacts and testing more people in the community but it’s also helping folks understand the risk and how they can properly self-isolate and if they can’t in their own homes, we have been bringing in trailers, activating the school so we can have people safely self-isolate.”

Livingstone said an outbreak in the community of Beauval is expected to be declared “imminently.”

Saskatchewan’s Chief Medical Health Offier Dr. Saqib Shahab said while the numbers in La Loche are alarming, the high number of cases is also due to extensive testing which is detecting the virus in people who may not even be showing symptoms.

“While case numbers are rising rapidly, part of it is actually due to very aggressive testing which is trying to get ahead of the outbreak,” he said.

Lloydminster and Prince Albert outbreaks

Dr. Susan Shaw said around 60 to 80 staff from the Victoria Hospital and the Lloydminster Hospital are currently isolating, but many will likely soon be cleared to go back to work.

“Through the process of investigation it’s highly likely that many of those will be found to not have been a close contact without PPE (personal protective equipment) and they will be allowed to return to the workplace with self-monitoring.”

All health care workers, regardless of whether they have been exposed to COVID-19, are required to self monitor which includes two temperature checks a day.

Shaw said she can’t confirm which hospital departments are affected by staffing changes at this time, but emphasized additional staff from other regions could be brought in if needed.

“We are continuing to look at what impact a temporary reduction in staffing could mean for ongoing services. But we do have plans, particularly because we’re a single health authority, to be able to ensure that care is safe, that staff can move when necessary to support or patients when necessary can be moved to alternate locations if required,” she said.

Staff from North Battleford have been sent to the Lloydminister Hospital.

The emergency room at the Victoria Hospital remains open and Dr. Shaw encouraged people to visit if they need care.

Re-Open Saskatchewan

The province plans to proceed with its Re-Open Saskatchewan Plan starting on Monday, May 4, but with a caveat.

The first phase will not apply to La Loche and Lloydminster due to their respective outbreaks.

The first phase of the plan will allow public access to previously restricted medical services including dentistry, optometry, physical therapy, optician services, podiatry, occupational therapy and chiropractic treatment.

There are guidelines also in place for parks, campgrounds, boat launches and fishing. Golf courses can open from May 15.

For more information on specific guidelines, click here.

The Public Health Order still remains in effect, requiring a 10-person limit on gatherings. A two-metre physical distancing is still required. Anyone who has symptoms of the virus is to remain home.

Northern travel

The province issued a recommendation for northern travellers: the only people who should be travelling to the North are people returning to their primary residence and people going to La Ronge or Stoney Rapids. No one should be stopping in between communities or travelling between them.

The province also issued the following measures:

Limit outings to one person per household, or limit the occupants in a vehicle only to members of the same household.
Carpooling or ride sharing should be discontinued wherever possible. If carpooling must occur, physical distancing should be maintained as much as possible. This may include having people sit in the back.
Everyone in the vehicle must wash their hands frequently and practice good respiratory etiquette (cover sneezes and coughs with a tissue or your arm). Consider wearing a cloth or surgical mask when unable to maintain two metre distance from non-family members.
Stay home. Do not travel or share a vehicle if you are ill or have symptoms of COVID-19.
People may travel to the closest community of their primary home to buy essential goods and services that are not available in their home community.
Follow physical distancing directions provided by the grocery store. Keep a distance of two metres from other customers, even in the checkout line.
Do not go shopping if you are sick or symptomatic. Make use of community or delivery services where possible.
Communities without grocery stores are encouraged to create bulk purchasing plans with its members in order to limit travel. Communities should also work with their regional partners to facilitate efficient critical travel to and from hubs for items such as groceries and medication.
Shoppers should contact stores prior to visiting in case there are customer limits.

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panews@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @princealbertnow

by paNOW Staff

Majority of 26 new COVID-19 cases in northern half of Saskatchewan

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