(File photo/northeastNOW staff)

By Angie Rolheiser

COVID-19

COVID-19 cases on the rise, northeast no exception

Sep 10, 2021 | 5:00 PM

The fourth wave of COVID-19 cases is taking its toll on hospitals around Saskatchewan.

Public Health Officer for the Northeast Dr. Mohammad Kahn told northeastNOW people have become complacent causing the spread of the virus and variants.

“Our numbers are higher since the pandemic was declared 18 months ago with the surge we are seeing right now,” Dr. Kahn said. “In the northeast, we are not much different than the rest of the province and all public health indicators that we follow are in the red.”

New cases per day are higher and daily new cases per 100,000 population are higher.

As of right now the hospitals in the Northeast do have some COVID patients.

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“If their conditions get worse or they need ICU, they will get transferred to larger centres so it will have an impact on larger centres,” Dr. Kahn said. “We don’t have a lot of those patients right now, but the situation can get worse at any time if cases keep increasing.”

Most cases are in the unimmunized population and the younger population which has lower vaccination rates. Dr. Kahn also pointed to the complacency of the vaccinated population as well.

“Being a physician and being fully vaccinated, I still put on a mask when I go to the grocery store or anywhere indoors when there are people together,” Dr. Kahn said. “The masks are still needed.”

Dr. Kahn said it is becoming a pandemic of unvaccinated people in the past few weeks and he is encouraging anyone that is eligible to get their first and second dose.

“There are people who are fully vaccinated that have also been infected but they usually have milder symptoms,” Dr.Kahn said. “The main objective of the vaccine is to prevent severe disease and hospitalization and death.”

On Monday, booster doses will begin for high-risk people.

Cases among students and staff have already began popping up as well with school back in session for the fall.

“Masks are not mandated now so we are working with the school division partners to implement measures to control the spread of infection,” Dr. Khan said. “This is a big concern for us with the under 12 age group not being vaccinable and the younger population numbers are only at about 50 percent who have got their shot.”

The delta variant is a big concern as it can spread faster than the original strain of COVID-19.

“Don’t let your guards down, we still need to follow all public health precautions,” Dr. Kahn said. “Wear a mask, wash hands frequently, keep two meters of distance and stay home if you’re sick.”

On Sept. 10 there were 432 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 which was the second highest day in Saskatchewan’s COVID-19 history. In the North East there were 18 new cases bringing the total of active cases to 154.

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angie.rolheiser@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @Angie_Rolheiser