The province has confirmed nine new cases of COVID-19 in Saskatchewan, bringing the total number of cases in the province to 104.
Six people are currently hospitalized due to COVID-19. One patient in the northern part of the province, three people in Regina, including one in ICU, and two people in Saskatoon including one person in ICU.
Six cases are the result of local transmission, the rest are travel related.
There are four cases in people 19 or younger, 49 cases are in the 20-44 age range, 33 cases are in the 45-64 range, and 18 cases are people 65 or older.
Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Saqib Shahab said now that there are cases not linked to travel, it’s why the government changed their testing criteria this week.
“We had a very big magnifying glass on travellers. But now we are saying if you have travelled, you have to stay home anyways,” stated Dr. Shahab.
“Out of 7,000 plus tests, we have to remember that 100 are positive. So the test positivity rate is very low, which is a good thing. Most returning travellers seeking testing were actually testing negative and that’s a good thing.”
The province has conducted 7,580 tests for COVID-19.
While testing has increased in the province, Shahab said it’s really important to conserve testing for people who require it.
“For others now, our guidance is different from what it was before. Now as returning travellers, it is mandatory that you stay home for two weeks,” explained Saskatchewan’s CMHO.
“Within those two weeks, if you have a mild cough and no fever, you do not require testing. Your cough is there for two to three days and then it goes away, you would have cleared the virus and you do not need testing.”
Three people have recovered from the virus, though there may be more cases yet to be reported to public health.
(With files from Josh Sigurdson and Moises Canales)
