On Thursday, 13 new COVID-19 cases were announced in Regina bringing the active case total in the city to 159.  On October 1, there were just 34 cases meaning that despite no significant events like what there has been in Saskatoon or Prince Albert that has caused problems, the virus is still finding its way into the city.

It is something that has become worrisome for people as they do their day-to-day business with many of them doing what has been asked when it comes to doing their part to limit the spread of the virus like washing hands, maintaining a safe distance between yourself and others and wearing a mask.

Dr. Tania Diener is the senior medical health officer for Regina. She feels the transmission is coming from gatherings that have been had  and not one particular event like other jurisdictions have seen,

“There’s no specific places or event as everyone is doing what they should be doing for the most part.” Diener said. “What we are seeing though is some overcrowded situations where once one person tests positive, its too late for the others.  There were some connections to Thanksgiving events and some Halloween events.  These weren’t big parties, but just families getting together which results in incubating and spreading. We are fortunate in the sense there is no large events in Regina which has resulted in transmission.”

Diener says this reinforces the fact that we should be doing things like wearing masks, washing your hands and maintaining the other protocols that have been put in place and that if you start feeling some symptoms that you need to get tested right away and not wait.

She adds the recent mandate to wear masks indoors and have gatherings limited to 10 people instead of 15 will help slow the number.  Another thing she is hoping for is that people will get a flu shot so that the healthcare system doesn’t get weighed down with influenza and coronavirus cases.