There are now 44 cases of COVID-19 in Saskatchewan with 25 of them confirmed and 19 remaining presumptive positive. This is an increase of 18 from Friday’s numbers.
The government says all current cases with the exception of one are people 20-years of age and older. 65 percent of them are men.
The government adds the Roy Romanow Provincial Laboratory in Regina is now able to confirm COVID-19 cases through laboratory tests meaning tests no longer have to be sent to a national lab in Winnipeg for confirmation which will speed up the results for both doctors and patients.
The provincial lab has processed 3,188 COVID-19 tests or about 456 tests per day.
In an update on Saturday afternoon, the province’s chief medical health officer said 11 of the positive cases all trace back to a curling bonspiel in Edmonton last weekend that was for physicians from across Western Canada. The 11, including Saskatchewan Medical Association President Dr. Allan Woo, were part of 22 from Saskatchewan that were at the event.
Shahab also voiced some concern saying three cases have not been linked at this time to any out-of-province or international travel which could indicate community transmission. He says public health officials continue to investigate those cases. He added that with flu season winding down that anyone experiencing flu-like symptoms to self-isolate, even if they are not being tested for the virus that has brought the province and the country to a virtual halt.
The province is also reminding people of the following in the wake of the state of emergency being declared earlier this week.
• Public gatherings of more than 25 people in one room are prohibited except where two metre distancing between people can be maintained; workplace and meeting settings where people are distributed into multiple rooms or buildings; and retail locations (ie. grocery stores, pharmacies, gas stations).
• The closure of all nightclubs, bars, lounges and similar facilities. Permitted is take out of alcohol or food products with two metre distancing between customers and the delivery of alcohol or food products.
• In-person classes in all primary and secondary educational institutions both public and private are suspended.
• Visitors to long-term care homes, hospitals, personal care homes, and group homes shall be restricted to family visiting for compassionate reasons. Mandatory Self-Isolation.
• Effective immediately, all persons that have traveled internationally shall go into mandatory self-isolation for 14 days from date of arrival back into Canada.
• Health Care workers who have traveled internationally, truckers, rail, airline or other working crews are exempt from this advisory only if they are required to work to maintain essential services, provide emergency health care services and maintain supply chain, and are supervised by Infection, Prevention Control Officers and/or Occupational Health and Safety in the workplace.
• All persons who have been identified by a Medical Health Officer as a close contact of a person or persons with novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) shall go into mandatory self-isolation for 14 days from the date of last having been exposed to COVID-19.
• All persons who have become symptomatic while on mandatory self-isolation shall call HealthLine 811 and follow HealthLine’s directives.
• All persons who are household members of a person having laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 shall immediately go into mandatory self-isolation, call HealthLine 811 and follow HealthLine’s directives.
Effective March 23, 2020:
• The closure of restaurants, food courts, cafeterias, cafes, bistros and similar facilities. Exceptions are take out with two metre distancing between customers during pick-up; drive through food services; delivery of food products; soup kitchens, not-for-profit community and religious kitchens with two metre distancing between tables.
• The closure of all recreational and entertainment facilities including fitness centers, casinos, bingo halls, arenas, curling rinks, swimming pools, galleries, theatres, museums and similar facilities.
• The closure of all personal service facilities including tattooists, hairdressers, barbers, acupuncturists, acupressurists, cosmetologists, electrologists, estheticians, relaxation masseuses, manicurists, pedicurists, suntanning parlours, facilities in which body piercing, bone grafting or scarification services and personal service facilities including massage therapists, except where urgently and medically necessary.
• The closure of dental, optometrist, chiropractic, registered massage therapy and podiatry clinics except for non-elective procedures.
• All daycare facilities are limited to maximum of eight children unless they can configure the facility so that a maximum of eight children are kept in room and be in accordance with the Saskatchewan child care guidelines for care.
• All daycares that are co-located with a long term care or personal care home that meet the above restriction shall be segregated with a private entrance so that there are no shared common areas with the home and no interaction between daycare children and residents of the facility.
