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Saskatchewan's Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Saqib Shahab. (Lisa Schick/CKOM News Staff)
COVID-19

Twenty-four COVID-19 cases related to snowmobile rally, third person dies of virus in Sask.

Apr 1, 2020 | 2:06 PM

A third person has died from complications related to COVID-19 in the province. The deceased was a Saskatchewan resident in the 80 to 89 age range.

As of today, there are nine new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the province, bringing the total to 193.

Three of those patients are receiving inpatient care in Saskatoon while one remains in an intensive care unit in Regina.

To provide clarity on transmission, the province will categorize cases related to travel, community contact (including household contacts and mass gatherings) and unknown exposures. Public Health is investigating several cases, which will not be categorized until the investigations are concluded.

Eighty-seven cases are travellers, 41 are community contacts, eight have no known exposures, and 57 remain under investigation.

Right now, 24 cases are traced to a snowmobile rally dinner in Christopher Lake on March 14. Ninety-four cases are from the Saskatoon area, 43 are from Regina, 37 are from the North, nine are from the central region, seven are from the South and three cases are from the Far North.

Priority for northern testing

The province’s Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Saquid Shahab confirmed COVID-19 testing is being prioritized for Northern communities, essential service workers, and those at in-patient facilities.

Premier Scott Moe said continued collaboration between the provincial government and leaders in the North is essential.

“To ensure that we are doing what we can to hopefully continue to keep COVID-19 at a very low level and keep it out of our Northern and remote communities,” he said.

Moe has extended the provincial state of emergency for a further two weeks.

“All of the orders that have been issued to date under the provincial state of emergency will continue and those measures I would say are working,” he said. “They are working because the people of Saskatchewan, each and every one of you are doing your part.”

Demographics data

Fifty-five per cent of cases are males, while 45 per cent of cases are females.

Six of the cases are 19 and under, 87 are in the 20 to 44 age range, 69 are in the 45 to 64 range and 31 are in the 65-plus age range.

Nine more people have recovered from the virus, bringing the provincial recovery total to 30.

Up until today, there have been 10,528 tests performed for the virus. Saskatchewan has the second highest rate of testing per capita among all provinces.

If you are looking for more information on case surveillance by region and testing information, click here. The former Prince Albert Parkland Health Region is now considered part of the North region.

panews@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @princealbertnow

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