A microscopic image of the novel coronavirus. (Canadian Press)

By paNOW Staff

COVID-19

Five new cases of COVID-19 in Saskatchewan, province prepares for phase two of reopen plan

May 14, 2020 | 2:28 PM

There are five new cases of COVID-19 in the province, with four in the La Loche area and one in Regina.

The latest numbers bring the provincial total to 582 with 178 considered active.

There have been 13 new recoveries, bringing the provincial total to 398.

Currently, there are 10 patients in hospital, with seven receiving inpatient care (three in the North, three in Saskatoon and one in Regina.) There are three patients in intensive care in Saskatoon.

The latest numbers of COVID-19 in Saskatchewan as of May 14. (submitted photo/SHA)

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Of the 582 cases, 139 are travellers, 302 are community contacts (including mass gatherings), 67 have no known exposures and 76 are under investigation by public health.

Across the province, 48 cases are health care workers (although not all sourced their infections from work), 210 are from the Far North, 163 are from the Saskatoon area, 106 are from the North, 76 are from the Regina area, 15 are from the South and 12 are from the Central region.

There are 81 cases involving people aged 19 and under.

There are 205 cases in the 20 to 39 age range, 180 in the 40 to 59 age range, 98 are in the 60 to 79 age range and 18 in the 80-plus age range.

Forty-nine per cent of cases are females and 51 per cent are males.

Six people have died from COVID-19 in the province.

A chart of the latest numbers in Saskatchewan as of May 14. (Aaron Schulze/northeastNOW Staff)

To date, the province has performed 38,728 COVID-19 tests.

Testing expansion

The province expects to make testing available to any Saskatchewan resident working outside the home — particularly those who are returning to work under phase two of the Re-Open Saskatchewan Plan.

The province’s Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Saqib Shahab said the initiative will help calm workers as the province starts to reopen.

“So that will obviously inform people who may have very mild symptoms or have other concerns especially as people go back to work, we really want to encourage as businesses re-open if employers and their staff have concerns they can and should get tested,” he said.

The following at-risk populations will be tested:

• All patients upon admission or in advance of a planned admission to an acute care hospital for a stay anticipated to be greater than 24 hours. This includes all expectant mothers entering a health facility to give birth.
• Immunocompromised asymptomatic individuals, including cancer patients in advance of undergoing immunosuppressive procedures such as chemotherapy.
• All health staff working with immunocompromised patients.
• Mobile (worksite) testing in high volume work settings (factories, industrial settings, etc.

  This is in addition to current testing requirements for:

• All residents identified by public health as a contact of someone known or suspected of having COVID-19.
• Individuals identified by public health at a high risk due to active spread of COVID-19 in their workplace or community.
• All residents upon admission and re-admission to long-term and personal care homes.
• All residents and staff in long-term and personal care homes upon notification of a COVID-19 positive resident or staff member.

Details on testing will be made available next week.

In addition, the province plans to increase active case finding throughout vulnerable populations and more remote Indigenous communities.

If widespread transmission occurs in a community, further testing initiatives would be implemented.

Phase two of the Reopen Plan

Beginning Friday, owners and employees of outfitting operations will be permitted to travel to outfitting camps, including those in the Northern Saskatchewan Administrative District. There, they can prepare for the season and secure premises.

According to the province, operators must comply with the NSAD travel restrictions and the provincial health order.

Premier Scott Moe said the North of the province will be opened as soon as it is safe to do so, but for now the lock down will continue to be enforced.

“Don’t make any mistakes about this. Our goal is to actually remove these restrictions that are in place but we can only do so when we’re achieving that collective success across the province or in the regions where these restrictions may be in place,” he said.

President of the Public Safety Agency Marlo Pritchard said the government is constant communication with Northern leaders, but acknowledged there have been some problems related to check stops.

“We’re working through some I would say rough points in regards to freedom of movement and understanding the public [health] order restrictions,” he said.

Along with outfitters, golf course and drive-in theatres will be able to open again under the new guidelines.

Phase two of the reopen plan will officially begin on May 19. Businesses that can open then will include retail businesses, shopping malls, personal services including hairstylists, barbers, massage therapists, acupuncturists and acupressurists. Public markets as well as farmers’ markets can open again.

Despite business restrictions being lifted, the province reminds residents the reopen plan does not change the public health order or the need to comply with it. The precautionary measures include;

• Limiting public and private gatherings – inside and outside – to no more than 10 people.
• Maintaining physical distancing by keeping two metres away from others.
• Avoiding unnecessary travel.
• Exercising caution when forming an extended household group and being aware of who you have been in contact with over the past two weeks. If you test positive for COVID-19, these are the people who will need to be contacted by public health.
• Staying home if you’re sick or symptomatic.

—

—With files from Alison Sandstrom and Aaron Schulze.

panews@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @princealbertnow