The coronavirus. (Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota/Twitter)

By CKOM News

SHA warns of increased risk of COVID-19 in southwest, central areas

Jul 16, 2020 | 1:43 PM

The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) is calling the COVID-19 outbreak in the southwest and west-central areas of the province “an emergent situation.”

Through contact tracing and testing, the SHA says it has identified more people with COVID-19 in those regions – and the number of new cases in the province is expected to increase significantly in the coming days.

“The results of an additional 91 COVID-19 tests from residents in the southwestern and south-central Saskatchewan area are expected (Thursday),” the SHA said in a media release issued late Wednesday.

“In addition, more than 160 people are currently undergoing testing in southwest and south-central Saskatchewan. It is expected that this will lead to case increases in the formal provincial daily COVID-19 case report in the days ahead.”

The Government of Saskatchewan provides updates every afternoon.

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The authority’s release said some of the people who were tested are connected to known cases, while others don’t have any known link to the coronavirus.

“This overall increased level of COVID-19 activity means there is an increased risk of transmission to the public in this part of Saskatchewan,” the release said.

The SHA said the risk has increased in the rural municipalities of Maple Creek, Auvergne, Biggar, Eagle Creek, Grandview, Harris, Kellross, Lac Pelletier, Newcombe, Perdue, Pleasant Valley, Prairiedale and Tramping Lake.

Increases also are expected in the city of Swift Current, where individuals who later tested positive for COVID-19 had visited several businesses.

As has been reported previously, there are cases in several Hutterite communities in the affected regions of the province, but the SHA said there also are “other, unrelated increases in cases in these municipalities.”

The SHA, the Hutterian Safety Council, local Hutterite leaders, local municipalities and businesses are working together to try to limit the spread of COVID-19.

The authority reminded residents to practise physical distancing and proper hand hygiene and to limit the size of indoor and outdoor gatherings.

It also offered a reminder that testing is now available to everyone in the province whether they have symptoms of COVID-19 or not. All that’s required is a referral from HealthLine 811.