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Premier Scott Moe. (Lisa Schick/CKOM News Staff)
Number increasing

Saskatchewan’s COVID-19 case count at 72

Mar 24, 2020 | 1:16 PM

As of Tuesday, March 24, the province confirmed six more cases of COVID-19 in Saskatchewan, bringing the total to 72 reported cases.

Two of those cases are individuals 19 years of age and under and 59 cases are between the ages of 20 to 64. Eleven cases are 65 years of age and older. Sixty per cent of cases are males and 40 are females.

There are eleven cases between the central and northern areas of the province, a large region which includes Prince Albert. The province has not specified specific municipalities in which the cases are located, citing privacy concerns.

To date, 5,757 tests for the virus have been performed at the province’s Roy Romanow Provincial Laboratory.

Planning for response

Saskatchewan Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Saquib Shahab said the provincial government is examining the inherent risk and advantages Saskatchewan has in dealing with the pandemic in co-ordinating their response.

“Rural isolated remote communities, they could be cocooned for a long time and not see any cases but if they see cases they would have to manage that in a very different way than a larger city,” he said.

Shahab said the government has identified four cases of COVID-19 in Saskatchewan that have not been linked to travel, although investigations into those infections remain ongoing.

He said residents should act like there is community transmission in the province regardless however this is not reason to panic, but rather be very mindful of their actions.

“You’re going to buy your groceries, you bring your shopping home… you wash your hands. You’re not touching your eyes and face while you’re shopping or you’re out and about,” he said.

panews@jpbg.ca

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