COVID-19. (Canadian Press file photo).

By paNOW Staff

COVID-19 report

12 new COVID-19 cases reported in Sask, 8 of those split between North and Far North regions

May 3, 2020 | 2:42 PM

Saskatchewan is reporting 12 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Sunday. Eight of those are in the northern areas, with four cases in the North region and another four in the Far North region.

Both northern regions are being hit the hardest by the virus at the moment. Out of the 122 active cases in Saskatchewan, 99 of them are from the two northern regions; 68 from the Far North and 31 from the North.

The remaining four new positive cases on Sunday are from Saskatoon.

Of the 433 reported cases, 122 are considered active. Three more people have recovered, bringing the provincial total to 305.

There are currently 14 people in hospital; 11 are receiving inpatient care (five in the North region and six in Saskatoon) and three are in intensive care (in Saskatoon).

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These figures do not take into account the eight presumptive cases locally identified in La Loche on Saturday. Those cases are still pending.

An updated graph on Saskatchewan’s COVID-19 cases as of Sunday. (Aaron Schulze/northeastNOW Staff)

More pressure on province from Métis Sask and FSIN

With the recent outbreaks in the Far North regions like La Loche and Beauval, various indigenous organization are criticizing the province’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) Chief Bobby Cameron said they recommended travel restrictions going in and out of Saskatchewan, and believes that could have put the province in a better situation than they find themselves in now.

“Several weeks ago, we called for the Province to close the Provincial borders and set up the monitoring of travelers in and out of Saskatchewan. We are renewing these recommendations to be implemented again,” Cameron said in a statement. “The Province was quick to take over the check stops leading in and out of the North, a predominantly First Nations and Metis region and now we are receiving calls that officers are stopping northerners from travelling south to get groceries. If the border closures and monitoring started weeks ago, our North wouldn’t be in the fight of their lives to stop the numerous outbreaks. Our leaders must be at the table with the Provincial Government. We must have a unified line of defense against this invisible enemy and the longer it takes to establish this; the more lives remain in danger of COVID-19.”

Métis Nation – Saskatchewan president Glen McCallum said his organization has given over $1 million to northern communities through means of community monitoring, isolation units and food security. But there needs to be more response still from the government.

“The challenges in the north call for the immediate response of all levels of government to respond proactively to minimize the spread of the virus before it reaches unmanageable proportions,” said President McCallum in another statement.

The COVID-19 cases across the province, as of Sunday. (Saskatchewan Health Authority)

Of the 433 cases in the province:

• 138 cases are travellers;

• 176 are community contacts (mass gatherings included);

• 40 have no known exposures; and

• 79 are under investigation by local public health.

Overall in Saskatchewan:

• 42 cases are health care workers; however, the source of the infections may not be related to health care in all instances.

• 161 of the cases are from the Saskatoon area, 89 from the North, 76 from the Regina area, 81 from the Far North, 15 from the South, and 11 from the Central region.

• 40 cases involve people 19 years of age and under, while the remainder are adults.

• 159 cases are in the 20-39 age range; 141 are in the 40-59 age range; 78 are in the 60-79 age range; and 15 are in the 80-plus range.

• 50 per cent of the cases are males and 50 per cent are females.

• Six deaths related to COVID-19 have been reported to date.

–

Panews@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @princealbertnow