The number of COVID-19 cases in Saskatchewan grew by 14 on Monday, bringing the total to 66. One case is presumptive positive and the rest are confirmed. Two are in the 5 to 19 year old category and the rest are adults. Saskatchewan’s Chief Medical Health Officer, Dr. Saqib Shahab says 61 per cent are male and 39 per cent are female. In Canada, there have been 1474 reported COVID-19 cases and 20 deaths.

There is no evidence of community transmission so far in Saskatchewan, even though there was an investigation into 3 that were possibly not related to international travel. Dr. Shahab explains that the investigations take time and some are complicated, so it’s difficult to pin point when and where the transmission happened, meaning it can take a few days to confirm.

Premier Scott Moe says practicing social distancing and social isolation for those who have travelled or have been in close contact with someone who has the virus are helping, but it’s still expected most of us will be exposed at some point. The goal is to spread it out over time, so the health system can manage the number of cases.

Dr. Shahab says most of us are following the rules and staying home and being safe with social distancing when out and about, but there are some that haven’t gotten the message. If we all do our part, Shahab says we can flatten the curve. Premier Moe commended Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s strong message that “enough is enough”. He mentioned social media posts showing people on the beach in Vancouver and said it’s time to go home and stay home.

Moe says this pandemic is not over, and there may come a time when more strict regulations are needed where everyone except those in essential services would have to stay home. He hopes the Premiers and the Prime Minister will agree on aligning restrictions and resources, so everyone is on the same page.