The COVID-19 update has some good news for those in the Northwest region even as the province reports 27 new cases of COVID-19 Friday. There are now 1,099 cases to date with 235 considered active.
The new cases are located in the South with 24, while Central, North and Regina regions have one a piece.
Of the 27 cases Friday, 21 are from Hutterite colonies in the southwest and west central part of the province. Fourteen people are in hospital.
Effective immediately, northwest Saskatchewan businesses, services and events can move into Phase 4 of the Reopen Saskatchewan plan.
Of the 1,099 cases in the province:
197 cases are travellers;
571 are community contacts (including mass gatherings);
216 have no known exposures; and
115 are under investigation by local public health.
Overall in Saskatchewan:
59 cases are health care workers; however, the source of the infections may not be related to health care in all instances.
347 of the cases are from the Far North, 220 from the South, 218 are from the Saskatoon area, 129 from the North, 97 from the Central region and 88 from the Regina area.
169 cases involve people 19 years of age and under, while the remainder are adults.
364 cases are in the 20-39 age range; 345 are in the 40-59 age range; 187 are in the 60-79 age range; and 34 are in the 80-plus range.
51 per cent of the cases are females and 49 per cent are males.
16 deaths related to COVID-19 have been reported to date.
To date, 87,988 COVID19 tests have been performed in Saskatchewan. As of July 22, 2020, when other provincial and national numbers were available from the Public Health Agency of Canada, Saskatchewan’s per capita rate was 63,850 people tested per million population. The national rate was 98,361 people tested per million population.
Yesterday, an all-time high of 1,604 COVID-19 tests were performed in Saskatchewan.
Northwest Region Moves to Current Re-Opening Phase
Effective immediately, northwest Saskatchewan businesses, services and events can proceed as permitted under the current Phase 4, observing all applicable restrictions and guidance in the Re-Open Saskatchewan plan. A list of critical services and allowable businesses can be found here
Bored of COVID? COVID Doesn’t Care
It has been more than four months since COVID-19 arrived in Saskatchewan. It’s understandable that many people are tired or frustrated with the continued state of cautiousness. If you are feeling well or don’t know anyone who has gotten sick, it is easy to think that you do not need to be careful. However, the recent surge in COVID-19 in all regions of Saskatchewan shows that we cannot become complacent. There is no region in Saskatchewan without active cases. Personal protective measures protect you, your friends and family.
For the health and safety of your community, act as if there is a risk of coming into contact with COVID-19 anytime you go in public or meet with friends. We have seen from our past case numbers that Saskatchewan residents know what needs to be done to reduce transmission: wash your hands often, keep gatherings small and with the same group of people, maintain a physical distance of two metres and wear a mask anywhere where you cannot maintain physical distancing. We all have a responsibility to follow these guidelines. If we all do our part to keep ourselves and others safe, we will be able to slow the spread of COVID-19 in Saskatchewan again.
COVID-19 Testing
COVID-19 testing is now available to anyone who requests it, regardless of whether they have symptoms or not. A referral for testing can be made by contacting HealthLine 811.
Since introducing universal testing, there has been an increase in requests to be tested with the corresponding increase in provincial testing numbers. The SHA is working to ensure responsive service timing. If you are experiencing worsening symptoms, contact your physician’s office. If you require urgent care, call 911.
