Saskatchewan has confirmed the province’s first presumptive case of COVID-19. Health officials say the individual was tested March 9th in Saskatoon. The resident is in their 60’s and has recently travelled to Egypt. The individual has been well enough to self-isolate at home.
The Roy Romanow Provincial Laboratory reported the positive lab sample Thursday and has forwarded it to the National Microbiology Lab in Winnipeg for confirmation. Dr. Saqib Shahab, the province’s Chief Medical Health Officer says all travelers need to monitor their symptoms for two weeks once they arrive home.
Shahab is reminding residents to take precautions to protect themselves against respiratory illness by washing hands frequently and practicing good cough and sneeze hygiene. Officials are also reminding residents to stay home if you’re sick. Public health officials are in regular contact with the individual with the first presumptive case and will connect with those who are close to the individual. If you don’t receive a call from public health, you are not at risk of COVID-19 from the individual.
Listed below are ways you can protect yourself from respiratory illness.
– Wash your hands frequently, for at least 20 seconds
– Do not touch surfaces and then your mouth, eyes or nose
– Use tissues when you cough or sneeze and dispose them immediately
– Use you elbow if a tissue is not available
– Practice social distancing by not shaking hands, hugging, etc.
Saskatchewan health officials believe more positive cases of COVID-19 in the province will come forward as time goes on.
Thursday morning, the province announced the first presumptive case in Saskatchewan. That person is a man in his 60’s who recently travelled to Egypt and arrived in Saskatoon on March 6th and was tested on the 9th.
Dr. Saqib Shahab, the province’s Chief Medical Health Officer says the man has had contact with one other person since arriving in the province and that was with someone in his own home.
Shahab says public health is closely monitoring that person who was in contact with the man.
The province is reminding travellers to self-monitor their symptoms when they arrive back home and to self-isolate if they develop any symptoms especially after attending a large event or arriving back home from a trip.
Shahab says anyone with symptoms can call the healthline at 811 and in many cases, testing can be done at home. Shahab adds anyone looking for more information about Coronavirus or has general questions, to check the Government of Saskatchewan’s website.
So far, there have been 285 people tested for COVID-19 in Saskatchewan.
263 have come back negative and 22 are pending including the presumptive case.
The Saskatchewan Health Authority tweeted Thursday morning asking those calling to be patient given that they’re experiencing a high volume of calls.
If you are experiencing symptoms, you’re asked to stay on the line for 20 minutes.
The positive lab sample in Saskatchewan will now head to the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg for confirmation.
