With 17 new cases of COVID-19 and a sixth death, it may not seem like Saskatchewan is flattening the curve, but the Premier says we are. A second person from a long term care facility in La Loche has died. There is a third person with the virus from that facility, but that patient is recovering and the rest have tested negative.

Eleven of the new cases are from the La Loche and 4 in Lloydminster, part of a cluster from the hospital there, for a total of 13 cases in that community. Scott Moe says other than these 2 specific outbreaks, the transmission numbers remain low in this province and the work that everyone has done is flattening the curve. Because Lloydminster Hospital serves both Alberta and Saskatchewan, Alberta Health Services is also involved in taking steps to deal with the outbreak. In La Loche, the resources are now available for more extensive testing, and Moe promises that anyone who would like to be tested from that area can be. The Saskatchewan Health Authority is deploying 50 to 100 additional staff to help out La Loche and surrounding communities.

Phase 1 of re-opening Saskatchewan begins on Monday, but Lloydminster and the La Loche area will not be a part of that. As part of Phase 1, on June 1st regional and provincial campgrounds will open. The Premier doesn’t believe this will mean an influx of travel from other provinces, possibly bringing about more transmission of the virus, because inter-provincial travel isn’t advised unless for essential services.