Sask. reports 9 new COVID-19 cases, 47 now active

There are nine new cases of COVID-19 in Saskatchewan to report on June 17, bringing the provincial total to 693.

Seven of the new cases are in the Far North region and two are in the Saskatoon region.

Of the 693 reported COVID-19 cases in Saskatchewan, 47 are considered active.  A total of 633 individuals have recovered.

Ten days ago Saskatchewan had 16 active cases.

One person is inpatient care in Saskatoon.  One person in intensive care in Saskatoon.

Of the 693 cases in the province:

• 146 cases are travellers;
• 417 are community contacts (including mass gatherings);
• 82 have no known exposures; and
• 48 are under investigation by local public health.Overall in Saskatchewan:
• 53 cases are health care workers; however, the source of the infections may not be related to health care in all instances.
• 284 of the cases are from the Far North, 184 are from the Saskatoon area, 112 from the North, 80 from the Regina area, 19 from the South and 12 from the Central region.
• 105 cases involve people 19 years of age and under, while the remainder are adults.
•  243 cases are in the 20-39 age range; 211 are in the 40-59 age range; 115 are in the 60-79 age range; and 19 are in the 80-plus range.
• 51 per cent of the cases are females and 49 per cent are males.
• 13 deaths related to COVID-19 have been reported to date.

To date, 57,217 COVID‐19 tests have been performed in Saskatchewan.

As of June 15, when other provincial and national numbers were available from the Public Health Agency of Canada, Saskatchewan’s per capita rate was 43,193 people tested per million population.  The national rate was 58,972 people tested per million population.

Re-Open Saskatchewan Plan

The guidelines for weddings and funerals in the Re-Open Saskatchewan plan apply to services taking place in places of worship, as well as services taking place in locations outside of places of worship.

These services, as well as outdoor graduations, must incorporate the following public health measures:

• To safely support larger groupings of individuals – and where seating area allows adequate physical distancing – multiple groups of 30 are permitted up to a maximum of 150 people.
• Within each group of 30, individuals must be separated by two metres, unless they are part of the same family.
• Other groups of 30 must be arranged in the same way, and be spaced from other groups by a minimum of five metres.
• For indoor religious or non-religious ceremonies, weddings or funerals, the total number of people participating in services cannot exceed 30 per cent of seating capacity or 150 people,      whichever is less.
• No food or drink service is allowed at any of the above gatherings – indoors or outdoors.

Physical Distancing

Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Saqib Shahab is reminding Saskatchewan residents that physical distancing measures must be followed to prevent the transmission of COVID-19, even as indoor gathering sizes increase.

Effective Monday, June 22, indoor gatherings of up to 30 are only permitted where space allows for two metres of physical distancing between participants.

“You need to have enough space to have 30 people,” Dr. Shahab said.  “If you don’t have enough space for 30, invite less people.”

In general, it is better to meet less frequently, meet outdoors and meet in as small a group as possible.  Stay home if you are sick.

COVID-19 Testing

Testing for COVID-19 is available to anyone currently working outside the home or anyone returning to work as part of the Re-Open Saskatchewan plan.
Testing is also available to:

• Those being admitted to acute care for more than 24 hours, including expectant mothers.
• Immunocompromised individuals and their health care providers.

If you are experiencing symptoms of fever, cough, shortness of breath, headaches, aches and pains, sore throat, chills, runny nose or a loss of your sense of taste or smell, contact HealthLine 811 or your family physician for advice on whether you should be tested for COVID-19.  You can also take the online self-assessment at www.saskatchewan.ca/COVID19.