As of May 14, 2020, Saskatchewan has five new confirmed cases of COVID-19, bringing the provincial total to 582.

Four of the new cases are in the Far North (La Loche area) and one is in the Regina region.

Of the 582 reported cases, 178 are considered active. Thirteen more people have recovered, bringing the provincial total to 398.

There are currently 10 people in hospital – seven are receiving inpatient care (three in the North, three in Saskatoon and one in Regina) and three are in intensive care (all in Saskatoon).

Of the 582 cases in the province:
• 139 cases are travellers;
• 302 are community contacts (including mass gatherings);
• 67 have no known exposures; and
• 76 are under investigation by local public health.

Overall in Saskatchewan:
• 48 cases are health care workers; however, the source of the infections may not be related to health care in all instances.
• 210 of the cases are from the Far North, 163 are from the Saskatoon area, 106 from the North, 76 from the Regina area, 15 from the South and 12 from the Central region.
• 81 cases involve people 19 years of age and under, while the remainder are adults.
• 205 cases are in the 20-39 age range; 180 are in the 40-59 age range; 98 are in the 60-79 age range; and 18 are in the 80-plus range.
• 49 per cent of the cases are females and 51 per cent are males.
• Six deaths related to COVID-19 have been reported to date.

To date, 38,728 COVID-19 tests have been performed in the province. As of May 12, 2020, when other provincial and national numbers were available from the Public Health Agency of Canada, Saskatchewan’s per capita rate was 29,962 people tested per million population, which is slightly below the national rate of 31,111 people tested per million population. This is due to decreased demand for testing, not a drop in testing capacity, due to the success of preventative measures and the reduction in positive cases in many areas of the province.

COVID-19 Testing Expansion Starting Soon

COVID-19 testing will soon be available to any Saskatchewan resident working outside the home, particularly those returning to work as part of the Re-Open Saskatchewan plan.

The following at-risk populations will be proactively tested:
• All patients upon admission or in advance of a planned admission to an acute care hospital for a stay anticipated to be greater than 24 hours. This includes all expectant mothers entering a health facility to give birth.
• Immunocompromised asymptomatic individuals, including cancer patients in advance of undergoing immunosuppressive procedures such as chemotherapy.
• All health staff working with immunocompromised patients.
• Mobile (worksite) testing in high volume work settings (factories, industrial settings, etc.)
This is in addition to current testing requirements for:
• All residents identified by public health as a contact of someone known or suspected of having COVID-19.
• Individuals identified by public health at a high risk due to active spread of COVID-19 in their workplace or community.
• All residents upon admission and re-admission to long-term and personal care homes.
• All residents and staff in long-term and personal care homes upon notification of a COVID-19 positive resident or staff member.

The Saskatchewan Health Authority will establish the process to start testing this expanded list. Details on accessing testing will be provided the week of May 18.

In addition to expanded testing, the Saskatchewan Health Authority will increase active case finding in populations that are homeless or live in other vulnerable settings, and work will continue on increased active case finding with First Nations and Métis communities. Public Health will continue to identify and test individuals who are at high risk of infection due to spread of COVID-19 in their household, community or workplace.

If widespread transmission occurs in a community, a community-wide testing initiative would be implemented. The Roy Romanow Provincial Laboratory currently has the capacity to complete 1,500 tests daily, as required. All residents experiencing even mild COVID-19 symptoms are encouraged to contact 811 about being tested.

If you are experiencing symptoms of fever, cough or shortness of breath, 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.

Victoria Day Long Weekend

There are many ways to mark the official opening of Saskatchewan’s summer season, while following public health orders.

Plan activities with families or individuals in your extended household group. Visit greenspaces in and around your community. Boat launches may now be open and with camping season set to start in June, you can start planning for a safe summer season.

Whatever your May long weekend plans, remember that public health orders remain in place to prevent transmission of COVID-19, even as case numbers remain low in the southern half of the province.

Continue to practice preventative measures:
• Wash your hands frequently.
• Practice physical distancing of two metres.
• Limit contacts outside your home to the same one or two families or friends in your extended household group.
• Gatherings of 10 or more people are not permitted, even if physical distancing is used.
• Playgrounds and outdoor equipment should continue to be avoided.

Residents with cabins in the southern half of the province may visit their properties, but should stay on their own property and limit visits to local stores to only essential trips. With non-essential travel restricted in the Northern Saskatchewan Administrative District at this time, residents with cabins in the north cannot visit their properties until those travel restrictions are lifted.

General public inquiries may be directed to COVID19@health.gov.sk.ca.

Find the most up-to-date version of the Re-Open Saskatchewan plan at www.saskatchewan.ca/re-open.

As of May 13, 2020, Saskatchewan has four new confirmed cases of COVID-19, bringing the provincial total to 577.

All of the new cases are in the Far North (La Loche area). One case that was previously reported in the Regina region has been reassigned to the North.

Of the 577 reported cases, 186 are considered active. Eleven more people have recovered, bringing the provincial total to 385.

There are currently 10 people in hospital – seven are receiving inpatient care (four in the North and three in Saskatoon) and three are in intensive care (all in Saskatoon).

Of the 577 cases in the province:
• 139 cases are travellers;
• 297 are community contacts (including mass gatherings);
• 65 have no known exposures; and
• 76 are under investigation by local public health.

Overall in Saskatchewan:
• 48 cases are health care workers; however, the source of the infections may not be related to health care in all instances.
• 206 of the cases are from the Far North, 163 are from the Saskatoon area, 106 from the North, 75 from the Regina area, 15 from the South and 12 from the Central region.
• 79 cases involve people 19 years of age and under, while the remainder are adults.
• 204 cases are in the 20-39 age range; 179 are in the 40-59 age range; 98 are in the 60-79 age range; and 17 are in the 80-plus range.
• 50 per cent of the cases are females and 50 per cent are males.
• Six deaths related to COVID-19 have been reported to date.
 
To date, 38,157 COVID-19 tests have been performed in the province. As of May 10, 2020, when other provincial and national numbers were available from the Public Health Agency of Canada, Saskatchewan’s per capita rate was 29,631 people tested per million population, which is slightly below the national rate of 30,452 people tested per million population. This is due to decreased demand for testing, not a drop in testing capacity, due to the success of preventative measures and the reduction in positive cases in many areas of the province.

Provincial State of Emergency Extended, COVID-19 Still Present in Saskatchewan

The Provincial State of Emergency has been extended for a period of two weeks. Even as active case numbers are low or zero in some regions of the province, residents are reminded that COVID-19 is still present and all public health orders remain in effect. Having few or no active cases demonstrates that personal protective measures are effective and continue to be the best defence against COVID-19.

This is particularly important as businesses and services continue to cautiously re-open and the majority of infected individuals will experience very mild or no symptoms. Gatherings of more than 10 people are not permitted and physical distancing must still be practiced.

It is highly recommended that you limit contacts outside the household to the same two or three friends or households. Wash your hands frequently and contact HealthLine 811 for an assessment to determine if you should be tested – even if you’re experiencing mild symptoms.

If you are experiencing symptoms of fever, cough or shortness of breath, 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.

General public inquiries may be directed to COVID19@health.gov.sk.ca.

Find the most up-to-date version of the Re-Open Saskatchewan plan at www.saskatchewan.ca/re-open.

As of May 12, 2020, Saskatchewan has five new confirmed cases of COVID-19, bringing the provincial total to 573.

All of the new cases are in the Far North (three in the Beauval area and two in La Loche). Of the 573 reported cases, 193 are considered active.

Eleven more people have recovered, bringing the provincial total to 374.

There are currently 11 people in hospital – eight are receiving inpatient care (five in the North and three in Saskatoon) and three are in intensive care (all in Saskatoon).

Of the 573 cases in the province:
• 139 cases are travellers;
• 295 are community contacts (including mass gatherings);
• 64 have no known exposures; and
• 75 are under investigation by local public health.

Overall in Saskatchewan:
• 48 cases are health care workers; however, the source of the infections may not be related to health care in all instances.
• 202 of the cases are from the Far North, 163 are from the Saskatoon area, 105 from the North, 76 from the Regina area, 15 from the South and 12 from the Central region.
• 79 cases involve people 19 years of age and under, while the remainder are adults.
• 201 cases are in the 20-39 age range; 178 are in the 40-59 age range; 98 are in the 60-79 age range; and 17 are in the 80-plus range.
• 50 per cent of the cases are females and 50 per cent are males.
• Six deaths related to COVID-19 have been reported to date.

To date, 37,695 COVID-19 tests have been performed in the province. As of May 10, 2020, when other provincial and national numbers were available from the Public Health Agency of Canada, Saskatchewan’s per capita rate was 29,448 people tested per million population, which is on par with the national rate of 29,770 people tested per million population.

If you are experiencing even mild symptoms of fever, cough or shortness of breath, 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.

General public inquiries may be directed to COVID19@health.gov.sk.ca.

Find the most up-to-date version of the Re-Open Saskatchewan plan at www.saskatchewan.ca/re-open.

As of May 11, 2020, Saskatchewan has four new confirmed cases of COVID-19, bringing the provincial total to 568.

All of the new cases are in the Far North (La Loche). Of the 568 reported cases, 199 are considered active.

Fourteen more people have recovered, bringing the provincial total to 363.

There are currently 11 people in hospital – eight are receiving inpatient care (five in the North and three in Saskatoon) and three are in intensive care (all in Saskatoon).

Of the 568 cases in the province:
• 138 cases are travellers;
• 288 are community contacts (including mass gatherings);
• 66 have no known exposures; and
• 76 are under investigation by local public health.

Overall in Saskatchewan:
• 48 cases are health care workers; however, the source of the infections may not be related to health care in all instances.
• 197 of the cases are from the Far North, 163 are from the Saskatoon area, 105 from the North, 76 from the Regina area, 15 from the South and 12 from the Central region.
• 79 cases involve people 19 years of age and under, while the remainder are adults.
• 200 cases are in the 20-39 age range; 176 are in the 40-59 age range; 96 are in the 60-79 age range; and 17 are in the 80-plus range.
• 50 per cent of the cases are females and 50 per cent are males.
• Six deaths related to COVID-19 have been reported to date.

To date, 37,439 COVID-19 tests have been performed in the province. As of May 9, 2020, when other provincial and national numbers were available from the Public Health Agency of Canada, Saskatchewan’s per capita rate was 29,029 people tested per million population, which is on par with the national rate of 29,086 people tested per million population.

Lloydminster to Proceed to Phase 2 of Re-Open Saskatchewan on May 19

As the outbreak in the Lloydminster hospital continues to remain stable, the city of Lloydminster may proceed with Phase 2 of the re-opening, according to the schedule and stipulations under the Re-Open Saskatchewan Plan.
All workplaces must be prepared to operate safely for customers and their employees, and take the proper preventative measures.

If you are experiencing even mild symptoms of fever, cough or shortness of breath, 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.

General public inquiries may be directed to COVID19@health.gov.sk.ca.

Find the most up-to-date version of the Re-Open Saskatchewan plan at www.saskatchewan.ca/re-open

As of May 10, 2020, Saskatchewan has 11 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, bringing the provincial total to 564.

Nine of the new cases are in the Far North (three in the La Loche area) and two are in the North.

Of the 564 reported cases, 209 are considered active. Nine more people have recovered, bringing the provincial total to 349.

There are currently 12 people in hospital – eight are receiving inpatient care (five in the North and three in Saskatoon) and four are in intensive care (all in Saskatoon).

Of the 564 cases in the province:
• 138 cases are travellers;
• 286 are community contacts (mass gatherings included);
• 61 have no known exposures; and
• 79 are under investigation by local public health.

Overall in Saskatchewan:
• 48 cases are health care workers; however, the source of the infections may not be related to health care in all instances.
• 193 of the cases are from the Far North, 163 are from the Saskatoon area, 105 from the North, 76 from the Regina area, 15 from the South and 12 from the Central region.
• 77 cases involve people 19 years of age and under, while the remainder are adults.
• 199 cases are in the 20-39 age range; 176 are in the 40-59 age range; 95 are in the 60-79 age range; and 17 are in the 80-plus range.
• 50 per cent of the cases are females and 50 per cent are males.
• Six deaths related to COVID-19 have been reported to date.

To date, 36,860 COVID-19 tests have been performed in the province. As of May 8, 2020, when other provincial and national numbers were available from the Public Health Agency of Canada, Saskatchewan’s per capita rate was 28,484 people tested per million population, which exceeds the national rate of 28,404 people tested per million population.

If you are experiencing even mild symptoms of fever, cough or shortness of breath, 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.

General public inquiries may be directed to COVID19@health.gov.sk.ca.

Find the most up-to-date version of the Re-Open Saskatchewan plan at https://www.saskatchewan.ca/government/health-care-administration-and-provider-resources/treatment-procedures-and-guidelines/emerging-public-health-issues/2019-novel-coronavirus/re-open-saskatchewan-plan/re-open-saskatchewan.

As of May 9, 2020, Saskatchewan has nine new confirmed cases of COVID-19, bringing the provincial total to 553.

Five of the cases are in the Far North, three are in the North and one is in the Central region.

Of the 553 reported cases, 207 are considered active. Five more people have recovered, bringing the provincial total to 340.

There are currently 15 people in hospital – 10 are receiving inpatient care (six in the North and four in Saskatoon) and five are in intensive care (four in Saskatoon and one in the North).

Of the 553 cases in the province:
• 138 cases are travellers;
• 273 are community contacts (mass gatherings included);
• 61 have no known exposures; and
• 81 are under investigation by local public health.

Overall in Saskatchewan:
• 46 cases are health care workers; however, the source of the infections may not be related to health care in all instances.
• 184 of the cases are from the Far North, 163 are from the Saskatoon area, 103 from the North, 76 from the Regina area, 15 from the South and 12 from the Central region.
• 74 cases involve people 19 years of age and under, while the remainder are adults.
• 196 cases are in the 20-39 age range; 173 are in the 40-59 age range; 94 are in the 60-79 age range; and 16 are in the 80-plus range.
• 50 per cent of the cases are females and 50 per cent are males.
• Six deaths related to COVID-19 have been reported to date.

To date, 36,117 COVID-19 tests have been performed in the province. As of May 6, 2020, when other provincial and national numbers were available from the Public Health Agency of Canada, Saskatchewan’s per capita rate was 27,774 people tested per million population, which exceeds the national rate of 27,457 people tested per million population.

La Loche Liquor Sales Closed

On May 7, La Loche Mayor Robert St. Pierre notified Minister of Government Relations Lori Carr that La Loche Council had passed a resolution recommending the full closure of all beverage alcohol related sales, distribution and consumption sites and uses in the Northern Village of La Loche, effective May 9th, 2020.

After further consultation with community and Indigenous leaders, the government notified leaders that the closure of liquor retailers would proceed as recommended. Effective today (May 9), the SLGA retail store and private off-sale in La Loche will be closed for two weeks.

The Ministry of Health and Saskatchewan Health Authority will support the community to identify and assist residents who may be at risk of harm due to alcohol withdrawal, and will be providing further alcohol addictions program supports in the community.

If you are experiencing even mild symptoms of fever, cough or shortness of breath, 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.

General public inquiries may be directed to COVID19@health.gov.sk.ca.

Find the most up-to-date version of the Re-Open Saskatchewan plan at https://www.saskatchewan.ca/government/health-care-administration-and-provider-resources/treatment-procedures-and-guidelines/emerging-public-health-issues/2019-novel-coronavirus/re-open-saskatchewan-plan/re-open-saskatchewan.