As of April 18, 2020, Saskatchewan has three new confirmed cases and three new presumptive cases of COVID-19, bringing the total to 313 reported cases.
Today’s numbers include the La Loche area cases tested to date that were referenced during the April 17 COVID-19 media availability by the Chief Medical Health Officer.
Seventy-five of the 313 reported cases are considered active.
Six more people have recovered, bringing the provincial total to 234.
There are five people in hospital; including four who are receiving inpatient care and one person in intensive care.
Of the 313 cases in the province:
• 134 cases are travel related;
• 132 are contacts or linked to mass gatherings;
• 29 have no known exposures; and
• 18 are under investigation by local public health.
Overall in Saskatchewan:
• 35 of the cases are health care workers; however, the source of the infections may not be related to health care in all instances.
• 148 of the cases are from the Saskatoon area, 70 from the Regina area, 59 from the north, 15 from the south, 11 from the central region and 10 from the far north.
• 23 cases involve people 19 years of age and under, while the remainder are adults.
• 114 cases are in the 20-39 age range; 105 are in the 40 to 59 age range; 63 are in the 60-79 age range; and eight are in the 80-plus range.
• 52 per cent of the cases are males and 48 per cent are females.
• Four deaths related to COVID-19 have been reported to date.
To date, 23,092 COVID-19 tests have been performed in the province. Saskatchewan continues to have the second highest rate of testing per capita among provinces that have reported.
Case surveillance and testing information, including regional locations of cases, is available at www.saskatchewan.ca/COVID19.
Public inquiries may be directed to COVID19@health.gov.sk.ca.
Guidance for Drive-In or Remote Worship Services
Updated guidance has been issued for places of worship to engage with congregants, while following the public health order restricting gatherings to no more than 10 people.
Services may be delivered:
• Online (via Zoom, YouTube, etc.), as long as no more than 10 people are in the place of worship at one time and are strictly observing all social distancing protocols.
• As drive-in services where individuals remain in their vehicles with no contact between worshippers, and only individuals from the same household occupy the same vehicle.
• Drive-in services must be in designated parking lots or staging areas and also meet the following conditions:
o Event organizers need adequate measures to keep people from leaving their vehicles while at the service.
o Vehicles must be separated by at least two metres.
o Access to facilities, including washrooms, is discouraged. Where washroom access must be provided, provisions must be made to ensure frequent cleaning and disinfection throughout the event.
o Appropriate social distancing practices between persons who need to leave the vehicle to access washroom facilities is maintained at all times.
o No food or beverage service.
o All other services must be suspended including picnic areas and play areas.
o Anyone who is unwell or symptomatic must remain home.
o Event organizers are required to provide proposals and field questions to local public health officials to ensure the event does not risk transmission of COVID-19.