Saskatchewan reports eighth death due to COVID-19

Saskatchewan has recorded its eighth death due to COVID-19 – and another death is under investigation.

In a media release Tuesday, the Government of Saskatchewan said a resident in their 50s from the far north region who tested positive for the virus had died.

As well, the cause of another person’s death is being investigated. 980 CJME has been told that case involves an Ile-a-la-Crosse woman who passed away Monday.

“COVID-19 fatalities must be confirmed by the medical health officer to ensure that the case meets the criteria in order to be documented in the epidemiological reporting tools, before they can be publicly reported by the ministry,” the government’s release said.

The death announced Tuesday is Saskatchewan’s second in seven days. On May 20, the province reported a person in their 60s had died in the northern region.

There weren’t any new cases of COVID-19 reported Tuesday, meaning the provincial total to date remains at 634.

That includes 252 cases in the far north, 167 in the Saskatoon area, 111 in the north, 76 from the Regina area, 16 from the south and 12 in the central region.
The total comprises 361 community contacts, 141 travellers, 77 cases without a known exposure and 55 that are still under investigation.

To date, 50 health-care workers have contracted the virus.

There have been 226 cases in the 20-to-39 age range, 193 between the ages of 40 and 59, 104 in the 60-to-79 age range, 93 involving people aged 19 and under, and 18 in the 80-and-over age range.

Three more recoveries were announced Tuesday, increasing that total to 549. There currently are 77 active cases in the province.

There are five people in hospital, including three in intensive care in Saskatoon. Two people (one in Regina and one in the north) are receiving inpatient care.
There were 268 tests done Monday, increasing the province’s total to date to 44,580.

Services at rural hospitals set to return

People in rural areas across the province are frustrated over hospitals and healthcare facilities closing temporarily as part of the Sask. Health Authority’s plan to deal with COVID-19.

On Tuesday, Premier Scott Moe repeated multiple times that the closures were temporary, saying the province could have done a better job of communicating that. The first ER reopening is expected to be in Arcola in mid-June. The facilities in Kerrobert, Herbert, Preeceville, Davidson, Wolseley, Biggar, Leader and Oxbow will follow in the weeks after.

“I don’t think it’s that we have not foreseen, or in any way thought that this would not be a sensitive decision. This was a very challenging decision, but it’s one that is necessary in order for us to ultimately prepare and address our response to COVID,” said Moe.

The premier explained that, while the province’s COVID-19 numbers are doing well; preparations still have to be made in case there’s a surge in cases.

The facilities are being closed to allow for things like training, freeing up capacity, and making sure cohorting can be done in facilities that house both long-term and acute care.

“I understand that our health system has had to make some very difficult decisions to prepare for the potential and possible surge of COVID-19 patients in our hospitals in communities across Saskatchewan – we have to be ready.”

The SHA said community hospitals in Broadview, Radville and Lanigan will “work toward resumption of previous emergency department service levels as soon as it is safe to do so.” Those facilities were facing service disruptions prior to the release of the SHA’s COVID-19 Readiness Plan in early April.

The authority and the provincial government had absorbed some criticism for the closing of the ERs, including from a member of Premier Scott Moe’s Saskatchewan Party.

Visitation in hospitals and long-term care

A committee has been put together within the SHA to look into relaxing rules around visitation at long-term care facilities and hospitals in the province.

Visits to those facilities are only currently allowed for compassionate reasons. The Health Minister echoed sentiments from the premier, pointing out that some of the worst outcomes in other parts of the country have happened in long-term care homes, and saying they want to be sure that doesn’t happen here.

“We do recognize that there’s instances in long-term care facilities especially where, frankly, seniors are lonely and it’s very difficult for them and we don’t want to have them in that situation any longer than necessary,” said Jim Reiter, Minister of Health.

The SHA is already looking at expanding the definition of compassionate for visitation purposes. The authority is hoping its committee will come back with more consistent and timely guidelines on how patients and residents can be visited. The authority’s CEO is hoping for implementation of a new phased-in strategy the week of June 1.