56 new COVID-19 cases in Sask. since Friday; SHA to expand testing Tuesday

Saskatchewan has reported its highest three-day total of new COVID-19 cases in more two months.

The province announced Monday, there had been 56 new cases since Friday. That included two new cases on Saturday, 23 on Sunday and 31 on Monday.

The province’s news release said that previously reported infections in the southwest now stretch farther and have spread throughout the southwest and west-central parts of the province.

According to the province’s chief medical health officer, Dr. Saqib Shahab, 46 of the new cases are part of specific outbreaks in community living settings. Shahab said the cases are not necessarily linked to previous outbreaks in two Hutterite colonies that were previously reported. The new cases are being found in both new Hutterite colonies and non-Hutterite communities.

The provincial government said it is working with the health authority and the Hutterian Safety Council to deal with the situation.

“Their co-operation has allowed for increased testing and contact tracing in these areas, which greatly contributed to identifying these new cases and ensuring residents are receiving the support they need,” read a government news release.

Shahab said the big jump in cases shouldn’t necessarily be fixated on because they’re a result of active case finding.

“Communities are working actively with public health for door-to-door case finding and testing and that’s how to see an increase in cases in people who may otherwise have had mild symptoms,” said Shahab.

“Normally, if you would find 10 cases in a community, with very active case finding and house-to-house contact tracing instead of 10 you can see 100 cases. That’s what we saw in La Loche, that’s what we’re seeing in southwest and central Saskatchewan.”

There are eight new cases that aren’t linked to any other cases and Shahab said those are the ones that need to be watched.

“We expect to see that increase slightly as we reopen but we need to keep a close eye on that and understand what are the settings for transmission, and continue to review our guidelines and provide feedback to the public about what more can be done to keep that number as low as possible,” explained Shahab.

Shahab said the eight cases are spread over a wide area.

The province reported there are cases in the rural municipalities of Maple Creek, Auvergne, Biggar, Carmichael, Eagle Creek, Harris, Lac Pelletier, Newcombe, Perdue, Kellross and Prairiedale.

But, despite pointing out these areas, Shahab is reminding people to be aware and continue to practice things like physical distancing even if you’re not in those named areas.

That increased the total number of COVID-19 cases in Saskatchewan so far to 871.

The weekend total is the highest in a three-day span in the province since there were 57 cases reported between May 6 and May 8 (25 on May 6, 19 on May 7 and 13 on May 8).

According to the government, the new cases Saturday comprised one in the central region and one in the south.

The cases Sunday included 13 in the south, five in the Saskatoon area, three in the central area and two in the Regina area.

The numbers Monday included 27 new cases in the central region, two in the Regina area, one in the Saskatoon area and one in the south.

There were nine more recoveries reported, increasing that total so far to 766. There currently are 90 active cases in the province.

Meanwhile, the SHA announced universal testing in the province is to start Tuesday.

Anyone who requests a test through HealthLine can get one; they don’t have to have symptoms to get tested.

The SHA also announced more health services will be added as it restarts from its shutdown.

The next phase includes: More mental health and addictions support, including the opening of social detox and addictions inpatient treatment; additional chronic diseases management/wellness programs/stroke prevention; and, specialized services for clients with developmental disabilities, autism and brain injuries.

Since the SHA started reopening May 19, 544 health services have restarted in all areas of the province. More services have resumed in Regina and the southern area of the province given the number of active COVID-19 cases in the south.

“Overall, we’ve been pleased with our ability to bring services back online, while still implementing strategies to keep patients and providers safe,” SHA chief executive officer Scott Livingstone said in a media release.

“Patients and their families have been very understanding of the additional screening measures and changes to how they had traditionally received service. Both staff and physicians are happy to be seeing their patients again, as well.”

The next phase will increase surgical volumes to between 75 and 85 per cent of pre-COVID levels.

The SHA said medical imaging capacity has increased to 90 per cent of pre-COVID service levels, with MRIs at 91 per cent and CT scans at 93 per cent.

A look at the numbers

The new cases in Regina are the first in the city since June 1.

One person is receiving inpatient care in Saskatoon. Two people — one in Saskatoon and one in the south — are in intensive care.

To date, 15 residents of the province have died due to complications from COVID-19.

Of the total number cases in the province, 487 are community contacts, 174 are travellers, 128 don’t have any known exposures, and 82 are being investigated by local public health officials.

To date, 57 health-care workers in Saskatchewan have contracted the virus.

There have been 339 cases in the far north, 198 from the Saskatoon area, 120 in the north, 84 from the Regina area, 83 in the south and 47 from the central region.

The total comprises 309 cases in the 20-to-39 age range, 269 between the ages of 40 and 59, 149 in the 60-to-79 age group, 121 involving people 19 and under, and 23 in the 80-and-over range.

There were 884 tests reported in the province on Saturday, 962 on Sunday and 755 on Monday. The total number of tests performed so far in Saskatchewan is 75,161.