Souls Harbour Rescue Mission is continuing its normal operations even though the province declared a COVID-19 outbreak at the Regina facility on Wednesday.
According to Souls Harbour executive director Joseph Miller and the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA), the cases are isolated to a communal living setting — in two independent suites.
The Saskatchewan government’s COVID-19 outbreak page previously said the outbreak was in the shelter portion of the facility, but that eventually was corrected to show the proper location.
Miller says the government’s original data was misleading.
“The information on the government (web)site is incorrect; (the outbreak) is not at the men’s emergency shelter,” Miller said Thursday before the correction was made. “They are in two independent suites, which are independent living.
“The tenants in those two suites tested positive. One tenant has been now taken away to a government facility. The other tenant is being checked into the hospital today.”
There aren’t any COVID-19 cases in the men’s emergency shelter portion of the facility.
Miller said the organization will continue to operate as usual while maintaining the same precautions.
“We have very stringent protocols in place,” he said. “This would be just like an apartment building where if two people tested positive.
“If people don’t follow the government protocols and guidelines, they put themselves at risk.”
Both tenants had suites on the same floor.
Miller added the SHA was impressed with the protocols Souls Harbour currently has in place and there won’t be any immediate changes that need to be made.
“We continue to move forward and take the necessary precautions to make sure that there’s safety for both the guests and for the staff as well,” Miller said.