Sask. reports 19 new COVID cases, including 12 in Saskatoon

The Saskatoon region has recorded another cluster of COVID-19 cases.

The Saskatchewan government reported Friday that the area — which already has seen multiple cases from a private gathering — now has six new cases at Brandt Industries.

The province’s daily update said there were 19 new COVID-19 cases to report, with 12 of those in the Saskatoon area.

“The remaining cases are linked to known cases that are being tracked by public health officials,” the release added.

There also were four new cases in the Regina region and three in the central-west zone.

The provincial total to date increased to 1,776. The Saskatoon area now has recorded 338 cases since the start of the pandemic, with 78 new cases this month alone.

There were 15 more recoveries reported by the province Friday, hiking that total so far to 1,639. To date, 24 Saskatchewan residents have died after testing positive for COVID-19.

There now are 113 active cases being reported. That’s the highest that number has been since Aug. 22, when there were 117 active cases recorded.

Five people are receiving inpatient care in hospital in Saskatoon.

In addition to the total number of cases so far in the Saskatoon area, there also have been 434 cases from the south area (222 southwest, 197 south-central, 15 southeast), 357 in the far north (349 far northwest, eight far northeast), 271 in the north zone (131 northwest, 73 north-central, 67 northeast), 232 from the central area (171 central-west, 61 central-east) and 144 from the Regina region.

The total comprises 877 community contacts (including mass gatherings), 520 cases without a known exposure, 264 travellers and 115 cases that remain under investigation.

There have been 69 cases involving health-care workers so far.

To date, there have been 579 cases in the 20-to-39 age range, 547 between the ages of 40 and 59, 295 aged 60 to 79, 295 involving people 19 and under, and 60 in the 80-and-over age group.

The 1,980 tests done Thursday increased the provincial total to date to 166,646.

Brandt statement

When asked about the situation at the Brandt facility, the company sent 650 CKOM this response by email:

“A group of employees in Brandt’s Saskatoon-based manufacturing facility have tested positive for COVID-19.

Over the course of the last number months, we have had stringent protocols put in place by our Emergency Response Committee that include elevated commitments to physical distancing, sanitization, self-monitoring and stay-at-home policies.

Upon becoming aware of these positive test results, we have implemented a mandatory mask policy as well as elevated our cleaning efforts to include shift gap deep cleans and sanitary fogging. These protocols have been put in place in order to preserve the health and safety of our employees, customers, partners and the community all while continuing our work as an essential service provider of products and maintenance services for the agriculture, transportation, construction and other industrial sectors.

We are monitoring the situation closely and following all directions as set out by the Saskatchewan Health Authority.”