Sask. reports seven new COVID-19 cases, 15 recoveries; travel restrictions eased in north

For a ninth straight day, Saskatchewan has reported a single-digit total of new COVID-19 cases and a double-digit total of recoveries.

In a media release Tuesday, the provincial government said there were seven new confirmed cases, bringing the provincial total to 599. There also were 15 recoveries, increasing that total in Saskatchewan to 470.

All seven of the new cases are in the far north, with four in Beauval and three in La Loche.

Six Saskatchewan residents have died to date. There now are 123 cases that are considered active.

Five people are in hospital, including three who are in intensive care in Saskatoon. Two people — one each in Regina and Saskatoon — are receiving inpatient care.

Also Tuesday, the province announced that it had relaxed the travel restrictions in northern Saskatchewan.

“As the risk of transmission of COVID-19 has regionalized in the Northern Saskatchewan Administration District, the public health order has been amended to only have travel restrictions applied to the northwest region,” the media release said.

“Travel to and from all other areas of the north — commercial, domestic and recreational as outlined in the Re-Open Saskatchewan plan — is permitted starting (Tuesday).”

The public health order was amended to give what the government called “clarity for northwestern community leaders, residents and checkpoint staff to ensure that people can obtain essential goods and services when travelling for medical purposes.”

Non-essential travel is still prohibited for Bear Creek, Beauval, Birch Narrows Dene Nation, Black Point, Buffalo Narrows, Buffalo River Dene Nation, Canoe Lake First Nation, Clearwater River Dene Nation, Cole Bay, Descharme Lake, Dillon, Dore Lake, English River First Nation, Garson Lake, Green Lake, Ile a la Crosse, Jan’s Bay, Lac La Plonge, La Loche, Little Amyot Lake, Michel Village, Patuanak, St. George’s Hill, Sled Lake and Turnor Lake.

A look at the numbers

Of the total number of cases, 323 are community contacts, 139 involve travellers, 69 don’t have any known exposures and 68 are being investigated by local public health officials.

So far, 48 health-care workers have contracted the virus, although some did so outside of work.

The total number of cases includes 226 from the far north, 164 from the Saskatoon area, 106 from the north, 76 in the Regina area, 15 who live in the south and 12 from the central region.

In terms of ages, 216 cases are in the 20-to-39 range, 182 are between the ages of 40 and 59, 99 are in the 60-to-79 range, 84 involve people 19 years of age and under, and 18 are in the 80-and-over range.

There have been 158 recoveries in the Saskatoon area, 118 in the far north, 95 in the north, 74 in the Regina region, 15 in the south and 10 in the central area.

The 447 tests conducted in the province Monday brought the total to date to 41,606.

Phase 2 starts

With more stores and services opening Tuesday, the government reminded residents to keep practising preventative measures.

The province suggested shopping on days when crowds are smaller and only when items are needed. The rules of the businesses visited should be respected and people shouldn’t loiter in stores or malls or gather in groups.

As well, food purchased in a store or in a mall food court has to be taken home before it’s eaten.

SHA’s Phase 1 begins

The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) once again started offering some health services that had been stopped due to the pandemic.

“It’s a delicate balance we begin today toward a ‘new normal’ while still responding to the realities of a global pandemic,” SHA CEO Scott Livingstone said in a media release.

“Teams have and will continue to balance service resumption plans with the necessary health system capacity required for COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients; including the need for ongoing expanded testing capacity, long-term contact tracing demands and maintaining the ability for the foreseeable future to surge to meet the requirements when localized outbreaks happen.”

Services such as outpatient physiotherapy appointments, kidney health services, some laboratory services, home care and expanded immunizations resumed in some areas Tuesday.

The first phase also will include an expansion of surgeries beyond three-week urgent and emergent cases to now include six-week urgent cases. The SHA said there won’t be a significant increase in surgeries immediately.

Prescription drug limits removed

The government also revealed it’s removing the supply limits on prescription drugs starting Wednesday.

Limits of one month were introduced March 18 to guard against drug shortages due to COVID-19.

Saskatchewan residents with prescriptions for long-term medications can fill their prescriptions as they did before the pandemic, except in situations where a specific drug remains in short supply.

According to the government, the limits didn’t affect most Saskatchewan residents, since 87 per cent of Saskatchewan prescriptions are filled for a 34-day supply of medication.