Sask. reports 15 new COVID-19 cases, 14 connected to outbreak in Hutterite communities in the South

There are 15 new cases of COVID-19 in Saskatchewan to report on June 18, bringing the provincial total to 708. Fourteen of the new cases are in the South region.

In a release, the province says the new cases are connected to an outbreak that has been declared by the Saskatchewan Health Authority in two Hutterite communities in the Rural Municipality of Maple Creek.  Two members of a rural household in the area initially tested positive for COVID-19 last week.  Contact tracing is underway.

Cases are being investigated for connection to interprovincial travel to Alberta, as well as travel in the area.

The remaining new case is in the Far North region.

Of the 708 reported COVID-19 cases in Saskatchewan, 59 are considered active.  A total of 636 individuals have recovered.

One person is inpatient care in Saskatoon.  One person in intensive care in Saskatoon.

Of the 708 cases in the province:
•       148 cases are travellers;
•       418 are community contacts (including mass gatherings);
•       90 have no known exposures; and
•       52 are under investigation by local public health.

Overall in Saskatchewan:
•       53 cases are health care workers; however, the source of the infections may not be related to health care in all instances.
•       285 of the cases are from the Far North, 184 are from the Saskatoon area, 112 from the North, 80 from the Regina area, 33 from the South and 12 from the Central region.
•       105 cases involve people 19 years of age and under, while the remainder are adults.
•       246 cases are in the 20-39 age range; 217 are in the 40-59 age range; 119 are in the 60-79 age range; and 21 are in the 80-plus range.
•       51 per cent of the cases are females and 49 per cent are males.
•       13 deaths related to COVID-19 have been reported to date.

To date, 57,836 COVID‐19 tests have been performed in Saskatchewan.  As of June 16, 2020, when other provincial and national numbers were available from the Public Health Agency of Canada, Saskatchewan’s per capita rate was 43,532 people tested per million population.  The national rate was 59,977 people tested per million population.

COVID-19 Testing

Testing for COVID-19 is available to anyone currently working outside the home or anyone returning to work as part of the Re-Open Saskatchewan plan.

Testing is also available to:
•       Those being admitted to acute care for more than 24 hours, including expectant mothers.
•       Immunocompromised individuals and their health care providers.

If you are experiencing symptoms of fever, cough, shortness of breath, headaches, aches and pains, sore throat, chills, runny nose or a loss of your sense of taste or smell, contact HealthLine 811 or your family physician for advice on whether you should be tested for COVID-19.  You can also take the online self-assessment at www.saskatchewan.ca/COVID19.