Contact tracing underway in COVID-19 outbreaks in Hutterite communities

No surprise with a jump in COVID-19 cases in Saskatchewan.

Of the 15 news cases announced on Thursday 14 are in the south region—connected to outbreaks in two Hutterite communities in the RM of Maple Creek.

During a COVID-19 update Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Saqib Shahab was asked why those communities were named.

“Whenever there’s an outbreak there’s a need to be public about that,” said Shahab. “In this case there are several communities that are involved in an outbreak investigation and it involves two provinces.”

Shahab says it’s important to be transparent about the fact this is an outbreak and there’s an outbreak investigation.

“That informs people who live in the communities. It informs the people in the affected geography, which in this case is the RM (of Maple Creek). It should also reassure people that there’s an outbreak investigation that’s been managed.”

Contact tracing is underway looking into the possibility some of the affected people travelled to Alberta.