According to the Saskatchewan Health Authority, COVID-19, and its variants are still present in Saskatchewan.
Yesterday (Aug. 25), the SHA announced there is an increased risk of exposure to COVID-19 at the Dorintosh Fire Cache camp. A person or persons attended the camp while infectious Aug 18-20 and, as such, all individuals in attendance during those dates are recommended to immediately self-isolate and be tested for COVID-19.
“If you have not received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine or if the second dose was received less than 14 days before you joined the training camp, you should seek COVID-19 testing immediately and again 10 days after leaving the training camp,” notes a recent SHA news release. “If you have COVID-19 symptoms, you should start self-isolating immediately.”
The SHA said people infected with or exposed to COVID-19 should take all precautions as advised by Public Health and take all reasonable measures to significantly reduce the risk of infecting others.
Meanwhile, as the high efficacy of vaccines drives the return to normal life within Saskatchewan, the SHA said COVID-19 will continue to circulate, particularly amongst the unvaccinated, as virus transmission turns to endemic.
“The Government of Saskatchewan is updating the long-term precautions that will be in place in Saskatchewan as we continue the transition to normal life,” the SHA continued. “The goal of these recommendations is to limit the spread of COVID-19 without imposing widespread public health orders and restrictions.”
Recommendations include getting vaccinated, contact tracing, testing and self-isolation as needed, the development of a standing COVID-19 vaccination plan and more.
As of this week’s news deadline, the total number of active cases in the Far Northwest’s sub-zone 1 – the area north of Meadow Lake to La Loche – was 104, which translates into 862.28 per 100,000 population. This is up from the 80 (663.29 per 100,000) reported last week. In sub-zone 2 – the area that includes Meadow Lake – the active number of cases as of yesterday was eight (45.07 per 100,000 population), which is up from the four active cases (22.53 per 100,000) reported a week ago.
Provincially, the number of active cases is 1,528 (129.5 per 100,000), while nationally, the rate is 65.68 per 100,000 population.
by Phil Ambroziak