Southwest Saskatchewan bracing for upswing in COVID-19 cases

By COLLIN GALLANT on July 17, 2020.

cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant

New restrictions for care homes in Southwest Saskatchewan have been imposed as health officials brace for an upswing in COVID-19 cases across the region.

They come as 31 out of 42 new cases in the province on Thursday were reported in the southernmost health region, which excludes Regina.

New protocols to limit outside contact, restrict access and improve isolation at 19 seniors homes and health locations in areas of southwest and west-central parts of the province will be put in place temporarily, according to a release from the Saskatchewan Health Authority.

They include facilities close to the Alberta boundary in Maple Creek, Cabri, Eston, Gull Lake, Eastend, Mankota, Pontieux, Swift Current and Shaunavon, among other west-central locations, such as Biggar and Kinderlsey.

Health officials in Saskatchewan signalled they expected a steep increases in cases in the southwest of the province earlier this week.

Family members who undergo screening will only be allowed visitation for ‘compassionate reasons,’ described as end-of-life care, support for those facing major surgery or in intensive care. All other in-building visitation is restricted. Outdoor visitation will continue until further notice.

Saskatchewan began relaxing visitor restrictions at long-term care facilities on July 7, allowing two people per facility resident to be designated as in-person visitors once they passed health screening measures.

A release late Wednesday warning of an ’emergent situation’ in the region and increased risk of transmission in a number of rural areas as well as the City of Swift Current.

‘This overall increased level of COVID-19 activity means there is an increased risk of transmission to the public in this part of Saskatchewan,’ reads a release from the Saskatchewan Health Authority.

It also states that a number of new cases in the last week have been linked to various Hutterite colonies in the region, though others have no obvious source of infection.

A list of business locations in that city was published Tuesday, recommending anyone who was at the locations during certain times self-monitor for symptoms.

Additionally, 91 test results from contact tracing in the region and east-central Saskatchewan were expected on Thursday, with another 160 tests outstanding.

As of July 15, the areas listed as heightened risk included the RMs of Maple Creek, Lac Pelletier and Auverge in the southwest quadrant of the province.

Montana situation

The number of active cases in Hill County, Montana remained steady on Thursday, though neighbouring Blaine County reported its first positive test for COVID-19.

Both counties sit south of Cypress County, Alberta, in Montana, which is experiencing an upswing in cases and where a mandatory mask order was issued for indoor facilities in counties with more than four active cases.

Active cases in Hill County, which surrounds Havre, sit at 13, while the new case in Blaine County involves a women in her 30s, according to a public health website.

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