Coronavirus outbreak at Prince Albert’s Victoria Hospital declared over

A coronavirus outbreak at Victoria Hospital in Prince Albert has been declared over by the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA).

The outbreak was declared on May 1 by Dr. Khami Chokani, an SHA medical health officer, after a patient tested positive for the coronavirus.

Chokani said he declared the outbreak due to the length of time the patient was at the hospital before testing positive.

The patient was admitted to the hospital on April 21 for a non-COVID-19-related medical need.

Initial testing at the time came up negative for the coronavirus. The patient was re-tested on April 30 and the SHA said a positive result was reported later the same day.

Health officials said staff who were in close contact with the patient self-isolated and contact tracing was undertaken.

Chokani said he declared the outbreak over after not a single case was discovered in either patients or health-care workers related to the 10-day exposure period.

“This is a definite testimony to diligent PPE (personal protective equipment) use and good environmental maintenance by all the teams,” he said.

The patient was from La Loche, where an outbreak was declared on April 17.

As of Thursday, there were 138 active coronavirus cases in the far north, the majority in La Loche and surrounding communities.

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Questions about COVID-19? Here are some things you need to know:

Health officials caution against all international travel. Returning travellers are legally obligated to self-isolate for 14 days, beginning March 26, in case they develop symptoms and to prevent spreading the virus to others. Some provinces and territories have also implemented additional recommendations or enforcement measures to ensure those returning to the area self-isolate.

Symptoms can include fever, cough and difficulty breathing — very similar to a cold or flu. Some people can develop a more severe illness. People most at risk of this include older adults and people with severe chronic medical conditions like heart, lung or kidney disease. If you develop symptoms, contact public health authorities.

To prevent the virus from spreading, experts recommend frequent handwashing and coughing into your sleeve. They also recommend minimizing contact with others, staying home as much as possible and maintaining a distance of two metres from other people if you go out.

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