Saskatchewan Health Authority urges vigilance after coronavirus cases reported around province

The Saskatchewan government gave an update on new coronavirus cases in the province on Friday, reporting single-digit rises in cases and recoveries.

Health officials said there were two new cases, with the overall total for the province rising to 815 since the first case was reported in March.

The new cases are in the central region, according to a press release.

Four people are currently in hospital — there are two receiving inpatient care in the north and one in Saskatoon. There is also a person in intensive care in Saskatoon.

Seven more people have recovered, bringing total recoveries to 757.

There are currently 43 active cases in the province, health officials said. Active cases are total cases less recoveries and deaths.

In the past week, there have been public service announcements issued in Lloydminster, Prince Albert, Saskatoon and southwest areas of the province.

​As a result, the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) is urging people to be more vigilant when it comes to following public health measures and personal safety precautions to prevent the spread of the virus.

“We are seeing more positive cases of COVID-19 popping up around the province, reminding us that COVID-19 is everywhere and has no boundaries,” Dr. David Torr, Public Health Incident Command Centre co-lead for the SHA, said in a press release.

“Across Saskatchewan, we need to be more vigilant when it comes to preventing the spread of the virus.”

There have been 15 COVID-19-related deaths in Saskatchewan.

1:44 Possible coronavirus transmission at 4 Lloydminster locations: SHA

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

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.

In situations where you can’t keep a safe distance from others, public health officials recommend the use of a non-medical face mask or covering to prevent spreading the respiratory droplets that can carry the virus.

For full COVID-19 coverage from Global News, click here.