For the 15th day in a row, the Saskatchewan government has reported single-digit or no increase in the number of coronavirus infections in the province.
There are currently 34 active cases in the province, health officials said. Active cases are total cases less recoveries and deaths. This is the lowest point since June 14, when 24 were reported.
Health officials said there were four new cases in Monday’s update, with the overall total for the province growing to 1,619 since the first case was reported in March.
The new cases are located in the Saskatoon, central east, south-west and south-central zones, according to a press release.
Government officials said investigations completed thus far have found that five of the current active cases are in “communal living settings.” They added this number is now very low and will no longer be reported separately unless it rises above 20.
All three current hospitalizations in the province are in Saskatoon — one is receiving inpatient care and two are in intensive care.
Twelve more people have recovered, bringing total recoveries to 1,561.
There have been 24 COVID-19-related deaths in Saskatchewan.
According to a press release, 981 COVID-19 tests were performed in Saskatchewan on Aug. 30. To date, over 140,250 tests have been carried out in the province.
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. In some provinces and municipalities across the country, masks or face coverings are now mandatory in indoor public spaces.
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