The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) is requesting people who test positive for COVID-19 to notify people they were in close contact with of their positive status themselves.
The number of positive cases is currently on the rise in the province.
The SHA stated in a media release, “positive COVID-19 cases are surging, as well as the number of close contacts being identified by cases. This surge combined with limited public health resources has resulted in an inability to provide timely notification to individuals who may have been exposed and are at risk.”
This has prompted SHA to adopt the modified approach to case and contact investigations, according to the statement.
On Friday, the province reported 418 new cases — the time last time Saskatchewan reported a similarly high case count was on Dec. 6, 2020, when 419 cases were reported.
SHA says it will continue to notify those who test positive for COVID-19 of their result and provide instructions on isolation. They will also provide information to infected people, to pass on to others they were in close contact with to prevent spreading.
In order to prevent outbreaks in health-care settings, vulnerable populations, long-term care and other congregate living settings, the SHA says public health will identify persons so that control measures are put into action in a timely manner.
SHA continues to encourage everyone 12 years old and up to install the COVID-19 Alert app on their phone to help alert people of possible exposures.
Comments