SASKATOON

COVID-19 in Sask.: All elective medical surgeries, procedures to be discontinued

Published Wednesday, March 18, 2020 2:40PM CST Last Updated Wednesday, March 18, 2020 3:28PM CST

Medical staff work in the negative-pressure isolation ward in Jinyintan Hospital, designated for critical COVID-19 patients, in Wuhan in central China's Hubei province Thursday, Feb. 13, 2020. China on Thursday reported 254 new deaths and a spike in virus cases of 15,152, after the hardest-hit province of Hubei applied a new classification system that broadens the scope of diagnoses for the outbreak, which has spread to more than 20 countries. (Chinatopix Via AP)

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SASKATOON -- As the province declared a state of emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) moved to limit non-urgent medical care to free up staff and medical supplies to fight the spread of the virus.

Starting March 23, the SHA will limit elective surgeries, procedures and diagnostics while still providing urgent care to patients where required.

Cancer-related and urgent surgeries will continue as scheduled, the province said in a news release.

Patients will be contacted regarding the scheduling of procedures.

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The SHA also put strict visitor restrictions in place at its health facilities earlier this week.

Visitors are no longer permitted except for compassionate reasons such as end-of-life care, being present prior to major surgery or helping with clinical care.