SASKATOON -- Check back throughout the day for the latest on COVID-19 in Saskatoon and area.
If you're concerned you might be infected with COVID-19, the Saskatchewan COVID-19 self-assessment tool is a helpful resource.
Here's advice on how to practice physical/social distancing and how to properly self-isolate at home.
Nine new cases
In its daily update, the province reported nine new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday. Seven of the new cases were found in the far north and two in the Saskatoon area.
As of Wednesday's update, there were 47 active cases in Saskatchewan. Of the 47 active cases, 29 are concentrated in the far north and 13 in Saskatoon.
Two people are hospitalized in Saskatoon due to the virus, with one of the patients requiring intensive care.
There have been a total of 693 cases of COVID-19 in Saskatchewan since the start of the pandemic.
On the frontline of COVID-19 fight
Amanda Lang expected to see a global pandemic during her career as a clinical microbiologist and has been working on the frontline of Saskatchewan’s fight against COVID-19.
"I can’t say that it wasn’t a little bit exciting, it’s the thing I’ve prepared for, the reason I chose this path was for situations like this," said Lang, who is the Director of Virology at the Roy Romanow Provincial Laboratory.
The work being done at the RRPL in Regina has been integral to Saskatchewan’s management of the pandemic. The microbiologists at the lab have been working non-stop since before the virus arrived in the province.
Agribition postponed to 2021
Canadian Western Agribition (CWA) has announced it’s 2020 show will be postponed to 2021.
"This was a difficult decision to make, but the health and safety of our exhibitors, sponsors, volunteers, partners, and guests is priority," says CWA President Chris Lees. "We owe it to everyone connected to Agribition to make the best decisions we can, even when they're the hardest ones to make."
In April, CWA officials said they intended to host the event as planned.
The events fiftieth show was set to take place Nov. 30 to Dec. 5 2020, and will now take place Nov. 22 to 27 2021.
Planning for summer fun
The City of Saskatoon is beginning the process of contacting staff for availability to get city amenities up and safely running.
“The City is pleased the provincial government has now announced an opening date for the first part of Phase Four of the Re-Open Saskatchewan plan. Many of us are eager to get out to the ball diamond, the pool and spray park as soon as possible, but that will take a little extra time,” community services general manager Lynne Lacroix said in a news release.
Phase Four will occur in two stages: stage one begins on June 22 and includes outdoor-type leisure and recreation facilities; the date for the second stage is yet to be announced and will include indoor-type leisure facilities.
Sask. top doc opens up about pandemic experience
Saskatchewan’s Chief Medical Health Officer has been at the centre of local efforts to manage COVID-19. As a physician with more than two decades of experience, Dr. Saqib Shahab said leading the province in a fight against a pandemic has been “humbling."
“My role was to provide the best public health advice,” Shahab said in an sit down interview with CTV News. “But obviously the government had a role to support the response both in terms of health system being able to cope with an influx of cases, but also to be ready for a large surge, but more importantly, what actions can the government support for Saskatchewan residents to take slow the transmission."
In January, with the threat of COVID-19 looming, Shahab started to prepare for the virus like he had for SARS in 2003.
It wasn’t long before Shahab knew this virus was going to be different to manage.
“We then planned to not just contain it or put it back in the box but to manage it and mitigate it,” Shahab said. “It was not just a health response but a government response."
Economic 'snapshot' on the way
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is promising to deliver a "snapshot" of the federal government's finances in the House of Commons July 8.
The Liberals were supposed to present a full budget for 2020 in March but postponed it indefinitely when the COVID-19 pandemic struck.
Trudeau has said uncertainty from the pandemic makes meaningful forecasts impossible.
Guidelines for schools
While most schools across the country remain closed for the rest of the school year, experts from one of Canada’s leading children’s hospitals are calling for schools to reopen while adhering to a list of safety guidelines.
On Wednesday, an advisory group from the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto released a series of recommendations on schools reopening, which covered a range of topics, including screening students for symptoms, proper hand hygiene, the use of face masks, physical distancing, cleaning and ventilation, and mental health supports among others.
Tuesday recap
On Tuesday the province announced the first half of Phase Four of the Re-open Saskatchewan Plan will begin on June 22.
Youth and child day camps, outdoor pools, splash pads and outdoor activities will resume in the first half of phase four.
On Tuesday, the province reported one new confirmed case of COVID-19, found in Saskatoon.
Forty cases are considered active in the province and there have been a total of 684 cases since the start of the pandemic.
The Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation said the provincial budget released Monday doesn’t provide enough funding to maintain existing resources or for extra measures required to avoid the spread of COVID-19.
"We have lots of concerns and just a few months here to start working those out and make sure that teachers feel confident that their health is going to be looked after,” STF president Patrick Maze said.
Also he $500 per week Canada Emergency Response Benefit program will be extended by eight weeks, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Tuesday, meaning those who will soon run out will have until the end of the summer to keep claiming the benefit while they try to find work.
