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Northern Sask. holds Canada’s highest COVID-19 case rate by far, data shows

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Saskatchewan’s far north COVID-19 case rate in the last seven days is sitting at 1,180 per 100,000 people – the highest across Canada.

The northern region, which includes Prince Albert, is the second-highest at 556 per 100,000 people, according to data from the federal government.

The Government of Saskatchewan has brought back some measures in hopes of dropping the spread of COVID-19, such as mandatory masking and required self-isolation when you test positive.

While the Athabasca Health Authority’s (AHA) CEO is happy the province is reinstating preventative measures, he said a drop in cases will also take public cooperation.

“The provincial government can only do so much, but it’s also up to all of us as well to do what we can, to make sure that we are double vaccinated, make sure that we still continue to practice safe distancing, staying within our bubbles, washing our hands,” said Allan Adam.

The AHA serves communities such as Fond du Lac, Stony Rapids and Black Lake.

Adam said the vaccine rates in AHA communities are slowly rising, but are still too low. About 50 per cent of people in Fond du Lac have received their first dose, for example.

The AHA will be giving out gift cards as vaccine incentives, he said.

Starting Oct. 1, the province is also making vaccines or proof of negative tests mandatory to participate in many non-essential activities, like in restaurants, movie theatres and casinos.

“We just run the risk of further spreading it if we continue to go just as is after July 11, everything just opened up,” said Adam.

“People thought everything was good and the next thing you know, COVID is coming back into our communities again.”

Stanley Mission, located northeast of La Ronge, had 114 active cases as of Thursday, according to the Lac La Ronge Indian Band.

The region that includes Stanley Mission, the far northeast, has 229 active cases among Indigenous communities served by the Northern Inter-Tribal Health Authority.

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