SASKATOON -- In a press conference on Friday, the Saskatchewan Health Authority is planning to provide greater clarity about what defines an outbreak.
It comes as the SHA declared two outbreaks this week, both situations involved a single positive case.
On Tuesday, an outbreak was announced at the Saskatoon Saputo Dairy facility after one staff member tested positive for the virus.
On Tuesday evening, officials declared an outbreak at Meadow Lake Hospital after a health care worker received a positive COVID-19 test result.
Scott Livingstone, the CEO of the SHA, said an outbreak can be declared even if there’s a single case — if there’s a high-risk of transmission.
He said officials are “erring on the side of caution.”
Livingstone used the example of the Victoria Hospital outbreak, announced earlier this month in Prince Albert, where a patient unknowingly had the virus.
“That’s a good example where you have a single case and have multiple exposures,” he told reporters in Wednesday’s daily COVID-19 press conference.
Livingstone said the SHA is in consultation with Saskatchewan’s Chief Medical Health Officer to provide clearer information about what classifies an outbreak.
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