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Northern Sask. travel restrictions in effect after La Loche outbreak

Checkpoints to be constructed, exact locations unknown: unclear if Creighton, nearby communities impacted
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The Saskatchewan government has followed Manitoba's lead, banning all non-essential travel to at least some northern communities due to COVID-19.

A public health order similar to Manitoba's existing order was issued April 24 by a group of northern leaders and provincial health officials, including Saskatchewan chief medical health officer Dr. Saqib Shahab.

According to a provincial government press release, the restrictions apply to all communities within the Northern Saskatchewan Administration District, which includes Creighton, Denare Beach, Deschambault Lake, Pelican Narrows, Sandy Bay and almost all communities in northern Saskatchewan. The release states checkpoints either have been or will be installed by northern community officials in the region, with staffing to be handled by local leaders. The new health order also gives the government authority to enforce the restrictions and to offer fire suppression workers to provide support for checkpoints. 

It is unknown if checkpoints have been set up on Highway 106, commonly referred to as the Hanson Lake Road, by the province. Several Saskatchewan communities near Flin Flon, including Sandy Bay, Pelican Narrows, Deschambault Lake and the Amiskosakahikan reserve in Denare Beach, have already shut down most community access under direction from local or regional authorities.

No specific northern communities aside from La Loche are mentioned specifically by the provincial government in the April 24 announcement. According to the Saskatchewan Highway Hotline, all roads leading to northern communities remain open.

A total of 28 cases, including one presumptive positive case, have been reported in far northern Saskatchewan since the outbreak began. Out of the 28, 25 are still considered active. Twenty new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in far north Saskatchewan in the past week. Since Premier Scott Moe announced the creation of the Reopen Saskatchewan plan April 22, 15 new cases of COVID-19 have been announced province-wide.

Ten new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Saskatchewan April 24, with several linked to an outbreak of the disease at a care home in La Loche. The La Loche outbreak is cited by the province as a reason for the new travel restrictions. A testing unit has been sent to La Loche by the province to aid in getting faster test results in the community. Saskatchewan RCMP confirmed April 24 that an RCMP employee in the community has tested positive for COVID-19. The employee, along with six coworkers including four police officers, has been ordered to self-isolate.

"Even though Saskatchewan has successfully reduced the spread of COVID-19, unfortunately we can expect to experience isolated outbreaks,” Moe said in a press release.

“Our health system and our government is prepared to take immediate action to respond to these outbreaks and that’s what we are doing today in the north.”

Saskatchewan NDP leader Ryan Meili said in a statement shortly after the new restrictions were announced that the province did not act soon enough to prevent outbreaks like that in La Loche.

“We have repeatedly called on the province to do more to address the unique challenges that make northern communities particularly vulnerable to COVID-19,” said Meili. 

“Their failure to act sooner has cost us valuable time. With COVID-19 now spreading in northern communities, it’s essential the province stops reacting and starts acting to get ahead of this virus.”

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