Cases of COVID-19 in and around La Loche continue to climb. The provincial government announced 19 new cases of COVID-19 May 7, including 15 in the far north and 12 specifically in La Loche.
There are currently 196 active cases of COVID-19 in Saskatchewan, more than two-thirds of which are now in the far north.
The exact location of the three far north cases not in La Loche was not given. The region described as "far north" includes Creighton, Denare Beach, Deschambault Lake, Sandy Bay and Pelican Narrows. No suspected COVID-19 cases have been reported from any of the listed communities.
A checkpoint was erected May 7 on Highway 106 near Creighton, a day after a previous checkpoint between Creighton and Flin Flon was taken down following local complaints. Travel into, out of and between communities in the Northern Saskatchewan Administrative District (NSAD) has been restricted by the province unless it is for essential services or to gather supplies or food from nearby communities.
Five communities have recently reported outbreaks of COVID-19, each reported in either the far north or northern regions - La Loche, Lloydminster, Beauval, Prince Albert and Meadow Lake. The province's recent Reopen Saskatchewan plan, which was delayed in La Loche and Lloydminster due to the outbreaks, will begin in Lloydminster May 11.
Seventeen recoveries from the disease were also announced May 7,
Provincial authorities recommended people to keep a consistent group of family or friends and to not visit different groups every day, take precautions with family members with chronic health conditions, maintain physical distancing of two metres or more and to be aware of what people they have made contact with.
Meanwhile, the provincial government announced all in-class learning for the 180,000 students enrolled in provincial schools will be shut down until September at the earliest. The provincial education ministry's Response Planning Team is working on a plan for what form classes may take this fall, likely inlcuding electronic and online classes.
The team is also considering encouraging virtual graduation ceremonies for Grade 12 students about to move on from high school this summer.
