Thirty new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Saskatchewan, several of which have been linked to a northern snowmobile event.
The new positive cases raise the province's overall count of COVID-19 cases to 134. It is the highest single-day change for the province of Saskatchewan since the outbreak began.
Several positive cases have been linked to a snowmobile rally dinner held in Christopher Lake March 14, about 40 kilometres north of Prince Albert. One person at the dinner tested positive nine days later.
Now, the provincial government reports 18 positive cases of COVID-19 have been linked to the dinner. Each of the positive people are now self-isolating at home. None of the attendees who have tested positive currently require hospitalization.
It is unknown if any Flin Flon or area residents attended the rally or dinner, organized by the Lakeland Tree Toppers Snowmobile Club. The province has contacted 76 people who attended the event, which was reportedly attended by around 110 people.
Out of the 134 reported positive tests, four people across Saskatchewan have been confirmed to have recovered from the disease. Six people remain in hospital with COVID-19, include three people in acute care and another three in intensive care. One inpatient case of COVID-19 has been reported in the north, while one each have been reported in Saskatoon and Regina. Locations of positive tests in rural areas have not been released. One person in Saskatoon, another in Regina and a third in central Saskatchewan make up the intensive care cases.
Throughout the province, 8,248 tests have been conducted and performed by the Roy Romanow Provincial Laboratory in Regina. All Saskatchewan COVID-19 tests are tested at the provincial lab.
A new telephone assessment tool has led to more than 25,000 assessments by phone in Saskatchewan in the first 10 days. The tool, similar to telehealth procedures already in place for rural and northern medical facilities, was introduced March 13.
