‘Gather safely’: No COVID-19 gathering restrictions for Sask. ahead of holidays despite modelling
Global News
Saskatchewan's chief medical health officer says it's fine to gather safely over the holidays, but to keep groups 'small and consistent' amid Omicron worries.
The number of COVID-19 Omicron variant cases is starting to climb in Saskatchewan, but officials say it’s not enough to re-establish gathering measures as residents plan to meet up during the holiday season.
Government and health representatives provided more information on the province’s COVID-19 situation on Tuesday, which includes 67 new COVID-19 cases and one new death of a COVID-19-positive patient.
Active cases in Saskatchewan have also decreased to 556.
Marlo Pritchard, president of the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency, said while COVID-19 case numbers and hospitalizations have declined, the percentage of the Omicron variant among those positive cases is on the rise.
As of Monday, 65 Omicron cases have been identified in Saskatchewan. No hospitalizations have been reported in these cases so far.
“The rates of this highly transmissible virus is expected to grow similar to other jurisdictions in Canada and the rest of the world,” Pritchard stated during Tuesday’s update.
Saskatchewan’s Omicron cases have been traced back to international travel, interprovincial travel and contact within households, according to chief medical health officer Dr. Saqib Shahab.
He expects Omicron will become the predominant strain in Saskatchewan with community transmission anticipated in the next weeks.
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