REGINA — April 12 marks one month since Saskatchewan announced its first presumptive positive case of COVID-19. Here’s a look at what has happened in the month since then:
March 12:
- The province says a person in their 60s who recently travelled to Egypt has Saskatchewan's first presumptive positive case of COVID-19. The province has tested 285 people for COVID-19. Tests need to be sent to Winnipeg's National Microbiology Laboratory for confirmation.
- Saskatchewan's HealthLine 811 rings busy after the first presumptive positive case is announced.
Saskatchewan's Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Saqib Shahab
March 13:
- The province announces a second presumptive positive COVID-19 case. The person in their 60s recently returned from Oregon State in the U.S.
- Public gatherings are limited to 250 people in an "aggressive" new measure to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus.
- Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Saqib Shahab says schools will remain open for the time being.
- Health Minister Jim Reiter says the HealthLine has doubled its capacity to handle COVID-19 calls.
- The University of Regina suspends classes due to COVID-19 concerns.
March 14:
- There are four more presumptive positive cases in the province.
- The Saskatchewan Health Authority implements visitor restrictions at all facilities.
March 15:
- The province says all schools will stay open for the time being.
- The province says one COVID-19 case is now confirmed. The other five are still presumptive positives.
March 16:
- The province changes gears, announcing all schools will close effective March 20.
- There's another COVID-19 case in Saskatchewan, bringing the provincial total to seven. Two cases are confirmed, while five are presumptive positives.
- The government launches a new self-assessment tool.
March 17:
- Saskatchewan announces another COVID-19 case, bringing the total to eight. All are linked to travel.
- Three of Regina's five cases are linked to a dental conference in Vancouver.
- The province says it will roll out "scaled back" financial numbers instead of a full budget.
- The government amends the Saskatchewan Employment Act to guarantee unpaid protected job leave during the pandemic.
March 18:
- Saskatchewan declares a state of emergency after announcing eight new COVID-19 cases.
- The legislative assembly is suspended following a scaled-back budget with a focus on COVID-19 supports.
- Public gatherings are capped at 50 people under the state of emergency. Bars and restaurants must operate at half-capacity, maintaining two metres of physical distancing between staff and customers.
March 19:
- The province announces four new presumptive positive cases of COVID-19. There are a total of 20 cases in the province — eight confirmed and 12 presumptive.
- The City of Regina forgives parking tickets in the General Hospital area amid the pandemic. It also says bylaw officers will relax enforcement in the area.
- Saskatchewan Medical Association President Dr. Allan Woo says he's tested positive for COVID-19. He says he believes he contracted the virus at a curling bonspiel in Edmonton.
March 20:
- Premier Scott Moe says mandatory self-isolation after travel is now law as the province announces six more COVID-19 cases.
- The City of Regina declares a state of local emergency.
- School daycares open again to provide childcare for essential service employees.
- The province also announces financial support for employers and employees impacted by the pandemic.
- All schools in Saskatchewan close their doors.
March 21:
- There are 18 new COVID-19 cases in Saskatchewan, the largest jump in cases so far. The provincial total hits 44.
- The province can now perform confirmatory COVID-19 tests at the Roy Romanow Provincial Laboratory in Regina.
- Shahab says 11 Sask. healthcare workers have tested positive for the novel coronavirus after the curling bonspiel in Edmonton.
March 22:
- Eight more cases of COVID-19 are announced. Saskatchewan now has 52 cases.
- The Saskatchewan government provides some clarification on the conflicting orders made by the City of Regina and the province.
March 23:
- There are 14 new COVID-19 cases in Saskatchewan. Sixty-five cases are confirmed and one is presumptive positive.
- Regina Mayor Michael Fougere says the city's local state of emergency doesn't stand following a directive from the province.
March 24:
- Saskatchewan's total number of COVID-19 cases hits 72. All the cases are confirmed.
- Community transmission is suspected in four cases
- A document from the Saskatchewan Health Authority says COVID-19 could "overwhelm" the healthcare system.
March 25:
- Saskatchewan further limits gatherings to fewer than 10 people after announcing 14 new COVID cases.
- The government releases a list of flights with confirmed cases of COVID-19.
- The province announces more business restrictions and identifies critical public services that will continue to operate amid COVID-19.
- The SHA says anyone who went to the Lakeland Snowmobile Club Wilderness Rally Supper in Christopher Lake on March 14 must self-isolate immediately after two confirmed COVID-19 cases.
March 26:
- Three people in Saskatchewan have recovered from the novel coronavirus.
- The province announces nine new cases, bringing the total to 95.
- Evictions are suspended amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
March 27:
- The number of COVID-19 cases surpasses 100.
- Five people are in hospital, including two in the ICU.
March 28:
- A rise of 30 new COVID-19 cases gives the provinces its highest single-day spike.
- The province announced that a snowmobile rally in Christopher Lake is the source of 18 new cases.
March 29:
- Saskatchewan gets 22 new COVID-19 cases bringing the provincial total to 156.
- Eleven people in Loon Lake were charged for violating the COVID-19 public health order.
March 30:
- Saskatchewan reports its first two deaths from COVID-19, along with 20 new cases. Moe called the news a “wake up call” to the severity of the situation.
- A Prince Albert RCMP officer tested positive for COVID-19.
- Two more Saskatoon corrections workers tested positive for the virus.
March 31:
- Eight new cases brought the provincial total to 184. Four people are in hospital due to COVID-19, including one in the ICU in Regina.
- The government announced its Social Services Pandemic Response to assist vulnerable residents.
- One of Saskatchewan’s COVID-19 victims is identified as a Battleford area woman. She passed away from COVID-19 complications on March 28.
Alice Grove was one of the COVID-19 fatalities in Saskatchewan. (Courtesy: Eleanor Widdowson)
April 1:
- Saskatchewan reports its third COVID-19 related death, along with nine new cases.
- Premier Scott Moe extended the provincial state of emergency for an additional two weeks.
- The province launches a phone line to take complaints relating to COVID-19 and the public health order.
April 2:
- Saskatchewan’s 13 new cases brings the provincial total above 200.
- The Roy Romanow Provincial Laboratory performed 867 COVID-19 tests in the past 24 hours; the highest number of tests performed in the province since the arrival of the virus.
- Saskatchewan RCMP announces it has received 436 calls relating to COVID-19 and the public health order.
April 3:
- 14 new COVID-19 cases are announced, along with three hospitalizations. Premier Moe says the public health directives are working, as Saskatchewan residents work together to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
- The province released a map that shows COVID-19 cases by region.
- Saskatchewan’s privacy commissioner calls on the government for “as much transparency as possible" about COVID-19.
April 4:
- Saskatchewan passes 230 total cases, with 11 additions.
- Travel still accounts for the majority of COVID-19 cases in the province.
- The province suggests new precautions for grocery stores to keep customers and staff safer.
April 5:
- The government announces 18 new cases, bringing the total to 249.
April 6:
- The province gets its smallest increase in COVID-19 cases in weeks, with only four new cases.
- Regina police issued the first ticket for violation of the COVID-19 public health order.
- Some Saskatchewan students returned to classes online.
April 7:
- Saskatchewan reaches 260 COVID-19 cases, but records seven more recoveries.
- A woman who was fined $2,800 for violating the province’s public health order, tested positive for COVID-19.
April 8:
- Saskatchewan saw 11 new cases, surpassing 270 total.
- The SHA released its COVID-19 models, projecting between 153,000 and 408,000 total COVID-19 cases.
Total COVID-19 cases and death projection models for the peak of the pandemic in Saskatchewan. (Data courtesy: The Saskatchewan Health Authority)
- Plans were announced for the conversion of rural hospitals to accommodate COVID-19 patients
April 9:
- Active COVID-19 cases continue to drop, as recoveries climb to 115
- Over 1000 COVID-19 tests performed in the province in one day
- The province rolled out emergency support for local small businesses.
April 10:
- The number of recoveries triple the amount of new cases, at 21 and seven respectively.
April 11:
- Saskatchewan records its fourth death related to COVID-19.
- The total number of recoveries surpasses active COVID-19 cases.
April 12:
- Saskatchewan has nine new cases of COVID-19. The total number of cases sits at 298 cases, with 130 considered active. There are 164 recoveries.
- The Roy Romanow Provincial Laboratory adds a new machine for COVID-19 testing.
