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By Nicole Reis

COVID-19 NORTH

Health authority reaching out in La Loche and Buffalo Narrows following possible COVID-19 contact

Mar 31, 2020 | 1:29 PM

Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) Public Health staff have begun contact tracing after a person who tested positive for COVID-19 had contacts while in the Buffalo Narrows and La Loche area.

La Loche mayor, Robert St.Pierre told meadowlakeNOW there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of today in his community.

“We went on a local radio station, held an information session and spoke to the community with health professionals and the chief,” St.Pierre said. “Most people know, but just in case, those who aren’t up to date, we held an information session so there is an understanding.”

In a press release, the president of Métis Nation, Clément Chartier said he came into contact with an individual who tested positive and Chartier remains in precautionary self-isolation in Buffalo Narrows.

“Based on their assessment questions and protocol, it was strongly recommended that I go into two week’s of self-isolation,” Chartier said in the release. “I am currently at home in Buffalo Narrows and have not been able to travel back to Ottawa due to advisories not to travel.”

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As part of SHA protocol, it will not disclose where and when the contact was made, and also the identity of the potential carrier of the virus who community members were in contact with.

According to the SHA, contact tracing begins when positive lab results are received. The person who has a positive result is contacted by Public Health, and then a contact list is created based on information provided.

Public Health subsequently tracks down and assesses everyone who came into contact with an individual who has tested positive for COVID-19. Those who are not contacted are not at risk.

Public health is working to ensure contact tracing to mitigate further spread of the virus. As contact tracing investigations are ongoing, everyone is reminded to take extra precautions to reduce the risk of exposure and transmission.

Extra precautions include thorough and frequent hand washing, coughing into your arm, avoid touching your face, monitoring yourself for any symptoms of COVID-19, distance from others who do not live in your home by two meters.

Keep your distance from each other. If you are out in the community to get essential things, practice proper hand washing and disinfect the things you are bringing into your home before putting them away, the SHA says in its recommendations.

If you have symptoms of COVID-19, please self-isolate immediately and contact your family physician or call HealthLine 811.

For more information on self-isolation, social distancing and other public health measures you can take, got to saskatchewan.ca/COVID19.

—

nicole.reis@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @nicolereis7722