Despite cases and outbreaks, Dr. Shahab pleased with re-opening of schools

COVID-19 impacting Sask. schools WATCH: Marc Smith finds out if officials are satisfied with the response as several Sask. schools deal with COVID-19 cases.

Regina — Students and staff walked back into schools around the province one month ago.

Saskatchewan’s Chief Medical Health Officer is pleased the province has not yet seen transmission of COVID-19 within a school.

"Very few schools have had a single case and that case has usually been a child or teacher who acquired COVID while in the community," Dr. Saqib Shahab said.

The province currently has two outbreaks in schools at Holy Cross High School in Saskatoon and Yorkton Regional High School.

Earlier this week, a staff member tested positive at Marion McVeety School in Regina earlier this week.

So far, 19 schools have had a positive case.

"The responses have been balanced, measured and certainly when we compare ourselves to other provinces, certainly our cases in schools have been on the lower side," Shahab said.

The province has performed 12,617 tests in school-aged children since schools opened last month. There are currently 35 active cases in kids aged 0-19.

The test positive rate among children is 0.3 per cent this week, compared to 0.6 per cent in the rest of the province.

"Our data shows reassuring signs in terms of sufficient testing happening where required and a low test positivity rate,” Shahab said.

Shahab warned cases with no known contacts have been rising in the province.

"Three weeks ago, about seven per cent of our cases had no link to a known case, then it went up to around 12 per cent two weeks ago and now it’s around 18 per cent," Shahab said.

According to Shahab, cases in schools reflect cases in the community, adding that following the public health guidelines over the next few weeks is critical to avoid the large increases being seen in other provinces.