Esterhazy taking measures to combat rising COVID-19 cases
As COVID-19 cases in southeastern Saskatchewan rise, the town of Esterhazy has introduced temporary measures to slow community transmission.
The move to close all locations to the community came on Oct. 7.
“We wanted to close down the town office and any of the facilities that would be open to the community as a precautionary measure,” said Mike Thorley, chief administrative officer of the town of Esterhazy.
As of Thursday, the Central East subzone 5, which includes Esterhazy has 92 active cases, among the 19,000 people who live in the area.
Based on population estimates from the government of Saskatchewan’s COVID-19 dashboard, 60,876 Central East residents are fully vaccinated, making up approximately 63.1 per cent of the 96,478 people living in the region.
Overall, the Central East zone accounts for 334 of Saskatchewan’s 4,294 active COVID-19 cases. The zone currently has the fifth-highest active case count in the province.
“There has been an overflow of COVID-19 in our area not classified as a hotspot,” explained Thorley. “But there are problems where our hospitals were getting full and our school was being closed down.”
Esterhazy has extended the closure to Oct. 18.
The high school is set to return to in-person learning, following confirmation of 22 positive cases.
“As a school division we have been struggling to maintain face to face instruction in Esterhazy,” said Quintin Robertson director of education for the Good Spirit School Division.
The school division said it supports the town's decision to implement temporary closures.
“It certainly brings to light the severity of the situation in the community and surrounding areas,” said Robertson. “We certainly appreciate the leadership that the town has taken we will support them 100 per cent as a school division to ensure that were doing our part to keep students staff and community safe”.
The feedback from residents has been mostly positive
“I think it was necessary at this point in the game. We've been floating along the last few months,” said Marie Baker, Esterhazy resident. “I think it was a very hard decision for them to make but I think it will benefit the community in the long run”.
A total of 35 people from the Central East have died after testing positive for COVID-19, including one death reported Thursday.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Maple Leafs fall to Bruins in Game 3, trail series 2-1
Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in the third period, and added an assist as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series Wednesday
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
New Indigenous loan guarantee program a 'really big deal,' Freeland says at Toronto conference
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was among the 1,700 delegates attending the two-day First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference that concluded Tuesday in Toronto.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.