REGINA -- Saskatchewan Health Minister Jim Reiter clarified the timeline in announcing the COVID-19 outbreak at Lloydminster hospital on Monday and promised to make information public “in a more timely manner.”
Reiter said the medical health officer for Lloydminster notified the Ministry of Heath of the outbreak the evening of Monday, April 27, not Sunday, April 26 as previously stated.
“The ministry would have gotten that email on Tuesday,” said Reiter.
Reiter said he was then informed of the outbreak on the evening of Tuesday, April 28. The following morning, Reiter said he told the premier, and the outbreak was then made public.
In a press conference Monday morning, NDP Leader Ryan Meili called the delay concerning.
“What’s happening in communication within the health authority, between the health minister and the premier, that we have a situation where this information is coming out slowly, incompletely or with editorializing that downplays the concern?” said Meili.
Reiter said he did take some responsibility for the delay. He said the outbreak information could have been made public in a more timely manner, and that it will be moving forward.
“We need to make sure that when these things are evaluated, that communications between the different levels in the ministry, that there isn’t unnecessary delays,” he said.
The CEO of the Saskatchewan Heath Authority apologized for the delay, stating the organization is striving to be more transparent and timely in providing information to the public.
“Some good things that have already changed are multiple meetings between our medical health officers and Dr. Shahab about what the new standard is for COVID reporting and outbreaks,” Scott Livingstone said.
