Outbreak Declared In One Operation Of A Major Local Employer

The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) has declared an outbreak of COVID - 19 in one department of a major Moose Jaw employer.

Today the SHA declared a COVID - 19 outbreak at the CPR Moose Jaw Locomotive Shop.

It is unknown how many employees have contracted COVID - 19 other than an outbreak is declared when two or more cases of COVID - 19 are found in the same facility away from the home which are connected and may be over a period of time. It is additionally unknown how many (if any) employees may be isolating in case they have contracted the virus and have no signs of the infection.

It is unknown if any of the cases were caused by a Variant Of Concern (VOC) or by the original SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Outbreaks will remain listed until officially declared over by an SHA Medical Health Officer.

Generally, outbreaks would be declared after there were no new cases and two full incubation periods from the last individual who started having symptoms. For COVID-19 outbreaks, this would be 28 days (2 incubation periods of 14 days) after the last individuals started showing symptoms.

Variants Of Concern or VOC are mutated versions of the original virus which makes it more transmissible (communicable) between hosts (people). The VOCs are listed as a concern because they are listed as between 35 - 70 percent more transmissible and may cause more severe disease. Viruses continually mutate in order to more readily infect the host.

Click the link to the COVID - 19 Outbreak page.