The Regina Police Service (RPS) says it’s had its first case of COVID-19.
The employee who tested positive for the novel coronavirus does not work directly with members of the public, according to a press release on Tuesday.
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RPS said it was notified of the test result on Monday evening.
“We knew this was inevitable, so we feel educated and well-prepared,” Chief Evan Bray said in a statement.
“Our employee took swift and appropriate action in being tested at the first sign of symptoms. That gave us time to enact the necessary protocols to safeguard the health of all our employees and their families, while giving our affected employee the best chance of a speedy recovery.”
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RPS said the affected member is away from work for a minimum of two weeks, in accordance with Saskatchewan Health Authority guidelines, and their work area and any other potentially-involved vehicles have undergone a thorough sanitization.
It added that all employees who had indirect or direct contact with the individual who tested positive have been advised to self-monitor or self-isolate where applicable.
Questions about COVID-19? Here are some things you need to know:
Symptoms can include fever, cough and difficulty breathing — very similar to a cold or flu. Some people can develop a more severe illness. People most at risk of this include older adults and people with severe chronic medical conditions like heart, lung or kidney disease. If you develop symptoms, contact public health authorities.
To prevent the virus from spreading, experts recommend frequent handwashing and coughing into your sleeve. They also recommend minimizing contact with others, staying home as much as possible and maintaining a distance of two metres from other people if you go out. In situations where you can’t keep a safe distance from others, public health officials recommend the use of a non-medical face mask or covering to prevent spreading the respiratory droplets that can carry the virus. In some provinces and municipalities across the country, masks or face coverings are now mandatory in indoor public spaces.
For full COVID-19 coverage from Global News, click here.
