‘No reason’ for province not to name towns, cities with COVID-19 community transmission: Meili

NDP Leader Ryan Meili wants the provincial government to be more transparent about where some COVID-19 cases are being diagnosed.

As of Friday, Saskatchewan is reporting 104 cases of COVID-19 — with six cases of community transmission.

Community transmission means the case cannot be traced back to travel or another known case of the respiratory virus.

Chief Medical Health Officer Saqib Shahab and the Saskatchewan Health Authority won’t tell the public where those cases of community transmission are, citing patient privacy concerns.

Meili told reporters Friday that while patient anonymity is of utmost importance, so is information to help people stay safe.

“There’s certainly no reason for the vast majority of communities in Saskatchewan, that just identifying there’s a case in that town would lead anyone to know who that person would be,” he said.

He noted it would be helpful for people in towns and cities to know community transmission is happening around them, so they will take precautions seriously.

“I think it’s of great value … to know, ‘oh yes, this is happening in my community and it’s community transmission,’” Meili said.

“It just means people will be all the more careful about their actions and interactions with their neighbours.”

The provincial NDP leader also made use of his daily YouTube news conference to call on the provincial government to release a plan to help low-income and homeless people to protect them from COVID-19.

He asked for increased funding for community-based organizations so they could provide emergency support services, and to ensure immediate shelter for those in need.

Meili also confirmed on Friday he was ending his self-isolation period after his wife tested negative for COVID-19.