Hutterian Safety Council confirms COVID-19 related deaths on Sask. colonies

The Hutterian Safety Council is confirming multiple COVID-19 related deaths at Hutterite colonies in Saskatchewan.

Council chair David Tschetter joined Saskatchewan Afternoon Friday to speak about the improving relations between Hutterites and the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) after linking recent COVID-19 deaths to the Hutterite community.

“We have received reports that indicate that we have had deaths within the Hutterite communities related to COVID-19,” he said. “We’re not privy to the information of where those occurred, but it is devastating.”

“This is real, this is a risk and while most will be mildly affected, some (will be) serious and some won’t survive.”

After plenty of criticism towards the province since COVID-19 cases began spiking on colonies last week, Tschetter said the safety council is on board with health officials’ goals to test and provide education on each of the roughly 80 Hutterite colonies in Saskatchewan.

“That’s where the Ministry of Health is coming from,” Tschetter said. “They would like to visit every community, indicate that the education piece is very important and do vigorous contact tracing.”

There is currently no timeline when testing and tracing will be done. An obstacle for health officials is the resistance from leaders at some colonies that won’t permit full testing and tracing.

Tschetter said the health authority is allowed into these communities to test people showing symptoms, but other efforts are falling short.

“There’s the conversation, but in some cases, it’s very difficult to lead to community-wide testing,” Tschetter said. “The community-wide testing, which is essential to the efforts, is a challenge.”

“I can appreciate Premier Scott Moe in personally putting pressure on (Hutterite communities) as well, but at some point we need to draw a line in the sand and realize we’re beating a dead horse and is actually hampering and stemming the progress that the SHA is making.”

Tschetter said both groups have the same goal in educating as many people as possible on the health guidelines in place and testing necessary to limit the spread of COVID-19.