COVID-19 outbreak at shelter is first of kind in province

The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) has declared a COVID-19 outbreak at The Lighthouse Supported Living in Saskatoon after a client and staff member tested positive.

Lighthouse executive director Don Windels said the shelter was informed of the outbreak Friday. The first positive case, identified more than two weeks ago, affected the tenant of a house operated in the community by the Lighthouse.

The second, which Windels said he believes was confirmed Thursday, affected a staff member at the shelter.

Windels said The Lighthouse has been diligent in screening people when they're coming into the building and is taking precautions to limit any potential spread to staff and clients.

Those who may have been in contact with the staff member have been tested and are self-isolating.

“We're just hoping that no one in the building has contracted it,” Windels said. “We're following health direction on this. They've been very co-operative and it's definitely opened up more communication.”

This is the first outbreak in a shelter in Saskatchewan. It comes in the midst of calls from the city's non-profit sector for measures they say could help curb the spread of COVID-19 in shelters.

Saskatchewan's Ministry of Social Services sponsors hotel stays for people who need to self-isolate but do not have the means to do so. That system typically applies only to people with a COVID-19 diagnosis, symptoms or exposure.

Shelters say providing interim housing for asymptomatic clients would allow them to be tested before entering a shelter, especially as active cases in the province approach 600 and winter approaches. A memo sent to front-line organizations this month also warned about rising levels of transmission in Saskatoon's inner city.

“Now that Saskatoon is a high-risk area, it's hard because almost everyone now that comes to a shelter has come from a high-risk area,” Windels said. “But if we know they've been in contact with someone that has tested positive, but they aren't showing symptoms themselves, we still feel that they should go to be tested and have a place to isolate.”

Windels said The Lighthouse has been in contact with the Ministry of Social Services and Ministry of Health on the issue.

For the time being, the shelter system has been trying to accommodate them internally, with a few rooms set aside for self-isolating.

Windels says it's less than ideal, adding a longterm solution is needed to prevent spread among the city's homeless population. Many already face compromised health and are additionally vulnerable.

“We don't want anyone to contract it, but especially those that are more vulnerable — we try to keep them as safe as possible,” he said.

The Lighthouse Supported Living Inc. operates 61 shelter beds in Saskatoon.