Health Card

Health Minister, Dustin Duncan says Health Ministry in process of addressing open letter regarding the Zika Virus.


Three cases of the Zika Virus have been confirmed in Quebec, and the rising numbers is raising concerns for Saskatchewan among some citizens. Earlier this week, the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health received an open letter from Dr. Edmond Lemire a retired professor of pediatrics.

In his letter, Lemire outlined the devastating future of Saskatchewan, were a Zika Virus outbreak to occur. He relayed the fact Saskatchewan needs a better model of research when it came to researching congenital anomalies and birth defects if the province were to better understand and take action against the facilities of the tropical malady.

Health Minister, Dustin Duncan is still in the process of responding to the letter and the argument it entails; but for now he assures the residents of Saskatchewan the province will be as ready as it ever will be to defend itself against an outbreak should the event take place.

Lemire's letter outlined the need for a congenital disease surveillance system, where the results of the virus can be tracked and traced to various symptoms. Lemire argues the information gathered from this process will assist Saskatchewan practitioners in the fight against the Virus.

Duncan says it is still too early to entertain the thought of putting such a system in place.

Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Saqib Shahab stated Saskatchewan currently uses the Canadian surveillance system; a similar process devoted solely to the Saskatchewan province would not be feasible at this time.

There are currently no confirmed cases of the Zika Virus in Saskatchewan.