Saskatchewan NDP Leader Dr. Ryan Meili is demanding that Minister of Health Jim Reiter answer for the lack of public communication about the spike in COVID-19 cases in the last 72 hours in Saskatchewan.

“Active cases more than doubled, from 43 to 90, over three days, without a peep from the Government. The lack of communication coming from this Health Minister is unacceptable,” said Meili. “Saskatchewan families have done what the government and health officials have asked them to do, at real personal and financial cost. Their efforts have worked to flatten the curve. But for that to continue, the Minister of Health has to be honest and timely with information about the pandemic.”

Meili pointed to past communications breakdowns in the handling of COVID-19 under this Minister, including a slow initial response, the downplaying of the La Loche outbreak and the delay in notifying the public about the Lloydminster outbreak.

“We thought Minister Reiter would have learned his lesson. We were wrong,” said Meili. “Now is not the time to shut down on public communication about the spread of COVID-19. The pandemic doesn’t take a break on weekends. Updated information should be reported daily. Period.”