2 employees test positive for COVID-19 at RCMP's Saskatchewan headquarters in Regina

The RCMP says two employees at its Saskatchewan headquarters in Regina, also known as F Division, recently tested positive for COVID-19 and are self-isolating at home. 

The Ministry of Health added the Dewdney Avenue detachment to its confirmed list of current outbreaks on Friday. 

"In non-household settings, an outbreak is confirmed when two or more people test positive for COVID-19," the ministry wrote on its outbreak page. 

Jessica Cantos, an RCMP spokesperson, said neither infected employee has been at the headquarters building since Oct. 16. The building has been sanitized and disinfected, she added. 

Since July, the RCMP has alternated between having employees work remotely at home and at the office. 

"This was done in order to reduce the risk of transmission," Cantos said. "This also gave us an opportunity to conduct regular and enhanced cleaning while allowing space for any employees to monitor for any COVID-19 related symptoms." 

Declaration vs. advisory

The declaration of an outbreak is different from an advisory, according to the ministry. 

"The declaration of a COVID-19 outbreak is used by public health to mobilize and co-ordinate a response to the infection. It is not necessarily an indicator of risk to the public," the ministry stated. 

"Public advisories will always be issued when there is a risk to the public."

F Division is the second Saskatchewan RCMP detachment to be touched by COVID-19 in recent days.

On Wednesday, the RCMP confirmed one front-line officer at its Warman, Sask., detachment, just north of Saskatoon, had tested positive on Oct. 15 and was self-isolating at home.

• RCMP officer in Warman, Sask., tests positive for COVID-19