Sask. reports 25 new COVID cases, 254 active cases

Saskatchewan reported 25 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, the ninth straight day with a double-digit total of new cases.

There have been 231 cases in that span. So far in October, there have been 286 new cases reported, increasing the province’s total to date to 2,199.

The new cases reported Wednesday were in the northeast (seven), north-central (five), far northeast (four), Saskatoon (four), Regina (three), central-east (one) and southeast (one) zones.

One of the cases reported Tuesday that didn’t have an exact location has been assigned to the Regina region. The location of one other case is still pending.

There were nine recoveries announced Wednesday, increasing that total so far to 1,920. To date, 25 residents of the province have died due to COVID-19 complications.

The number of active cases being reported in Saskatchewan is 254. That’s the highest that number has been since Aug. 2, when it also was 254.

There are seven people in hospital in the province.

Six are receiving inpatient care, with four in Saskatoon and one in each of the north-central and central-east zones. One person is in intensive care in Saskatoon.

Since March, there have been 466 cases in the south area (226 southwest, 207 south-central, 33 southeast), 454 from the Saskatoon zone, 379 in the far north (356 far northwest, 23 far northeast), 350 from the north (140 northwest, 132 north-central, 78 northeast), 315 in the central area (187 central-west, 128 central-east) and 234 in the Regina region. The location of one case is still pending.

So far in October, the north region has had the most new cases reported with 73, followed by the Saskatoon area (61), the central zone (56), the Regina region (50), the south (25) and the far north (20).

Of the total number of cases in the province, 1,071 have been community contacts (including mass gatherings), 618 haven’t had any known exposures, 318 have been travellers and 192 remain under investigation by local public health officials.

To date, 78 health-care workers have been infected.

There have been 735 cases in the 20-to-39 age range, 663 between the ages of 40 and 59, 380 involving people 19 and under, 350 from age 60 to 79, and 71 in the 80-and-over range.

The 1,700 tests done in the province on Tuesday increased the total to date to 220,659.

More details on new limit on private gatherings

In its media release Wednesday, the Ministry of Health reminded residents that the public health order has been amended regarding the maximum size of private indoor gatherings.

Due to the recent increase in cases, the limit has been reduced from 30 to 15, with the change to take effect Friday at 12:01 a.m.

“This will not impact restaurants, licensed establishments, banquet halls as well as weddings, funerals and religious gatherings which are all required to follow seating and physical distancing guidelines as described in the Re-Open Saskatchewan Plan …,” the ministry said.

“Any event that occurs in a private dwelling, including weddings, religious gathering and funerals, must abide by the 15-person gathering limit.”