COVID-19 in Sask: Province reports 60 new cases Wednesday

Saskatchewan announced 60 new cases of COVID-19 Wednesday. This is a provincial record for number of cases reported in one day.

Fifty of the new cases are in the south, four are in Saskatoon, three are in the central area, two are in the far northand one is in the north.

Forty-threeof the new cases are located in a single communal living setting in the RM of Lawtonia.

In a news release, the province said they are working with community leaders where a high number of cases exist to "enact further restrictions on all non-essential travel into and out of their communities." That would include travel between Hutterite colonies.

On Wednesday, Premier Scott Moe said that for the most part, co-operation between government and the Hutterian Safety Council has been good, but that he has heard of isolated cases where people are not following guidelines.

Both Moe and chief medical health officer Dr. Saqib Shahabsaid that although the majority of cases are in one area, the risk of catching and spreading COVID-19 remains throughout the province.

Moe said localleaders are receptive to measures necessary to contain the spread of the virus.

"[We need]to also work with them on ensuring that they have a very fulsome understanding of what a self-imposedtravel restriction does mean and how it is really a requirement for the success of containing the virus, not only in their community but not spreading it to surrounding communities," Moe said.

SeventeenHutterite communities have known active cases. They arein the following rural municipalities:

• Auverge.
• Biggar.
• Carmichael.
• Eagle Creek.
• Grandview.
• Harris.
• Kindersley.
• Lawtonia.
• Maple Creek.
• Newcombe.
• Perdue.
• Pleasant Valley.
• Prairiedale.
• Saskatchewan Landing.
• St. Andrews.
• Tramping Lake.
• Webb.

Both Moe and Shahab stressed that blame shouldn't be put on a single community or person.

Moe said the government wouldn't put a timeline on how long they'd wait to enact their own travel restriction because each colony and community is different and has itsown needs.

There are currently 190 known active COVID-19 cases in the province.