REGINA -- The province of Saskatchewan has 14 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, bringing the total to 66.
According to the province, 65 cases are now confirmed and one is a presumptive positive. Two people are between the ages of five to 19, while all other cases are over the age of 20. The province didn’t specify the ages of the two cases under 20 years old.
Sixty-one per cent of the cases are men, and the other 39 per cent are women.
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COVID-19 testing
There have been 5,269 COVID-19 tests performed at the Roy Romanow Provincial Laboratory so far. Over the weekend, the province announced the Regina-based lab could now perform confirmatory COVID-19 tests. Prior to that, presumptive positive tests had to be sent to Winnipeg for official confirmation.
The province says additional demographic information on these cases isn't available at this time because public health officials are still working on their contact investigation.
Anyone who has a fever or cough is asked to self-isolate immediately and to use the province's self-assessment tool.
International travellers returning to Saskatchewan are required by law to self-isolate for 14 days. Anyone who has been in contact with someone with COVID-19 also needs to self-isolate for 14 days from the date of exposure.
Maintaining safe physical distance
Premier Scott Moe thanked the people of Saskatchewan for staying home and practicing physical distancing in an effort to stop the spread of the pandemic.
"You are keeping yourself safe, you are keeping your family safe and you are keeping others safe," he said.
He also reminded Saskatchewan residents this pandemic will end and things will return to normal, but no one knows when that will happen.
Moe is expected to speak to other Canadian premiers on Monday afternoon about the COVID-19 pandemic.
A number of closures and other measures came into effect on Monday, including shutting restaurants, bars and cafes except for deliveries, closing recreation and entertainment facilities, and closing dental offices for any elective procedures.
"We are at a critical point now," Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Saqib Shahab said on Monday.
Shahab said almost all cases are related to travel or large events. There is no evidence of community transmission at this point, but some cases are still under investigation.
The province has capped gatherings at 25 people. Shahab also stressed the importance of avoiding international travel.
"Otherwise the cycle will continue," he said.
People who are unwell and isolating at home are advised to stay in their rooms and not share items with other people in their homes.
People who are healthy can go outdoors as long as they maintain proper physical distance of at least two metres from other people.
"If we can sustain this, we can keep our curve flat," Shahab said.
The province expects to have more demographic information available later this week.
Shahab is also hopeful the province will be able to report recovered cases as soon as the end of this week.
