REGINA -- The province reported its 18th COVID-19-related death on Thursday, along with 38 new cases.
Of the new cases reported, the province has determined that 23 are from several communal living settings.
The person who died was in their 90s, and lived in the south region of the province.
The province says 304 cases are active in Saskatchewan, out of 1,306 reported to date.
Fifty-five more people have recovered from COVID-19, bringing the total number of recoveries in the province to 984.
Fourteen people are in hospital, including five patients in intensive care. Three are in Saskatoon and two are in Regina.
SOME COLONIES NOT COOPERATING
Premier Scott Moe said success has come for the many colonies that made the necessary changes to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
He said not every colony has adopted the necessary changes.
“There are a few that aren’t quite as cooperative,” Moe said. “[Some are] not willing to change some of their communal practices like eating and praying together.”
He said the refusal to cooperate will likely cause more cases in these communities.
TESTING EXPANSION
The Government of Saskatchewan said it is working to provide more daily COVID-19 testing.
Since introducing universal COVID-19 testing, the province said there has been an increase in the number of people getting tested. Testing numbers had dipped, but with an increased number of cases in the province, testing is expected to fluctuate.
"We'll be looking at how we can expand our testing capacity here in the province, but also are participating in the more national discussion around potentially some mobile testing capacity that can get to certain areas of the province. Mobile contact tracing,” Moe said.
SASKATCHEWAN CASES
The far north has reported 348 cases to date, 276 in the south, 244 in Saskatoon, 192 in the north, 154 in the central region and 91 in Regina.
Exactly half the cases are women and the other half are men.
There have been 18 deaths reported to date.
The province has tested 96,706 individuals.
