REGINA -- The province of Saskatchewan reported 60 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday.

This is the largest single day increase to date, bringing the province up to 1,030 cases. There are 190 active cases in the province.

New cases are located in the south (50), Saskatoon (four), central (three), far north (two) and north (one).

Of the total number of new cases reported on Wednesday, 48 are located on Hutterite colonies in the southwest and west-central parts of the province. Forty-three of those cases are located on one colony.

There are 17 Hutterite communities with active cases in the following rural municipalities:

  • Auverge (No. 76)
  • Biggar (No. 347)
  • Carmichael (No. 109)
  • Eagle Creek (No. 376)
  • Grandview (No. 349)
  • Harris (No. 316)
  • Kindersley (No. 290)
  • Lawtonia (No. 135)
  • Maple Creek (No. 111)
  • Newcombe (No. 260)
  • Perdue (No. 346)
  • Pleasant Valley (No. 288)
  • Prariedale (No. 321)
  • Saskatchewan Landing (No. 167)
  • St. Andrews (No. 287)
  • Tramping Lake (No. 380)
  • Webb (No. 138)

“These case numbers are very concerning, but they are not unexpected,” Premier Scott Moe said during Wednesday’s live update.

Moe said there has been "very good cooperation" with Hutterite communities and residents of the impacted areas.

“We are in the process of speaking to all Hutterite community leaders, and working with local leaders to enact restrictions on all non-essential travel,” Moe said.

He credits “aggressive testing” by the health authority as the reason for a large increase in cases.

TRAVEL IN AFFECTED AREAS

The province asks all residents in impacted areas to stay in their home communities as much as possible. Anyone feeling unwell or anyone who has had contact with COVID-19 should seek testing immediately. 

“The Government of Saskatchewan is working with the leaders of all communities where a significant number of cases exist to enact further restrictions on all non-essential travel into and out of their communities. This includes travel between Hutterite communities,” the province said in a news release.

Residents should also limit group gatherings as much as possible.

SASKATCHEWAN CASES

To date there have been 342 cases reported in the far north, 212 cases reported in Saskatoon, 124 cases reported in the north, 123 cases reported in the south, 87 reported in Regina and 82 in the central region.

Fifty-one per cent of cases are women and 49 per cent are men.

Fifteen people have died from COVID-19 in Saskatchewan.

The province has performed 83,676 tests to date.