REGINA -- Saskatchewan reported seven new COVID-19 cases on Thursday.

There are four new cases in Saskatoon, one in the south west and one in the south east.

 

There have been 1,757 cases in Saskatchewan to date. One case reported on Wednesday was determined not to be a Saskatchewan resident.

Premier Scott Moe told reporters that addressing the pandemic is a challenge, but he beleives the people in the province have taken it to task.

"We are not passing the virus off to one another, in most cases," he said. "We've been respecting and caring, and understanding this virus can affect anyone."

Dr. Saqib Shahab reminded people to be more cautious as the colder months approach.

He pointed to other provinces that are seeing rising case numbers, saying it's important that Saskatchewan keep numbers low.

"We may need to reset our bubble if we have to, and look at those things as we enter the fall," he said.

None of the new cases reported on Thursday are related to a social gathering reported in Saskatoon on Sept. 13. There have been 21 cases linked to this gathering. The province predicts there will be more cases related to this event.

There are 109 cases considered currently active in the province. Twenty-nine cases are in communal living settings.

Four more people have recovered for a total of 1,624 recoveries to date.

Five people in Saskatoon are receiving inpatient care.

ORGANIZER OF GATHERING LINKED TO 21 COVID-19 CASES FINED $2,000

The organizer of a "large social gathering" in Saskatoon linked to 21 confirmed cases of COVID-19 has been issued a fine of $2,000.

Under Saskatchewan's current Public Health Order, indoor and outdoor gatherings are limited to a maximum of 30 people, as long as there is enough space to accommodate physical distancing.

The private gathering in Saskatoon had around 47 people in attendance, the provincial government said in a news release.

As of Thursday, 21 cases of COVID-19 had been linked to the Sept. 13 event, according to the province.

As well, the province has contacted more than 160 people who are close contacts of the people who attended the event. This means they might have been exposed to COVID-19.

Moe said it's dissapointing people who attended and hosted the event weren't adhering to guidelines.

"Just a little dissapointed. This is how it is, but we will forge on," he said.

He encouraged people to follow guidelines set out by the province, which includes physical distancing, limiting gathering sizes, washing hands for 20 seconds, and wearing a mask when two-metre separation isn't possible.

 

HALLOWEEN, HOLIDAY GUIDELINES

Shahab said the province will soon announce guidance for people partaking in Halloween and Thanksgiving. As well, people can also expect guidelines for holiday and Christmas gatherings.

REGIONALLY

  • 434 cases are from the south area (222 south west, 197 south central, 15 south east)
  • 357 cases are from the far north area (349 far north west, 0 far north central, 8 far north east)
  • 326 cases are from the Saskatoon area
  • 271 cases are from the north area (131 north west, 73 north central, 67 north east)
  • 229 cases are from the central area (168 central west, 61 central east)
  • 140 cases are from the Regina area

The SHA performed 1,515 tests on Wednesday.

 

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