REGINA -- The province of Saskatchewan has announced seven new COVID-19 cases Tuesday, along with 15 new recoveries.
Tuesday also marks the beginning of phase two of the plan to reopen Saskatchewan’s economy, allowing retail stores, malls and hair stylists to open their doors.
All of the new cases are in the province’s far north region. Four cases are in Beauval and three are in La Loche.
There are now 599 COVID-19 cases in Saskatchewan. Of those cases, 123 are considered active. A total of 470 people have recovered from the virus in Saskatchewan.
There are currently five people in hospital. Two people — one in Regina and one in Saskatoon — are receiving inpatient care. Three people are in the ICU in Saskatoon.
There are 226 total cases in the far north. Of those cases, 107 are considered active.
There are 164 total cases in Saskatoon, 106 from the north, 76 in Regina, 15 in the south and 12 in the central region.
Breaking down active cases, there are 10 active cases in the north, four in Saskatoon, one in Regina and the central region, and none in the south.
The province says there are 139 cases linked to travel, 323 from community contacts, 69 from no known exposure and 68 under investigation from public health.
There are 84 cases in people under the age of 19, 216 cases between 20 and 39, 182 between 40 and 59, 99 between 60 and 79 and 18 over the age of 80.
The cases are 51 per cent male and 49 per cent female.
Six people have died from COVID-19 complications in Saskatchewan.
To date, there have been 41,606 COVID-19 tests performed in the province.
Reopening Saskatchewan, phase two
This phase allows retail stores, malls and hair stylists to open their doors to the public.
“This is a much larger phase than phase one,” Premier Scott Moe said at the province’s daily update on Tuesday.
Moe said the second phase means a significant number of businesses opening, along with a significant number of people returning to work.
Businesses need to follow strict guidelines, including limiting the number of people in stores, increased cleaning and proper physical distancing guidelines.
Shahab encouraged people to be patient as businesses maintain crowd control. He also said people should try to shop for specific items, rather than browsing and hanging out in stores and malls.
