The Government of Saskatchewan has confirmed 42 new cases of COVID-19 in the province, the biggest single-day jump since the pandemic started.
The spike in cases comes after the province warned of a high risk of transmission in the southwest and west central areas of the province on Wednesday night.
The new cases bring the province’s total to 923 with 114 cases considered active. 31 cases are in the south region, six are in the central, four are in the Saskatoon area and one is in the north.
Three more people have recovered from the coronavirus for a total of 794 provincial recoveries.
Map of COVID-19 in Saskatchewan on July 16. (Image: Government of Saskatchewan)
Eleven people are in hospital across the province, including nine people in inpatient care. Two people are in intensive care with one in Saskatoon and one in the south region.
Most of the new cases have connections to communal settings, but the province is urging people to be vigilant and continue to follow proper COVID-19 protocols.
Warren Kaeding, minister of rural and remote health in Saskatchewan, announced on Thursday that the vast majority of the new cases are related to a growing outbreak in a number of Hutterite communities and other neighbouring communities in southwest and west central Saskatchewan.
“The SHA is working closely with the Hutterian safety council, local Hutterite leadership, local municipalities and the business community to control further spread of the virus,” stated the minister during the government’s daily COVID-19 update.
“This includes aggressive testing and contact tracing which have detected these positive cases. We will likely find more in the days ahead.”
With an increase in transmission in southwest and west central Saskatchewan, Kaeding is asking everyone in the affected areas to take steps to reduce spreading the virus.
“Stay in your home community as much as possible. Self-isolate and get tested if you are feeling unwell at all or if you have been in contact with anyone who has known to have tested positive. Limit your interpersonal contacts and group gatherings as much as possible.”
Kaeding added the spread of COVID-19 will reduce in these corners of the province if everyone follows these steps and the public health measures already in place for the next couple weeks.
(With files from Moises Canales)
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