As the number of COVID-19 cases edges upward again in the province and we’re on the cusp of a Reopen Saskatchewan plan, the Ministry of Health is telling everyone to take precautions when forming an extended household group.

There are six new confirmed cases of COVID-19 bringing the provincial total to 389. Three of the new cases are from the north which includes two in Lloydminster, two from the Saskatoon area, and one from La Loche. There are 88 cases considered active after four more recoveries and with two more deaths this week, six people have now died from coronavirus complications in the province.

Residents are advised that as the Reopen plan launches, one or two close families may form an extended household group but those people must remain consistent. If you are going to create this extended group then consider whether someone has a chronic health condition or are in close contact with someone vulnerable. And no matter, what, the stipulation that gatherings be less than 10 people still applies.

There are 10 people in hospital and of those three are in intensive care in Saskatoon.

Of the 389 cases in the province:
137 cases are travellers;
159 are community contacts (mass gatherings included);
36 have no known exposures; and
57 are under investigation by local public health.

Overall in Saskatchewan:
39 of the cases are health care workers; however, the source of the infections may not be related to health care in all instances.
153 of the cases are from the Saskatoon area, 77 from the north, 75 from the Regina area, 58 from the far north, 15 from the south, and 11 from the central region.
35 cases involve people 19 years of age and under, while the remainder are adults.
141 cases are in the 20-39 age range; 131 are in the 40-59 age range; 70 are in the 60-79 age range; and 12 are in the 80-plus range.
50 per cent of the cases are males and 50 per cent are females.
Six deaths related to COVID-19 have been reported to date.

To date, 29,642 COVID-19 tests have been performed in the province. As of April 28, 2020, when other provincial and national numbers were available from the Public Health Agency of Canada, Saskatchewan’s per capita rate was 23,269 people tested per million population, which exceeds the national rate of 20,176 people tested per million population.