COVID-19 in Sask.: 29 new cases reported Tuesday, 17 in Saskatoon zone

The province has reported 29 new cases of COVID-19 in Saskatchewan on Tuesday.

Of the new cases, 17 are located in the Saskatoon zone, four in the Regina zone, four in the south west zone, three in the south central zone and one in the north west zone.

Eleven of the 17 cases in Saskatoon zone are in a communal living setting outside the city, the province reported.

A total of 1,479 cases have now been recorded in Saskatchewan, 165 of which are considered active.

Eleven people are in hospital, with six receiving in-patient care and five people in intensive care.

To date, there have been 20 deaths related to COVID-19.

The province said it conducted 927 COVID-19 tests on Monday, compared to 1,297 on Sunday.

It also said the Saskatchewan Health Authority is aiming to increase its testing capacity to 3,000 tests per day by the middle of August and to 4,000 tests per day by the beginning of September.

Testing is now available to anyone, even if there are no symptoms present. People can request a test by calling the HealthLine at 811.

In light of the advisories the Saskatchewan Health Authority has released for possible COVID-19 transmission at Regina and Saskatoon businesses, the government issued safety reminders, including:

• Practise proper cough and sneezing etiquette (into a tissue or the bend of your elbow).
• Wash your hands often with soap and water; if soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
• Stay home if you are sick.
• Practise physical distancing and wear a mask when in situations where recommended physical distancing will be difficult to maintain.
• You should always be aware of who you have been in contact with over the past two weeks. If you test positive for COVID-19, these are the people who will need to be contacted by public health.