COVID-19: Gov. says parties, weddings and other gatherings putting people at risk

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The province has only issued such fines four times since a state of emergency was declared in March. Two were for people who failed to self-isolate while they had COVID-19. A third was for the host of a large gathering in Saskatoon attended by more than 40 people, which has since been linked to more than 21 cases. A fourth was for a business that was charged $14,000 for operating despite restrictions ordered by the province.

Premier Scott Moe has recently warned that tougher fines may result for people who either blatantly put others at risk or host gatherings that flout public health orders. The maximum allowed at an indoor gathering is 30 people, and only if there is room for each of them to be six feet apart.

The province reported five cases of COVID-19 and eight recoveries on Thursday. Two of the new cases are in the Saskatoon area and one each are in the central west, Regina and south central regions.

The province also reported that 24 schoolchildren tested positive for COVID-19 between Sept. 14 and 20, the first full week of in-person instruction since classes were moved online near the end of the last school year.

The province said 4,106 children and youth were tested last week, mostly in Saskatoon (1,598) and Regina (825).

Thirteen of the kids who tested positive were in Saskatoon, five were in Regina and three each live in the central and south zones of the province.

There are currently 130 known cases that are considered active in Saskatchewan, eight of whom are receiving in-patient hospital care.

Since March, 1,835 cases have been reported in the province.

On Wednesday the province tested 1,578 people for the virus.

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