The gulf in COVID-19 cases between Manitoba and Saskatchewan continued growing Thursday. Saskatchewan hit a new mile marker, reporting more than twice as many total cases as Manitoba.
Five new positive tests for COVID-19 were confirmed in Saskatchewan - four in La Loche, one in Regina. Thirteen more people have been reported as recovered from the disease. Since the disease was first reported in Saskatchewan, 582 cases have been recorded. One hundred and seventy eight of those cases are still considered active.
Meanwhile in Manitoba, not only did the province not report any new cases Thursday, it actually took one case off the board - one presumptive positive case linked to a cluster at a Brandon trucking business was confirmed to have actually been a negative, curiously giving Manitoba one fewer case Thursday than it had Wednesday.
Manitoba currently has 30 active cases of COVID-19.
Saskatchewan will soon expand testing to any person living in the province working outside their home, especially people who have returned to work as part of the provincial Reopen Saskatchewan plan. Details on advanced testing will be made publicly available next week.
There are still four active outbreaks of COVID-19 in Saskatchewan - in Beauval, La Loche and at medical facilities in Lloydminster and Meadow Lake.
Travel restrictions in place for northern Manitoba and Saskatchewan remain both in place and unchanged ahead of May long weekend. Motorists found travelling out of, into or within northern Saskatchewan for non-essential reasons or motorists found trying to enter northern Manitoba may face fines and other penalties.
