More than a handful of new COVID-19 cases were reported in both Manitoba and Saskatchewan Friday.
In Manitoba, five new cases of COVID-19 were reported Friday - the second such increase this week in the province.
Similar to outbreaks reported in Saskatchewan, all five cases were linked to Hutterites - specifically, one community in the Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority. A male and female in their 60s, another male and female in the 30s and a female in her 20s were all confirmed as positive tests.
The new tests gave Manitoba a total of 336 cases since the outbreak began. Eleven of those cases are still active. All 11 of those cases have been announced this week and come after the province announced no new cases for almost two weeks to start the month.
No Manitobans are in hospital with COVID-19.
Across the provincial border, Saskatchewan reported 13 new cases of the disease, with all regions except Saskatoon reporting new cases. Central Saskatchewan led the way with eight new cases of COVID-19, while Regina reported one case and the north, far north and south regions each reported one new case.
The province also announced three people who had been previously announced as recovered were "reactivated" and are now considered to actively have COVID-19.
"This can happen if public health determines an individual has relapsed or developed additional symptoms," said a provincial news release.
Saskatchewan now has 936 cases of COVID-19 - at the pace set this week, Saskatchewan is set to overtake the 1,000 case mark next week. Out of the 936 cases, 128 remain active. Eight of the active cases are in northern regions - four each in the north and far north. No cases are suspected to be located in northeast Saskatchewan.
