COVID-19 in Sask.: Travel restrictions lifted in northeast region

The Saskatchewan government has lifted COVID-19-related travel restrictions in the northeast part of the province, but restrictions in the northwest will continue for now.

Seven more cases of COVID-19 were reported in the province on Tuesday, all of them on the west side of the far north region.

That includes three cases in the La Loche area and four are in Beauval, according to a provincial news release.

The total number of cases reported in the province has risen to 599, with 123 of them considered active.

Fifteen more recoveries were announced, bumping the number of recoveries to 470.

The province also said it was "clarifying" travel restriction rules in the northwest to ensure that people can get groceries and get to medical appointments.

Communities still under the restrictions include Beauval, La Loche, Clearwater River Dene Nation, Canoe Lake First Nation, English River First Nation and others.

Six people have died since the virus was first found in the province. There are 107 active cases in the far north region, 10 in the north region, four in the Saskatoon area, one in the central region and one in Regina.

There have been 226 cases in the far north region overall, along with 106 cases in the north region, 164 in the Saskatoon area, 76 in the Regina area, 15 in the southern region and 12 in the central region.

The province has traced 139 cases to travel, linked another 323 to community contacts or mass gatherings and is investigating 68 others. There are 69 cases with no known exposure.

Five people are in hospital. Three of them are in intensive care.

The province has conducted 41,606 tests as of May 19, after 447 more tests were processed in the last day.