The government of Saskatchewan reported Saturday that there has been a spike in COVID-19 cases in the province, with 18 tests coming back positive, 17 of those being presumptive. The province-wide number of cases has now reached 44.

One person who tested positive is under the age of 20.

According to the provincial government, of the 44 province-wide cases, 18 of them are in Saskatoon and 18 are in Regina. Central Saskatchewan, excluding Saskatoon, has 4 cases, 2  were reported in the region south of Regina and 2 are in northern Saskatchewan.

The province also announced today that the Roy Romanow Provincial Laboratory is now able to confirm COVID-19 diagnoses, which means tests will no longer have to be sent to the national laboratory in Winnipeg to be confirmed.

This comes one day after the Government of Saskatchewan announced sweeping new restrictions in an effort to slow the spread of the virus.