SASKATOON -- The organizer of a "large social gathering" in Saskatoon linked to 21 confirmed cases of COVID-19 has been issued a fine of $2,000.
Under Saskatchewan's current Public Health Order, indoor and outdoor gatherings are limited to a maximum of 30 people, as long as there is enough space to accommodate physical distancing.
The private gathering in Saskatoon had around 47 people in attendance, the provincial government said in a news release.
As of Thursday, 21 cases of COVID-19 had been linked to the Sept 13 event, according to the province.
“This is exactly why the limits on 30 gatherings continue,” Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Saqib Shahab said during a news conference in Regina on Thursday.
During the conference, Premier Scott Moe called the event and the cases resulting from it “disappointing."
Moe said that even if a gathering is under 30 people, social distancing guidelines should still be followed with friends avoiding contact, regular hand washing and care excercised when serving food.
News of the 21 cases linked to the event, which account for nearly half of Sasktoon's 50 active cases as of Thursday, comes after five schools in the city have reported confirmed cases of COVID-19.
“The best way to ensure we keep COVID-19 away from our schools is to keep it at a low infection rate in our communities and events like this don’t help,” Moe said
