The Saskatchewan Health Authority is recommending against all non-essential travel to northern Alberta.

This after new cases of COVID-19 were identified at an oilsands facility north of Fort McMurray.

A number of northwestern Saskatchewan residents travel between the two areas for work purposes.

On Friday, the province’s Chief Medical Health Officer Saqib Shahab identified a COVID-19 outbreak in the northwestern community of La Loche.

This includes four positive cases in the community, two of which are at a long-term care facility.

The SHA is also advising Saskatchewan residents returning from northern Alberta to self-isolate for 14 days.

On Saturday, the province confirmed three new cases of coronavirus and three presumptive cases bringing the total to 313 reported cases.

These numbers include the La Loche cases.

Seventy-five cases are considered active and 234 have recovered.

A total of five people are in hospital, including one in intensive care.

Four people in the province have died from the disease to date.

The government says just over 23,000 COVID-19 tests have been performed which is the second highest per capita amongst the provinces.

The Métis Nation-Saskatchewan also formally declared a state of emergency on Saturday.

In a press release, the MNS says it cannot meet the needs of its 75,000 citizens during the pandemic and is calling for help from all three levels of government.

This includes help in meeting demands for food, essential services and better communication on identification of positive test cases of COVID-19.