The SGEU says the Regina jail has been hit with a COVID-19 outbreak that could hit them as hard as one at the Saskatoon jail.

The union says there are 60 inmates who have been infected to go along with three staff.  The Ministry of Corrections says that number is a little high as they say 54 inmates and three staff have active cases.

The union adds that a majority of the cases are in Unit 1, but could become much worse and get to the point where it was in Saskatoon where 170 inmates have come down with the virus.

The province says all new admissions to provincial correctional centres are tested and screened for COVID-19 once they enter and again after 10 days and that the number of active cases could increase as testing is underway.