COVID-19 in Sask.: 149 new cases, 4 deaths

Saskatchewanreported149 new COVID-19 cases and four deaths from the illness Wednesday, according to the latest update on the province's online dashboard.

With the latestdeaths, the total since the start of the pandemic has now climbed to 901.

There are currently 1,104 active cases in the province and 168 people with COVID-19 in Saskatchewan hospitals, down three from Tuesday.

Of those patients, 42 are in intensive care in the province. Another 11 Saskatchewanresidents are in intensive care out of province.

A total of 821,659 people in Saskatchewan are now fully vaccinated, with 2,039 new doses administered Tuesday, including 1,441 second doses.

There were also 2,036 testsperformed Tuesday.

J&J vaccine available now

An initial supply of 2,500 doses of theJohnson & Johnson (Janssen) vaccineis now available to Saskatchewan residents 18 and up.

Saskatchewan is one of the western provinces that have requested tens of thousands of doses of the single-dose vaccine to increase uptake among the vaccine-hesitant.

For now, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will be available at Saskatchewan Health Authority clinics in Regina, Saskatoon, Estevan, Prince Albert, Melfort, Swift Current, Moose Jaw, North Battleford and Lloydminster, the province said in a Tuesday news release.

Additional clinics are planned, the province said.

A person is considered fully vaccinated 14 days after receiving a single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

The initialdoses will be available on a first-come, first-served basis at walk-in clinics only, due to the limited number of doses received and potential demand, the province said.