COVID-19 in Sask.: New case numbers drop again Friday, no new deaths reported

The number of new COVID-19 cases continues to drop in Saskatchewanas the number of people vaccinated climbs.

On Friday, the province reported 21 new cases of the illness, down from 34reported Thursday.

That brings the province's total number of cases since the start of the pandemic to 48,882. Of those,405 cases remain active. There have been a total of47,909recoveries and 568 deaths.

The seven-day average of daily new cases is now 38, or 3.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 49 one week ago (four per 100,000 people).

The new cases reported Friday were in the following regions:

• Far northwest: five.
• Far north central: one.
• Northwest: one.
• North central: one.
• Saskatoon: four.
• Central east: one.
• Regina: seven.
• Southwest: one.

No new COVID-19 related deaths were reported on Friday.

There are 57 Saskatchewan residents in hospital with COVID-19 as of Friday, including 12 under intensive care.

45% fully vaccinated

An additional 20,981 doses of COVID-19 vaccine were administered on Thursday, according to the province, bringing the total number to 1,194,535.

Less than 10 per cent of the newly reported shots(2,049)were first doses.

The percentage of residents 12 and older who have received their first COVID-19 vaccine dose remained at 70 per cent on Friday, while 45 per cent are now fully vaccinated, according to the latest update.

The Saskatchewan government will lift all public health orders in just over a week July 11 including the mandatory masking and gathering size limits.

Although many are taking a long weekend, some drive-thru clinics are open in different locations across the province.

Saskatoon's Prairieland Park drive-thru clinic is open all weekend until 8 p.m. (CST)offering the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine today as well as tomorrowand the Moderna on Sunday.

Regina 's drive-thru site at Evraz Place will be open Saturday and Sunday for Pfizer doses from 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 pm.

Prince Albert's drive-thru vaccination site is availableFriday through Sunday, offering the Pfizer vaccine until supply is depleted. Health-care workers will then provideModerna instead.

People can also book their appointments online or visit a local pharmacy.

The province alsoprocessed 1,779 COVID-19 tests on Friday.