COVID-19 in Sask: 249 new cases, 2 deaths, 290 recoveries

Saskatchewan is reporting 249 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday, and two more deaths due to illness linked to the novel coronavirus.

Both of the people who died were in the northwest zone one was in their 50s, and one was in the 80+ age group.

As of Saturday, 6,026 of the more transmissible variants of COVID-19 have been identified in Saskatchewan. Approximately 57 per cent of these variant cases have been in the Regina area.

The total number of variant cases in each region have been as follows:

• Far northwest: 81.
• Far northeast: two.
• Northwest: 149.
• North central: 88.
• Northeast: 12.
• Saskatoon: 619.
• Central west: 77.
• Central east: 251.
• Regina: 3,447.
• Southwest: 160.
• South central: 455.
• Southeast: 617.

The province also reported 92 more lineage results Sunday. Of the 2,152 variants of concern with lineages now identified by whole genome sequencing in Saskatchewan, 2,138 have been B1117 (the variant first identified in the U.K.), nine have been B1351 (the variant first identified in South Africa) and five have been P1(which has become associated withBrazil).

Of the 39,932 known COVID-19 cases to date in the province, 2,515 are considered active.

The seven-day average of daily new cases in Saskatchewan is 251 20.5 new cases per 100,000 population.

The new cases Sunday are in the following provincial zones:

• Far northwest: 17.
• Northwest: 12.
• North central: seven.
• Northeast: five.
• Saskatoon: 42.
• Central west: one.
• Central east: 15.
• Regina: 101.
• Southwest: eight.
• South central: six.
• Southeast: 27.

There are currently 186 people in hospital in the province due to COVID-19, including 49 in intensive care. 30 of those receiving intensive care are in Regina, and 13 are in Saskatoon.

The province also reported 290 new recoveries. There have been 36,942 known recoveries in total as of Sunday.

To date, 753,179 COVID-19 tests have been processed in Saskatchewan, 3,423 of which were processed on Saturday.

30 per cent of Sask. populationhas had one vaccine dose

Another 7,451 doses of COVID-19 vaccine were delivered in the province on Saturday. The total number of vaccines administered in the province has now reached 399,745, and 30 per cent of all Saskatchewan residents have now received at least one COVID vaccine dose. Nearly a quarter of those aged 80 or older have received their second dose.

Saskatchewan residents 44 and older can now book their vaccine appointment online or over the phone. However, residents of northern Saskatchewan are eligible to book a vaccine appointment if they are over the age of 40.