Sask. records 13 more COVID-19-related deaths, hospitalizations remain high

Another 13 people with COVID-19 in Saskatchewan have died, according to the province's latest weekly pandemic report, which was released Thursday and covers Feb. 27 to March 5.

One of the people who died was in the 20 to 39 age group and another was in the 40 to 59 category. The 11 other deaths were people 85 and over.

The Regina zone had the most deaths during the Feb. 27 to March 5 period with five.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, 1,151 people with COVID-19 have died in the province.

Hospitalizations remained stubbornly high, with 339 people in hospital with COVID-19 as of March 9, down 14 from the previous week. Of those in hospital, 24 were under intensive care.

The report says 17 long-term care homes or home care settings had COVID outbreaks.

So far there have been almost 130,000 lab confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the province, more than a quarter of them in people under the age of 20.

the report says 80.4 per cent of Saskatchewan residents five and older now have two vaccine doses. Only 525 first doses were given in the last reporting period.

Emergency order not renewed

Premier Scott Moe announced during question period Thursday that the government will not renew the emergency order that allowed the Saskatchewan Health Authority to move health-care workers where they were needed. The order had been renewed two weeks ago.

"It will expire on Monday," Moe said. "It was only in place for one reason and that was for us to utilize our entire health-care capacity." 

Moe said while that COVID-19 still presents challenges in hospitals, the order is not necessary because pressure has subsided.