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COVID-19 deaths in Sask. hit record high in 2022

The 21 COVID-19 deaths reported in Saskatchewan’s latest community respiratory illness surveillance program [CRISP] situation report propels the annual toll to 816. The report also shows an increase of RSV in the province.

Annual death toll climbed to 816 from 802 in 2021: CRISP report

CBC News ·
Masked doctor pushing patient in hospital.
Deaths connected with COVID-19 continue to rise in Saskatchewan. (Nathan Denette/Canadian Press)

2022 has been the deadliest year of the COVID-19 pandemic for the province thus far.

The 21 COVID-19 deaths reported in Saskatchewan's latest community respiratory illness surveillance program [CRISP] situation report, propel the annual count to 816.

In 2021 the province reported 802 COVID-19 deaths, eclipsing the 153 deaths the province officially reported in 2020.

Despite the record number of deaths, the latest CRISP report reveals a decrease in the number of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths between Dec. 4 and Dec.17. 

Table showcasing the number of deaths, hospital admissions, ICU admissions and vaccination rates.
(Province of Saskatchewan)

The province reports that there were 105 COVID-19 related hospital admissions between Dec.11 and Dec.17, with four people admitted to the ICU.

The previous week there were 116 COVID-19 related hospital admissions, with seven people admitted to the ICU.

RSV is on the rise 

RSV cases nearly doubled during the last reporting period to 149 in the second week from 83 detections in the first. 

In the most recent surveillance week, 37 people were hospitalized with RSV; one person was placed in the ICU.  The previous week 23 people were admitted to the hospital with RSV. 

In the most recent surveillance week, the report says,  94 (63 per cent) of the RSV cases were detected in children under the age of five.

Graph detailing hospital admission figure for different respiratory illnesses based on age.
Hospital admissions figures for respiratory illness based on age. Blue represents people who aged zero-19, light green represents people aged 20-59, the darker green represents people people who are 60 or older. (Province of Saskatchewan)

Saskatchewan flu count is going down

Saskatchewan's influenza case, hospitalization and death counts all decreased during the latest reporting period.

Nevertheless, three more deaths from influenza were reported in the most recent CRISP report. During the previous two week period seven deaths were reported.  

The number of lab-confirmed influenza cases dropped to 257 from 411 during the reporting period, while influenza-related hospitalizations admissions dropped to 37 from 71.

Influenza test positivity fell by nearly half from the week ending in Nov. 20 to the week ending in Dec.17. However, it continues to have the highest test-positivity rate among respiratory illnesses in the province.

The CRISP report shows 13.2 per cent of students in the provinces missed school because of an illness between Dec.11 to Dec.17, a slight decrease from the previous two weeks.

Table detailing school absenteeism in Saskatchewan.
(Province of Saskatchewan)

Vaccination rates for both COVID and flu remain stagnant.

Except for Regina, less than 50 per cent of their population in the rest of the province is up to date for COVID-19 vaccines.

Influenza vaccination uptake is even worse, the report says. So far only 24 per cent of the province's population has received an influenza vaccine.

That is a two per cent increase from the previous reporting period but 12 per cent  less than the same time last year.

Provincially, weekly visits to Saskatchewan emergency departments for respiratory-like illness gradually dropped in the past month to 32 per 1,000 people from 56  last week.

CRISP reports are published every two weeks.

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