COVID-19 in Sask: 254 new cases, one death
193 people are in hospital, 37 in the ICU
COVID-19 cases in Saskatchewan continue to rise, with the province reporting 254 new cases on Friday, bringing the provincial caseload so far to 34,043.
The government reports a total of 31,554 recoveries and 2,053 active cases. One person — in the 60-69 age group in the Saskatoon zone — who tested positive for COVID-19 has died.
The province's seven-day average of daily new cases rose to 212, according to Friday's report, or 17.3 new cases per 100,000 people.
The new cases are located in the following regions, with the Regina zone remaining the COVID-19 hotspot in the province:
- Far north west, one.
- Far north east, three.
- North west, 13.
- North central, 12.
- North east, nine.
- Saskatoon, 36.
- Central east, eight.
- Regina, 112.
- South central, 22.
- South east, 31.
Confirmed variant of concern (VOC) cases also climbed from 1,682 to 1,951. While most VOC cases have been identified in Regina (1,419), the government says VOCs are also on the rise across southern Saskatchewan, particularly in the Moose Jaw and Weyburn areas.
Friday's report says 193 people are in hospital with 37 in the ICU — three more than reported on Thursday. Regina had 80 people in hospital and 23 in the ICU.
On Thursday the province processed 4,780 COVID-19 tests, a new single-day-high for Saskatchewan according to the government. As of Wednesday, Saskatchewan's per capita rate was 563,795 tests performed per million population compared to the national rate of 730,689 tests performed per million population.
COVID-19 vaccination
Saskatchewan administered 8,109 more doses of the COVID-19 vaccine Thursday, bringing the total number administered to 208,742.
According to the government, one-fifth of Saskatchewan residents 80 years of age and older have received their second dose of vaccine.
Starting Friday, the COVID-19 vaccine appointment booking system will expand to include residents 58 years of age or older.
The AstraZeneca shipment from the United States has arrived and has been distributed. The remaining doses from the March 22 Moderna shipment are expected to arrive April 3 (7,200) and April 7 (1,400).
Drive-thru vaccination sites open to residents 55 years of age or older are operating in nine communities: Regina, Saskatoon, Swift Current, Weyburn, Yorkton, Moose Jaw, Prince Albert, Lloydminster and North Battleford.