Saskatchewan’s 15th COVID-19-related death was a person in their 20s

Saskatchewan reported Tuesday a 15th death due to complications from COVID-19.

In a media release, the provincial government said a resident of the north who was in their 20s had died.

It’s the first death in the province to date in the 20-to-39 age group, even though that group has had the highest number of cases so far at 283.

“It really is a reminder for all of us that while serious illness and death may be rare in people who are younger, it does occasionally happen,” Dr. Saqib Shahab, Saskatchewan’s chief medical health officer, said during a conference call.

“It’s an unfortunate reminder to us that COVID does not discriminate by age or other factors. It’s a risk for all of us.”

Dr. Shahab also said while he can’t give specifics of this recent death, he can confirm that there have been 15 deaths where COVID-19 was one of the reasons for hospitalization. He says they also know that among those 15 deaths there were people with comorbidities.

“Like diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, immunocompromised, obesity, lung disease, impaired liver function, to name some,” said Shahab. “But, that doesn’t take away from the tragedy of the person who passed away.”

The other deaths in the province to date related to COVID-19 comprise five people in their 70s, four individuals in their 80s, four people in their 60s and one person in their 50s.

The government also reported one new case Tuesday, increasing the provincial total to date to 806. The individual is a resident of the Saskatoon region who was tested outside the province.

There were five recoveries announced Tuesday, hiking that total so far to 737.

There now are 54 active cases in Saskatchewan, including 33 in the far north, nine in the south, seven in the north, four in Saskatoon and one in the central region. There aren’t any active cases reported in the Regina area.

Four people — three in the north and one in Saskatoon — are receiving inpatient care in hospitals in the province.

Of the total number of cases, 482 are community contacts, 168 are travellers, 113 don’t have any known exposures, and 43 are under investigation by local public health officials.

To date, 55 Saskatchewan-based health-care workers have contracted the virus.

There have been 338 cases in the far north, 190 from the Saskatoon area, 119 in the north, 80 from the Regina area, 66 in the south and 13 from the central region.

The total includes 283 cases in the 20-to-39 age range, 253 between the ages of 40 and 59, 133 aged 60 to 79, 116 involving people 19 and under, and 21 in the 80-and-over range.

The 404 tests done Monday increased the total in the province so far to 70,294.

Shahab noted there has been an increase in hospitalizations around Prince Albert without a corresponding increase in the number of cases in the community. That, he said, showed a lack of testing in the area.

“Testing capacity is there, but it appears that people are not coming forward for testing if they have mild symptoms,” Shahab said. “This again is really important because through testing and contact tracing and isolation of cases and contacts, this is the only proven way that we can break the chains of transmission.”

Shahab also confirmed there are currently six of these unrelated cases in Prince Albert and surrounding area.

“I think there are concerns for the city and areas around the city including Waskesiu, Emma Lake and all the recreational areas as well.”