Sask. reports 23rd COVID-related death, no new cases

The Government of Saskatchewan announced Tuesday a person in their 70s who lived in the central part of the province had died due to complications from COVID-19.

It’s the 23rd death related to the coronavirus in the province since March.

For the first time since June 7, there weren’t any new cases reported in Saskatchewan.

An out-of-province resident who tested positive had been removed from Saskatchewan’s total, meaning that number stood at 1,601 reported cases as of Tuesday.

There were eight more recoveries announced, increasing that total so far to 1,490. There now are 88 active cases being reported, 57 of which are in communal living settings.

Four people are in hospital in Saskatoon, with three in intensive care and one receiving inpatient care.

The total number of cases in the province comprises 818 community contacts, 484 without any known exposures, 233 travellers and 66 that remain under investigation by public health officials.

There also have been 65 cases involving health-care workers.

There have been 413 cases from the south area (213 southwest, 189 south-central, 11 southeast), 352 in the far north region (346 far northwest, six far northeast), 259 from the north zone (125 northwest, 68 north-central, 66 northeast), 251 in the Saskatoon area, 194 from the central region (161 central-west, 33 central-east) and 132 in the Regina area.

The total includes 515 cases in the 20-to-39 age range, 492 between the ages of 40 and 59, 276 in the 60-to-79 age range, 262 involving people 19 and under, and 56 among people aged 80 and over.

There were 388 tests done in the province on Monday, the lowest single-day total since 282 tests were done June 9. The total number of tests completed so far in Saskatchewan is 132,332.

SHA eases restrictions on visitors in some areas

The Saskatchewan Health Authority announced Tuesday it’s easing visitor restrictions at the hospitals in Melfort, Tisdale and Nipawin and at community long-term care facilities including Pineview Lodge in Nipawin, Parkland Place in Melfort and New Market Place in Tisdale.

The limitations were put in place July 29 after a number of positive cases in the RM of Star City. The restrictions were lifted because there haven’t been any new cases of COVID-19 in the RM for 28 days since the last positive case was reported.

As a result of the changes, two family members or support people can be identified to help patients and residents, but only one family member or support person can be in the facility at a time.

Two people can be in the facilities at one time if physical distancing can be maintained for critical care/intensive care patients, end of life/palliative care patients or residents, or maternal services u​​nits.