Latest COVID update May 4: 189 new cases push Sask. total to 42,006

The total number of COVID-19 cases in Saskatchewan since the start of the pandemic went over the 42,000 mark Tuesday.

In its daily update, the Ministry of Health said there were 189 new cases — the lowest single-day total reported in the province since April 7. The total number of cases since March of 2020 increased to 42,006.

There were two deaths reported and one removed from the province’s total since it was an out-of-province resident. The death toll in Saskatchewan due to now COVID stands at 499.

One of the deaths was a person in their 70s from the far northwest zone. According to the ministry, the other death “occurred in February but is being reported today in the 19-and-under age group from the northwest zone; this death is being reported upon the completion of an investigation that determined the cause to be COVID-19.”

It’s the second death in the 19-and-under age group since the pandemic hit Saskatchewan.

The latest new cases were reported in the Saskatoon (81), northwest (27), Regina (24), central-east (10), southwest (eight), southeast (eight), south-central (seven), far northwest (seven), north-central (six),central-west (three) and northeast (two) zones. The hometowns of six cases are pending.

The total number of cases in the Regina area is the lowest since Feb. 28, when 20 cases were reported in the region.

The lower daily case numbers could be a result of reduced testing. According to the ministry, 2,515 tests were done on Monday, the lowest-such total since 2,461 were processed on March 16.

The seven-day average of new cases is 226, or 18.4 new cases per 100,000 population.

There were 291 recoveries reported, increasing that total so far to 39,202. The active caseload stands at 2,305.

The 174 hospitalizations due to COVID in the province include 41 people in intensive care. Of those, 23 are in Regina, 14 are in Saskatoon, two are in the central-east zone and one is in each of the north-central and south-central zones.

The 121 cases of variants of concern that were identified by screening increased the total in Saskatchewan to date to 7,417. The Regina (3,983), Saskatoon (867) and southeast (744) zones all reported more than 700 cases.

Vaccination update

As of Monday, 82 per cent of Saskatchewan residents aged 60 and over have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccines, as have 65 per cent of those 40 and over.

The latest round of vaccinations numbered 9,924, increasing the total to date to 460,747.

The latest shots were given in the Regina (3,289), Saskatoon (2,831), central-east (757), north-central (498), south-central (472), southwest (459), northwest (439), southeast (425), northeast (182), central-west (175), far northwest (48), far northeast (10) and far north-central (two).

There were 337 doses administered to people whose hometowns are unknown.

People aged 37 and over can book appointments, go to drive-through or walk-in clinics or visit participating pharmacies to get shots. So can frontline workers such as teachers, firefighters and frontline health-care workers.

The list of pharmacies that are participating has grown again and now includes some outlets in Saskatoon, Prince Albert, Lloydminster, North Battleford and Weyburn. The list of pharmacies participating in the project can be seen here.