Latest COVID update Sept. 16: 439 new cases, 1 new death

Saskatchewan reported 439 new COVID-19 cases and one new death Thursday.

The seven-day average of new COVID cases rose to a record high of 438.

The province also announced one more death, pushing the province’s total to 630 since the pandemic began.

It’s the 12th straight day the province has had at least one death due to the virus.

The number of COVID patients in Saskatchewan hospitals ticked down by six from Wednesday’s report to 218, with 48 of those in intensive care, a jump of eight people.

Thursday’s COVID-19 cases were released hours after Premier Scott Moe announced a variety of public health measures to help an overburdened health-care system.

In a video posted on Facebook and his Twitter feed, Moe said the province will again be making masks mandatory in indoor public spaces as of Friday.

The province also will require proof of vaccination or proof of a negative COVID test to access some businesses, establishments and event venues in the province as of Oct. 1.

When that policy takes effect, the mask mandate is expected to be lifted.

As well, all employees of government ministries, Crowns and agencies will have to get vaccinated, with proof of full vaccination required by Oct. 1. If they can’t be vaccinated, they’ll have to provide regular proof of negative tests.

“These aren’t measures that we wanted to implement and as a government, we have been patient in providing the opportunity and the access to get vaccinated, but that patience has now come to an end,” Moe said in the video.

A look at the numbers

The new cases reported Thursday were in the Saskatoon (124), north-central (42), far northeast (39), northwest (61), Regina (28), northeast (11), southeast (38), southwest (five), central-east (29), south-central (seven), far northwest (22), southwest (12), central-west (eight) and far north-central (four) zones.

Of the new cases, 347 people — or roughly 79 per cent — are not vaccinated. Partially vaccinated accounts for 20 people, while fully vaccinated accounts for 72 cases, or 16 per cent.

The hometowns of 25 new cases are still being determined.

To date, there have been 60,589 COVID cases in Saskatchewan, including 14,664 in the Saskatoon area and 12,828 in the Regina region.

The active caseload rose to 4,064. There were 391 recoveries, increasing the provincial total to date to 55,895.

There were 2,595 doses of COVID vaccine administered in the province, including 1,257 first doses. The provincial total is now at 1,508,026.

Of the 218 people in hospital, 160 (or 73 per cent) are not fully vaccinated.