Latest COVID update Oct. 21: 355 new cases, 2 deaths, 76 people in ICU

The death toll in Saskatchewan due to COVID-19 reached 800 on Thursday.

The Ministry of Health reported two people between the ages of 60 and 79 had died as a result of the virus. One was from the north-central zone and one was from the central-west region.

The province now has reported 105 COVID-related deaths in October, and at least one death as a result of the coronavirus in 47 straight days.

The ministry also said there were 355 new infections, along with 423 recoveries. The active caseload fell for a sixth straight day, dropping to 3,104.

The number of COVID patients in Saskatchewan intensive care units fell by six to 76, its lowest level in a week. There are 322 people with COVID in the province’s health-care facilities.

Three more ICU patients are to be sent to Ontario over the next three days, increasing the number of transfers from Saskatchewan to Ontario to nine.

There had been some confusion about the number of transfers, with an Ontario doctor suggesting the Saskatchewan government had planned to send 12 patients to his province before cancelling some transfers. Doctors in Saskatchewan also tweeted the province had decided against sending some patients east.

In a statement Thursday, the provincial government said the issue of out-of-province transfers “is an extremely complicated process which requires a high level of technical consideration, medical oversight and review.”

As well, the government said all “confirmed” patient transfers would be announced through official channels.

“All other sources, such as unofficial and unverified social media posts, should be disregarded,” the government said.

A look at the numbers

The new cases included 87 kids aged 11 and under who comprised more than a third of the 255 new cases that were unvaccinated.

There also were 91 cases among people who were considered fully vaccinated and nine cases involving individuals who were partially vaccinated.

The new cases were reported in the Saskatoon (89), northwest (53), Regina (38), north-central (34), central-east (34), southeast (21), far northwest (14), far northeast (13), south-central (11), southwest (nine), northeast (eight) and central-west (five) zones.

The hometowns of 26 new cases are pending.

The new cases reported Thursday came from 3,241 tests, creating a test positivity rate of 10.9.

The seven-day average of new cases stands at 313, or 26.0 per 100,000 population.

To date, the province has reported 75,540 cases and 71,636 recoveries.

Of the hospitalizations, 236 weren’t fully vaccinated.

The 3,839 vaccinations done in the province in the latest reporting period included 1,424 first doses and 2,415 second shots.

So far, 773,207 people have received two shots and are considered fully vaccinated. More than 1.6 million COVID vaccinations have been done in Saskatchewan to date.