Latest COVID update Feb. 24: 3 deaths, 56 new cases, active caseload falls to three-month low

The number of active COVID-19 cases being reported in Saskatchewan has fallen to its lowest level since Remembrance Day.

In its media release Wednesday, the Ministry of Health said there were 1,425 active cases in the province. The total hasn’t been that low since it was 1,363 on Nov. 11.

The ministry also reported 56 new cases, the lowest that number has been since 37 cases were reported Nov. 4. There were 2,155 tests processed in the province on Tuesday.

Three more Saskatchewan residents died due to COVID — one person in their 60s from the northwest zone, a person in the 80-and-over age group from the Saskatoon area and an individual in the 80-plus age group from the central-east area.

Since March, 379 Saskatchewan residents have died due to the coronavirus.

The new cases reported Wednesday were in the Regina (16), far northeast (15), Saskatoon (six), far northwest (five), north-central (five), far north-central (two), northwest (two), central-east (one), south-central (one) and southeast (one) zones. The hometowns of two cases are pending.

The seven-day average of new cases fell to 146, or 11.9 per 100,000 population.

There have been 27,980 cases in Saskatchewan since the pandemic started.

The 158 recoveries announced Wednesday increased that total to date to 26,176.

There are 165 people in Saskatchewan hospitals, the lowest-such total since there were 152 people hospitalized on Jan. 3.

The current total includes 17 people in intensive care, with eight in the Saskatoon area, six in the Regina region, two in the northwest zone and one in the north-central area.

Vaccination update

In its release, the province said 76 per cent of residents in Saskatchewan’s personal care homes have received their first doses of COVID vaccine and 24 per cent have received both doses.

The government also said 81 per cent of residents of long-term care homes have been given one shot and 46 per cent have received both of their vaccinations.

There were 683 shots given Tuesday, with 318 in the Saskatoon area, 289 in the Regina region, 43 in the far northwest and 33 in the far north-central zone.

As well, 318 doses were administered in the Saskatoon area and two were given in the central-east region on Monday. The province’s total now stands at 63,345.

The government said new Pfizer shipments have arrived in the Saskatoon and Regina zones, while shipments for the northwest, north-central and southwest areas were to arrive later Wednesday.