Latest COVID update May 21: Seven-day average of new cases falls again

The seven-day average of new COVID-19 cases in Saskatchewan fell to its lowest level in nearly two months Friday.

According to the Ministry of Health, the seven-day average is 162, or 13.2 per 100,000 population. The last time it was that low was March 23, when it was 159 or 13.0 per 100,000 people.

There were 173 new cases reported Friday, along with 189 recoveries and two deaths.

A person in their 70s from the far northeast zone and an individual in the 80-and-over age group from the northwest area are the latest Saskatchewan residents to die due to COVID. The death toll in the province to date stands at 524.

A look at the numbers

The new cases reported Friday were in the Saskatoon (34), Regina (30), central-east (25), northwest (24), southeast (18), north-central (13), central-west (six), south-central (six), far northwest (four), southwest (three), far northeast (two) and northeast (one) zones.

The hometowns of seven new cases are being investigated.

Nine cases that were tested outside Saskatchewan have been added to the province’s total number of cases, which stands at 45,310.

There were 133 new cases of COVID variants of concern identified by screening in Saskatchewan, increasing that total so far to 9,820.

Of the 5,056 variant cases with lineages identified by whole genome sequencing, 4,936 are the U.K. variant, 98 are the Brazilian strain, 12 are the Indian mutation and 10 are the South African variant.

The latest recoveries increase the total to date to 43,010. There are 1,776 cases that are considered active, the lowest that figure has been since it was 1,680 on March 26.

The 132 hospitalizations due to COVID in the province include 25 patients in intensive care. That total comprises 14 in the Regina region, nine in the Saskatoon area and two in the north-central zone.

There were 3,331 COVID tests done in Saskatchewan on Thursday, increasing the provincial total to date to 837,028.

Vaccination update

There were 10,347 doses of COVID vaccine administered in Saskatchewan in the latest reporting period, meaning 630,583 shots have been given so far.

The latest immunizations were done in the Saskatoon (2,794), Regina (2,686), south-central (982), north-central (767), northwest (564), central-east (520), northeast (479), southeast (448), southwest (339), central-west (325), far northwest (126), far northeast (72) and far north-central (three) zones. The hometowns of 243 recipients are still to be determined.

After the latest vaccinations, 69 per cent of those 30 and older have received their first dose. That’s just one percentage point away from reaching the threshold for the province to enter Step 2 of the Re-Opening Roadmap.