What an NCAA rule change might mean for junior hockey in Sask.
Nov 18, 2024
Previously, WHL players were declared ineligible to play NCAA hockey in the U.S.
COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths are all trending downward in Saskatchewan.
According to a report from the Ministry of Health covering the period from Jan. 29 through last Saturday, the province is showing positive trends when it comes to the respiratory virus.
Between Jan. 29 and Saturday, lab tests confirmed 482 cases of COVID in the province, a drop from 515 confirmed cases during the two weeks prior.
During the most recent reporting period, the ministry said 18 people died from COVID-19 and 138 were admitted to hospital. Those numbers compare favourably to the 22 deaths and 160 hospital admissions reported between Jan. 15 and Jan. 28.
All 18 COVID deaths included in the most recent report were in the 60-and-over age group, the ministry noted.
Eight COVID-related ICU admissions were included in the latest report, while 10 COVID patients were admitted to ICU during the prior reporting period. The ministry said that figure has “remained stable at four average weekly admissions” across its two most recent reports.
There were only four COVID outbreaks reported between Jan. 29 and last Saturday, the ministry’s report said, which represents a significant drop from the 11 outbreaks that occurred from Jan. 15-28.
The percentage of Saskatchewan’s population which is up to date with COVID vaccines (46.1 per cent) has risen by only 0.1 per cent since mid-January, the ministry noted.
“Having a COVID-19 booster in the last six months reduces the risk of a COVID-19 death eight times compared to unvaccinated individuals and over four times compared to those without a recent booster dose,” the health ministry said in its report.
Flu, RSV cases also declining
Only 10 cases of influenza were confirmed by lab tests between Jan. 29 and last Saturday, the ministry said. That’s a drop from the 18 cases confirmed in the two weeks prior. No influenza deaths, outbreaks or hospitalizations were included in the latest report.
Just 27 per cent of Saskatchewan residents are up to date on flu vaccines, the ministry noted.
Meanwhile, 253 lab-confirmed cases of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) were included in the latest report. That number has also dropped from the 321 cases detected from Jan. 15-28.
RSV was responsible for 98 hospital admissions and nine ICU admissions between Jan. 29 and last Saturday, the ministry noted. Those numbers have dropped from the Jan. 15-29 period, when 102 hospital admissions and 10 ICU admissions were reported.
Most of the lab-confirmed RSV cases were found among young children, the ministry said, with more than half of the cases in the most recent reporting week being found among children age four and under.
“Children aged 0-19 years account for 69 per cent of RSV hospitalizations and ICU admissions over the past two weeks,” the ministry said.