The weekly COVID-19 integrated epidemiological (EPI) report showed a continuing trend of decreases in hospitalizations related to COVID-19, as well as an inrease in overall cases. Numbers were reported between June 5 to June 11.
There were also 17 deaths reported over this time, an increase of seven over the previous report, 15 of those deaths occurred previously but were reported this week. The remaining two deaths occurred between June 5 to June 11.
North Central reported one COVID death during this period.
There were six deaths reported in the Central East zone, three in Saskatoon, two in the South Central zone and one each in the adjacent North East and North West zones, Regina, South West and South East zones.
Of these there were nine reported in the 80 or older age group, five in the 70 to 79 age group, two in the 60 to 69 age group and one in the 20 to 39 age group. Of these six were female and 11 were male.
The report shows 165 COVID-19 hospitalizations, a decrease of 22 from last week. There were six individuals reported in the ICU, a decrease of four over the previous week.
Of these 51 were COVID-19 related illness, 106 were incidental COVID-19 infections and eight patients were under investigation.
Overall in Saskatchewan, the rates of COVID-19 hospitalization, ICU admission and deaths are higher among people who are unvaccinated than among people with two or three vaccinations.
In each age group, rates of hospitalization, ICU admission and death are higher among unvaccinated individuals compared to those who have received two or three doses.
Lower rates of severe outcomes in the three dose group compared to the two dose group are suggestive of the added benefits of the booster dose.
The predominant variant during the observation period was Omicron, an indication that being fully vaccinated and boosted provides protection against the Omicron variant.
Unvaccinated people were about six times more likely to die than people who were vaccinated with three doses when adjusted for age.
The province also reported 15 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in North Central from June 5 to June 11.
This was among 394 total cases confirmed in the province. These are only lab confirmed cases and not rapid antigen test confirmed cases.
The 394 new cases were confirmed reflecting about 33 laboratory-confirmed cases per 100,000 population.
The Saskatoon Zone led the province with 124 new cases.
The highest proportion of new cases for the week was in the South East zone, at 45 per 100,000 population. The lowest proportion was in North Central zone at 17 per 100,000.
The proportion of new laboratory-confirmed cases was 33 per 100,000 population, which is higher than last week.
The province warns that rates should be interpreted with caution because they do not include cases detected by home rapid-antigen test kits.
There were 94 variants of concern (VOCs) reported during the week of June 5 to June 11 compared to 122 in the previous report.
Of the total VOCs reported in the past two weeks, 100 per cent were the Omicron VOCs.
As well,90.4 per cent of Omicron VOC were of sublineage BA.2 which was a increase over the 87.8 per cent reported last week.
The province also reported five new outbreaks in Long Term Care, care homes and personal care homes. There were no new outbreaks reported in the North Central zone in the reporting period.
Of these, two outbreaks were reported in long term care facilities. Three outbreak occurred in personal care homes.
As of June 9, of the population five years and older, 86.0 per cent had received at least one dose and 81.1 per cent completed a series, unchanged from the previous week
Among the population 18 years and older, 52.6 per cent had received at least one booster, similar to the previous week.
During the week of June 5 to 11, 2022, 4,722 doses of COVID-19 vaccine were administered, of which 235 were pediatric doses and 4,198 were booster doses.
