After a reporting gap on COVID-19 case numbers starting on Dec. 31, the province reported 1,954 new cases on Jan. 4 along with an increase of hospitalizations to 95.

Of the current hospitalizations, 11 are receiving ICU care.

In the North Central zone, four new cases were reported for Jan. 4, but active cases have increased by 69 to 160 and, over the four day gap, 89 new cases were confirmed.  

There is also an additional person in the hospital, with nine people now receiving inpatient care in the zone, however none are in ICU.

Outbreaks have been reported in several areas, including at the Candle Lake Golf Resort on Dec. 26, the Hague Royals Senior Hockey team on Dec. 27 and at the Saskatchewan Penitentiary on Dec. 28.

COVID testing has increased, with 367 new tests performed in North Central.

According to the Global Institute for Water Security, which is testing wastewater from Prince Albert, Saskatoon and North Battleford in a bid to predict COVID growth, there has been a 100 per cent increase in the omicron variant in Prince Albert to 69.3/100 ml.

At the same time, the overall viral load has reduced to 452/100 ml.

The numbers are effective up to Dec. 21.

Most people start shedding the COVID virus within 24 hours of being infected. An increase or decrease is an indicator of a surge or reduction in active cases in seven to 10 days following the sample collection.

New vaccinations in the North Central zone numbered 157 with an additional 105 people now fully vaccinated.

To date, 126,645 doses of vaccine have been administered and 60,371 residents are now fully vaccinated.

No new deaths were reported so the total deaths in North Central so far remain at 89.

Provincially five people died; one in the North West zone, one in Saskatoon, two in Regina and one in the South East.

Provincial highlights are as follows:

As of January 4, there are 1,954 (single day case counts were: 623 on December 31, 2021, 607 on January 1, 398 on January 2, 326 on January 3) cumulative new confirmed cases of COVID-19, bringing the total to 87,167 reported cases.

The new cases are located in the Far North West (9), Far North East (13), North West (44), North Central (89), North East (53), Saskatoon (566), Central West (37), Central East (175), Regina (509), South West (43), South Central (124) and South East (144) zones and 148 new cases have pending residence information.

26 SK residents tested positive out-of-province were added to the case counts in the Far North West (from December 30 (1)), North West (from December 29 (1), December 31 (1)), Saskatoon (from December 28 (1), December 29 (1), December 30 (9),January 1 (2)), Regina (from December 29 (2), December 31 (2), January 1 (2)), South Central (from December 29 (1)), and South East (from December 28 (1), December 30 (1), December 31 (1)) zones.

64 cases were assigned to various zones. Details of those assignments are included in a one time table included at the end of the report.

One (1) case was removed from case totals from North West zone on December 29, 2021.

87,167 cases are confirmed

21,260 cases are from the Saskatoon area

20,420 cases are from the North area (9,035 North West, 8,454 North Central, 2,931 North East)

17,422 cases are from the Regina area

11,086 cases are from the South area (2,304 South West, 3,307 South Central, 5,475 South East)

9,473 cases are from the Far North area (4,448 Far North West, 541 Far North Central, 4,484 Far North East)

6,734 cases are from the Central area (1,574 Central West, 5,160 Central East)

772 cases have pending residence information

4,062 cases are considered active and 82,145 cases are considered recovered.

One-half (50.2%) of new cases are in the age category of 20 to 39 (Please note that this percentage is calculated based on the cumulative number of new cases from January 1 to 3).

Less than five per cent (4.8%) of new cases eligible for vaccination (aged 5 years and older) were fully vaccinated.

As of January 4, a total of 95 individuals are hospitalized; including 84 inpatient hospitalizations, and 11 ICU hospitalizations. Of the 95 patients, 49 (51.6%) were not fully vaccinated. The province has announced public reporting distinguishing COVID-19 hospitalizations and hospitalizations where COVID-19 diagnosis followed hospitalization. That reporting mechanism is expected to be ready the week of January 3.

Five (5) new deaths reported since the December 31 report. 960 Saskatchewan residents with COVID-19 have died with a case fatality rate of 1.1%.

1,339,499 COVID-19 tests have been performed in the province. As of December 29, 2021, when other provincial and national numbers are available from PHAC, Saskatchewan’s per capita rate was 1,122,962 tests performed per million. The national rate of 1,374,277 tests performed per million. (Please note that the last update on PHAC website was December 29, 2021).

As of January 4, new lineage results were reported for zero (0) new cases. The provincial total of VOC with identified lineage is 17,605 including 7,123 B.1.1.7 (Alpha), 9,871 B.1.617.2 (Delta), 484 P.1 (Gamma), 10 B.1.351 (Beta), and 117 B.1.1.529 (Omicron).

New Omicron VOC probable (positive screen) results were reported for 171 new cases. The provincial total of Omicron VOC probable (positive screen) is 1,992.

Of the total 1,992 screening positive cases including 95 pending location, 42.5% are in the Regina zone, 21.6% are in the Saskatoon zone, and the remaining 715 cases (35.9%) are spread across the remaining zones, with each zone has at least one Omicron case except Far North Central.

The 7-day average of new COVID-19 case numbers was 515 (42.7 new cases per 100,000).