According to the province’s monthly respiratory illness surveillance report, COVID-19 has increased and the Influenza season has come to an end.
The province moves to monthly reporting each spring.
The reporting period was from May 19 to June 15. The report was released on June 21,
The number of positive tests for COVID-19 increased over the past four weeks from 52 in the week ending May 25 to 98 in the week ending June 15. Test positivity similarly increased from 4.7 per cent to 8.8 per cent in the same period.
In the most recent week, the proportions of laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases were highest among 20-64 age group (51.7 per cent) followed by individuals 65 years of age and older (39.1 per cent).
Test positivity in North Central is 4.3 per cent for COVID-19 and 0.0 per cent for Influenza.
In July 2023 the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) took over wastewater data from the University of Saskatchewan and the University of Regina.
Wastewater data from the surveyed areas of the province indicate a varied distribution of low to moderately elevated levels of COVID-19.
These are only lab-confirmed cases and not rapid antigen test-confirmed cases.
The province warns that rates should be interpreted with caution because they do not include cases detected by home rapid-antigen test kits.
In the last four weeks, no deaths associated with COVID-19 were reported. It is not known how many deaths occurred in North Central over this period.
The report shows there are currently 21 hospital admissions and five ICU admissions.
COVID-19 hospitalizations increased by 14 cases to 49 for the most recent two weeks. COVID-19 ICU admissions increased from zero for the previous two weeks to seven for the most recent two weeks.
The proportion of staffed inpatient beds occupied by COVID-19 patients has remained stable at 2.1 per cent for the last two weeks.
COVID-19 outbreaks in high-risk settings increased to seven for the most recent two weeks compared to four for the previous two-week period.
The COVID-19 immunization campaign launched October 10, 2023. As of April 20, 18.4 per cent of those aged six months and older have received a COVID-19 vaccine dose. The province did not include a breakdown of high and low areas of the province as they had in the past.
According to the report influenza season appears to be over.
The test positivity for influenza fell below the provincial threshold of two per cent this week (1.2 per cent),suggesting the end of the influenza season. Of the influenza A viruses subtyped, the majority were H1N1 (83.7 per cent).
The number of positive tests for influenza has decreased over the past four weeks from 20 tests in the week ending May 25 to nine tests in the week ending June 15.
No influenza-associated deaths was reported in this one month reporting period.
Influenza hospitalizations remained stable at five for the most recent two weeks. Influenza ICU admissions also remained stable at two for the most recent two weeks.
The province did not include influenza vaccination statistics or a breakdown of high and low areas of the province as they had in the past.
The report also included the school absenteeism data. School illness absenteeism decreased from 9.5 per cent to 8.6 per cent over the past three-week period.
As of Oct. 13, 2022 the Ministry of Health launched the community respiratory illness surveillance program (CRISP) report to integrate COVID-19 surveillance and reporting with provincial respiratory illness and surveillance reporting, including influenza.
The report standardizes the epidemiological information required for respiratory illness surveillance and risk management and will be issued bi-weekly during respiratory illness season.