The provincial NDP have called on the Saskatchewan government to keep providing daily detailed COVDI-19 case information over New Year’s.
NDP leader Ryan Meili said the large number of new cases reported on Friday, along with the 26.3 per cent test positivity rate, show families need the detailed case analysis to make smart decisions as students prepare to head back to school.
“With kids heading back to the classrooms in days, now is not the time to be going dark,” Meili said in a statement issued Friday afternoon. “It was a mistake to water down rather than strengthen public health measures (Thursday). Going silent and hiding the true numbers in the middle of Saskatchewan’s Omicron surge will only make things worse.”
Saskatchewan reported 735 new COVID-19 cases on Friday. Health officials also reported seven cases from Saskatchewan residents who were tested outside the province.
“Saskatchewan people deserve this information so they have what they need to keep themselves and their loved ones safe,” Meili said. “Scott Moe need to stop the COVID-19 blackout now.”
Premier Scott Moe issued his own statement on Friday saying residents should expect case numbers to go up, but hospitalizations were the most important number.
As of Friday, there were 79 COVID-19 patients in hospital, including 12 receiving intensive care. Moe said the number of ICU patients continues to decline, and that’s their primary concern.
“Both hospitalizations and ICU admissions are at their lowest levels since August,” Moe said. “The Omicron variant is proving to be a more contagious but milder strain of COVID-19, especially for those who are fully vaccinated and have received their booster shot. If you haven’t done so already, get vaccinated and get your booster as soon as you can.”
Saskatchewan’s active case total shot up to 2,844 on Friday, a 668 case increase from the day before. North Central reported 23 new cases, including 14 in Prince Albert, and no recoveries. As of Friday, there are 91 active cases in the region, along with eight hospitalizations. None of those patients are in the ICU.