Saskatchewan health officials reported six new deaths related to COVID-19 on Tuesday.
There were four deaths reported in the South East zone with two in the 80 plus age group, one in the 60 to 69 age group and one in the 40 to 49 age group. The Two other deaths were in the Regina. One was in the 80 plus age group and one in the 60 to 69 age group were reported in the Regina zone.
The number of deaths related to COVID-19 has risen to 482.
On Tuesday there were 17 cases reported in North Central, which includes Prince Albert.
This was among a total of 224 cases reported in the province. Regina led the province with 30 new cases reported.
North Central 2, which is Prince Albert, has 55 active cases, an increase of five from the day prior. North Central 1, which includes communities such as Christopher Lake, Candle Lake and Meath Park, has 29 active cases and North Central 3 has 44 active cases.
Two cases with a pending residence have been assigned to North Central.
There are currently 186 COVID-19 patients in hospital across the province. Of the 144 reported as receiving inpatient care, there are six in North Central. Of the 42 people reported as being in intensive care, there are two in North Central.
The current seven-day average for new cases is 248, or 20.2 cases per 100,000 population. Of the 40,401 reported COVID-19 cases in Saskatchewan, 2,518 are considered active.
Another 238 recoveries were reported on Tuesday, bringing the total number of recoveries to 37,401.
Since the start of the pandemic, 8,976 cases are from the North area (3,801 North West, 3,746 North Central and 1,429 North East).
There were 2,865 COVID-19 tests processed in Saskatchewan on April 26.
As of today there have been 759,166 COVID-19 tests performed in Saskatchewan.
There were 5,045 doses of COVID-19 vaccine administered in Saskatchewan bringing the total number of vaccines administered in the province to 408,429.
There were 305 doses administered in the North Central Zone reported on Tuesday. Doses were also administered in the adjacent North East, North West, Far North West, Far North East, Far North Central, Central East, Central West, South Central, South East, South West, South Central, Regina and Saskatoon.
There were 284 doses administered with zone of residence pending.
According to the province, 58 per cent of residents over the age of 40 have received their first dose and 39 per cent of those 18 plus have received their first dose
99 variants of concern identified in North Central
There are now 99 confirmed variants of concern (VOC) cases identified by the province in the North Central zone, as of April 26.
This was among 6,301 variants of concern identified by screening in Saskatchewan to date. Other regions with identified cases included Regina, Saskatoon, Far North East, Central West, Central East, South West, South Central and South East. There are currently 89 cases with area of residency pending.
There are now 12 VOCs identified in the adjacent North East.
Regina led the province with 3,513 identified VOCs.
There were 153 new lineage results reported today. Of the 2,305 VOCs with lineages identified by whole genome sequencing in Saskatchewan, 2,277 are B.1.1.1.7 (UK), nine are B.1.351 (SA) and 19 are P.1. (Brazilian).
That’s an increase from the five P.1. variant cases initially reported. That variant isn’t only present in the southwest, where it was initially detected. It has since been identified in the south central, north west and Saskatoon zones.
The Regina zone accounts for 1,580 (or 69 per cent) of the VOC cases with confirmed lineage reported in Saskatchewan.
