Saskatchewan health officials reported a recent high of six new deaths related to COVID-19 on Thursday.
Five of these were in the Saskatoon zone with one in the 60 to 69 age group and two each in the 70 to 79 age group and 80 plus age group. The other reported death was in the North West zone and in the 70 to 79 age group.
The number of deaths in Saskatchewan related to COVID-19 has risen to 534.
The province also reported 20 new cases of COVID-19 in North Central, which includes Prince Albert, on Thursday.
In the province there was a total of 118 new cases reported. Saskatoon led the province with 33 new cases reported.
One case that was tested out of province was also added to North Central.
North Central 2, which is Prince Albert, has 49 active cases. North Central 1, which includes communities such as Christopher Lake, Candle Lake and Meath Park, has 58 active cases and North Central 3 has 35 active cases.
There are currently 127 COVID-19 patients in hospital across the province. Of the 100 reported as receiving in patient care, there are five in North Central. Of the 27 people reported as being in intensive care, there are five in North Central.
The current seven-day average for new cases is 137, or 11.2 cases per 100,000 population. Of the 46,163 reported COVID-19 cases in Saskatchewan, 1,382 are considered active.
Another 216 recoveries were reported on Monday, bringing the total number of recoveries to 44,247.
Since the start of the pandemic, 10,141 cases are from the North area (4,381 North West, 4,227 North Central and 1,533 North East).
There were 2,583 COVID-19 tests processed in Saskatchewan on May 26.
As of today there have been 851,638 COVID-19 tests performed in Saskatchewan.
There were 9,427 doses of COVID-19 vaccine administered in Saskatchewan bringing the total number of vaccines administered in the province to 679,274.
There were 373 doses administered in the North Central zone reported on Thursday. Doses were also administered in the adjacent North East, North West, Far North Central, Far North East, Far North Central, Central West, Central East, South Central, South East, South West, Regina and Saskatoon.
There were 194 doses administered with zone of residence pending.
According to the province, 76 per cent of residents over the age of 40, 70 per cent of those 30 plus and 64 per cent of those 18 plus have received their first dose.
The province noted yesterday that this week’s shipment of 63,180 Pfizer doses is expected to arrive in Saskatchewan today. These doses will be distributed to Saskatoon, Regina, Prince Albert, North Battleford, Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) North, ISC South, ISC North Battleford, Northern Inter-Tribal Health Authority Prince Albert and pharmacies throughout the province.
413 total variants of concern identified in North Central
There are now 413 confirmed variants of concern (VOC) cases identified by the province in the North Central zone, as of May 26.
This was among 10,367 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 62 cases with area of residency pending.
There are now 56 VOCs identified in the adjacent North East.
Regina led the province with 4,538 identified VOCs.
There were no new lineage results reported today. Of the 5,711 VOCs with lineages identified by whole genome sequencing in Saskatchewan, 5,528 are B.1.1.1.7 (UK), 10 are B.1.351 (SA), 144 are P.1. (Brazilian) and 29 are B.1.617 (Indian).
The B.1.617 (Indian) has been identified in North Central.
27 active cases of COVID-19 in youth in North Central
On Thursday the province released the updated numbers on COVID-19 cases in youth. The total active cases in youth provincially in all locations are 527. Nine have no known location and 518 have a location reported.
The province releases the update on the numbers each Thursday.
Currently in the North Central zone, which includes Prince Albert, there are 27 active cases in youth. Last week there were 128 tests performed across the North Central zone.
North Central 2, which is Prince Albert, has 11 active cases in youth.
North Central 1, which includes communities such as Christopher Lake, Candle Lake and Meath Park, has nine active cases and North Central 3 has seven active cases.
Cumulative tests performed since Sept. 7, 2020 in the North Central zone is 15,391.
Provincially there is an 6.7 per cent test positivity rate in youth.
There were 5,104 tests performed in total in the province in the last week.
The cumulative number of tests performed since Sept. 7, 2020 is 135,094.
