Saskatchewan health officials reported three new deaths related to COVID-19 on Tuesday.
All three deaths were in the 70 to 79 age group with two in the Saskatoon zone and one in the Far North East zone.
The number of deaths in Saskatchewan related to COVID-19 has risen to 522.
On Tuesday there were 14 new cases reported in North Central, which includes Prince Albert.
In the province there was a total of 129 new cases reported. Saskatoon led the province with 47 new cases reported.
This was the first time under 130 new cases in a day since the middle of March.
North Central 2, which is Prince Albert, has 65 active cases. North Central 1, which includes communities such as Christopher Lake, Candle Lake and Meath Park, has 40 active cases and North Central 3 has 37 active cases.
There are currently 142 COVID-19 patients in hospital across the province. Of the 115 reported as receiving in patient care, there are three in North Central. Of the 27 people reported as being in intensive care, there is one in North Central.
The current seven-day average for new cases is 187, or 15.3 cases per 100,000 population. Of the 44,841 reported COVID-19 cases in Saskatchewan, 1,825 are considered active.
Another 269 recoveries were reported on Tuesday, bringing the total number of recoveries to 42,225.
Since the start of the pandemic, 9,849 cases are from the North area (4,235 North West, 4,097 North Central and 1,517 North East)
There were 2,629 COVID-19 tests processed in Saskatchewan on May 16.
As of today there have been 827,762 COVID-19 tests performed in Saskatchewan.
There were 5,399doses of COVID-19 vaccine administered in Saskatchewan bringing the total number of vaccines administered in the province to 608,524.
There were 245 doses administered in the North Central zone reported on Monday. 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 298 doses administered with zone of residence pending.
According to the province, 75 per cent of residents over the age of 40, 68 per cent of those 30 plus and 59 per cent of those 18 plus have received their first dose.
As of Tuesday morning the eligibility in the provincial age-based immunization program changed to age 16 and older for the entire province, including the Northern Saskatchewan Administration District. This applies to all immunization clinics: booked appointments, drive-thru/walk-ins, pharmacies and mobile clinics.
293 variants of concern identified in North Central
There are now 293 confirmed variants of concern (VOC) cases identified by the province in the North Central zone, as of May 17.
This was among 9,467 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 149 cases with area of residency pending.
There are now 55 VOCs identified in the adjacent North East.
Regina led the province with 4,428 identified VOCs.
There were 143 new lineage results reported today. Of the 4,586 VOCs with lineages identified by whole genome sequencing in Saskatchewan, 4,477 are B.1.1.1.7 (UK), 10 are B.1.351 (SA), 92 are P.1. (Brazilian) and seven are B.1.617 (Indian).
The B.1.617 (Indian) was identified in North Central on Friday.
