Saskatchewan reported its 33rd coronavirus-related death as it gave an update on new cases on Friday.
The deceased who tested positive for COVID-19 was in their 80s and was from the Saskatoon zone, according to a press release.
Health officials said there were 153 new cases in the daily update, with the overall total for the province growing to 5,804 since the first case was reported in March.
According to the press release, most of the new cases are located in the Saskatoon zone with 42, while there are 20 in south east, 16 in far north central, 14 each in north central, Regina and south west, 11 in north west, four each in far north east, central east and south central, three in far north west, two in central west and one in north east. Residence information is pending with four of the new infections.
In the province, 85 people are currently in hospital with COVID-19 — 66 are receiving inpatient care and 19 are in intensive care. This is the highest amount of hospitalizations to date.
Seventy-three more people have recovered, bringing total recoveries to 3,626.
There is a new record high of 2,145 active cases in the province, health officials said. Active cases are total cases less recoveries and deaths.
According to the press release, 2,826 COVID-19 tests were performed on Thursday in Saskatchewan. To date, 310,090 tests have been carried out in the province.
Weather and logistical impediments resulted in a volume of specimens reaching the Roy Romanow Provincial Laboratory after the reporting period for Thursday, officials said.
Questions about COVID-19? Here are some things you need to know:
Symptoms can include fever, cough and difficulty breathing — very similar to a cold or flu. Some people can develop a more severe illness. People most at risk of this include older adults and people with severe chronic medical conditions like heart, lung or kidney disease. If you develop symptoms, contact public health authorities.
To prevent the virus from spreading, experts recommend frequent handwashing and coughing into your sleeve. They also recommend minimizing contact with others, staying home as much as possible and maintaining a distance of two metres from other people if you go out. In situations where you can’t keep a safe distance from others, public health officials recommend the use of a non-medical face mask or covering to prevent spreading the respiratory droplets that can carry the virus. In some provinces and municipalities across the country, masks or face coverings are now mandatory in indoor public spaces.
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