Seven coronavirus-related deaths were added to Saskatchewan’s death toll Tuesday for a total of 98, according to the provincial government.
Five of the deceased who tested positive for COVID-19 were in the 80-plus age group, with four in the Saskatoon zone and the other in Regina, according to a press release. Another person was in their 20s and in the north west, while the seventh was reported in central west and in their 50s.
Health officials said there were 194 new cases in the daily update on Tuesday, with the overall total for the province growing to 12,432 since the first case was reported in March. They added that the new seven-day average of daily cases is 263.
According to a press release, most of the new cases are located in the Saskatoon zone with 53, while there are 37 in Regina, 28 in north west, 21 in north central, 14 in south east, 13 in far north west, 11 in far north east, five each in central east and south central, two in north east as well as one each in far north central and south west. Residence information is still pending for three new infections.
In the province, 124 people are currently in hospital with COVID-19 — 98 are receiving inpatient care and 26 are in intensive care.
Officials said 363 more people have recovered, bringing total recoveries to 8,130.
There are currently 4,204 active cases in the province, health officials said. Active cases are total cases less recoveries and deaths.
According to the press release, 2,438 COVID-19 tests were performed on Monday in Saskatchewan. To date, 391,410 tests have been carried out in the province.
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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