Active COVID-19 cases in Saskatchewan continues downward trend

The number of active COVID-19 cases in Saskatchewan continues to trend downward, the province reported Tuesday.

Health officials reported 111 new cases in their daily update, along with 197 recoveries.

This dropped the number of active cases in the province to 1,451, down 42.3 per cent over the last 30 days.

Active cases are total cases less recoveries and deaths. No new COVID-19 related deaths were reported by the province in its update.

Of the new cases reported Tuesday, the majority were in Saskatoon (45), the north central zone (19) and Regina (15).

The seven-day average of new cases decreased to 139 — 11.3 new cases per 100,000 population. The average on Monday was 142.

The province reported 93 new variants of concern on Tuesday, raising the overall total of variants of concern identified by screening to 10,241.

Officials said 5,636 variants of concern with lineages have been identified — up 205 from Monday.

Of those, 5,471 are the B.1.1.7 variant first identified in the U.K., 126 are the P.1 variant first identified in Brazil, 29 are the B.1.617 variant first identified in India and 10 are the B.1.351 variant first identified in South Africa.

Health officials said 136 people are receiving treatment in hospital, 30 of whom are in intensive care.

There were 1,543 COVID-19 tests processed on Monday, health officials reported.

To date, 846,893 COVID-19 tests have been processed in the province.

Vaccinations

Health officials said 2,339 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine were administered in the province on Monday.

The total number of vaccines administered in Saskatchewan to date is 665,193.

Of those, 606,936 are first doses and 58,180 people have received two doses.

The province announced Monday that it is moving to Step Two of its reopening roadmap on June 20 after reporting 70 per cent of the population aged 30 and older had received their first dose.

Saskatchewan has also lowered its booking procedure for second doses.

Anyone aged 80 or older, or anyone who received their first dose on or before March 1, is now eligible to receive their second dose.

The province also updated what is allowed during Step One of the reopening roadmap.

Outdoors sports are permitted as of May 30, with team sports and leagues allowed to resume play.

Tournaments, along with interprovincial travel, are not allowed at this time.

1:35 Step Two of Sask. re-opening begins June 20 after 70% of those 30 and older vaccinated