7-day average of new COVID-19 infections down to 55 in Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan reported its lowest seven-day average of new daily COVID-19 infections so far this year on Thursday.

Health officials said there were 52 new cases, bringing the overall infection total in Saskatchewan to 48,590. The seven-day average of new daily infections is down to 55, which is the lowest since Oct. 26, 2020, when it was the same.

According to the provincial government, 15 new variant of concern (VOC) cases have been identified in Saskatchewan, while the total is reported at 12,035.

The province’s hospitals are currently providing care for 76 patients with COVID-19: 62 are receiving inpatient care and 14 are in intensive care units.

Active cases, which are total cases minus recoveries and deaths, now sit at 605 in Saskatchewan, according to the press release from the province. This is the lowest number reported since Oct. 24, 2020, when it was 574.

The total number of people who have recovered from the virus has grown to 47,420 following 55 more recoveries, provincial health officials said.

According to the press release, 1,834 COVID-19 tests were performed on Wednesday. To date, 907,701 tests have been carried out in the province.

Get weekly health news

Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday.

Sign up for weekly health newsletter Sign Up

By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

A total of 1,048,669 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in Saskatchewan, provincial government officials said.

2:22 Best protection against COVID-19 Delta variant is ‘2 doses in arms,’ Saskatchewan’s top doctor says

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.

For full COVID-19 coverage, visit the Global News coronavirus web page.