Saskatchewan had its lowest daily number of new COVID-19 infections so far this year as the number of fully-vaccinated residents reportedly topped half a million.
Health officials said Tuesday there were 14 new cases, bringing the overall infection total in Saskatchewan to 48,992. The seven-day average of new daily infections was down to 28 from 33 on Monday, which is the lowest since Oct. 13, 2020, when it was 27.
According to the provincial government, the number of confirmed Delta variant cases has increased significantly in the last two weeks. In the daily update on Tuesday, Delta cases increased by nearly one-and-a-half times compared to the previously reported number. Of the 7,515 variants of concern (VOCs) with lineages identified by whole-genome sequencing in Saskatchewan, 304 are Delta.
“The Delta variant is assumed to be 1.5 times more transmissible and twice as virulent as the Alpha variant,” read a government statement.
“Two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine are required for optimal protection against the Delta variant. Residents are strongly encouraged to get their first and second doses as soon as possible.”
A total of 1,233,534 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in Saskatchewan, provincial government officials said. They added that 501,464 people have now been fully vaccinated in the province.
The province reported one new COVID-19-related death on Tuesday, bringing Saskatchewan’s total up to 569 since the pandemic began. The recently deceased was in their 30s and from the north west zone, officials said.
Saskatchewan’s hospitals are currently providing care for 62 patients with COVID-19: 52 are receiving inpatient care and 10 are in ICUs.
The province’s active COVID-19 cases have decreased and now sit at 360. It is the lowest number reported since Oct. 16, 2020, when there were 299.
The total number of people who have recovered from the virus has grown to 48,110 following 60 more recoveries, provincial health officials said.
According to the press release, 1,549 COVID-19 tests were performed on Monday. To date, 925,232 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.
For full COVID-19 coverage, visit the Global News coronavirus web page.