Never has Saskatchewan recorded 300 or more hospitalizations resulting from COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began — until Tuesday.
The Saskatchewan government announced 449 new cases and 490 more recoveries in its COVID-19 update on Tuesday afternoon.
New cases were located in the following zones:
- far northwest – 20
- far north central – two
- far northeast – 23
- northwest – 72
- north central – 38
- northeast – 10
- Saskatoon – 103
- central west – 11
- central east – 15
- Regina – 48
- southwest – 22
- south central – 27
- southeast – 25
Saskatchewan also reported 10 new deaths from residents who tested positive for the virus. The total death count is now at 682.
While the active case count dropped by 54 cases from Monday’s amount to 4,734 on Tuesday, hospitalizations increased by 22 to 311.
Inpatient numbers are up to 246 province-wide, while the number of patients in intensive care units has moved up to 65. Saskatoon is reporting the most ICU patients at 29, followed by Regina at 17.
According to health officials, just over 77 per cent of the 311 patients who were eligible for vaccination are not fully immunized.
There are also no ICU beds available in six of the province’s 13 zones, including the far northwest, far north central, far northeast, northwest, central west and southeast zones.
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The government update noted that almost one-third, or 31 per cent, of new cases are in the age category of 20 to 39. In addition, one in six, or 16.8 per cent, of new cases eligible for vaccination were fully vaccinated.
Four-hundred-and-seventy more people were tested for COVID-19 compared to Monday with 4,249 new tests on Tuesday. However, 648 new doses were administered, which is down 1,862 doses from Monday’s update.
Province launches phase 2 of booster program
As part of the COVID-19 update on Tuesday, Saskatchewan will be moving into phase two of its booster program beginning Oct. 4.
This means residents 80 years of age and older are eligible to receive a booster COVID-19 shot six months after their second dose.
Other immunocompromised and clinically extremely vulnerable individuals are eligible for a booster as long as they received their second dose a minimum 28 days prior. This includes residents with auto-immune diseases and those who received chemotherapy or radiation therapy in the past six months.
Residents eligible for medical reasons should expect a letter from the Ministry of Health or their physician with instructions on how to proceed with getting a booster shot, according to the government. The letter must be presented before their inoculation.
A list of residents currently eligible can visit the government’s website.
Those who are eligible for booster shots are encouraged to visit a pharmacy or pop-up clinic listed on the Saskatchewan Health Authority’s website. Online booking is not yet available for booster doses.
The government noted that a fourth dose is not required for people who already received a third shot for travel or in a long-term or personal care home setting.
The booster program was launched in September with residents of long-term and personal care homes and certain immunocompromised citizens becoming eligible.
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