The number of cases decreased in Saskatchewan for COVID-19 and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) from Jan. 15-28, a change from the first week of the new year when there was an increase for both respiratory illnesses.
According to the most recent Community Respiratory Illness Surveillance Program (CRISP) report, the number of positive lab tests for COVID-19 decreased to 242 in the most recent week from 371 in the first week of January, and the test positivity decreased to 4.4 per cent from 6.9 per cent.
“RSV cases remained stable at 157 cases in each of the past two weeks,” stated the CRISP report. “However, the proportion of positive laboratory tests increased from 13.3 per cent to 15.9 per cent. The highest number of cases remained among preschool-aged children.”
The report states that the influenza activity in the province has been decreasing but the majority of respiratory virus hospitalizations continue to be COVID-19 with RSV to follow.
“Weekly visits to the Saskatchewan emergency departments for respiratory-like illness (RLI) have increased from 18.4 in the previous week to 21.7 per 1,000 this week,” according to the report. “Calls to 811 Healthline for RLIs decreased from 83.8 to 53. per 1,000.”
However, COVID-19 outbreaks in high-risk settings fluctuated over the past four weeks. Nine new COVID-19 outbreaks were reported and COVID-related deaths remain the same at 18 as in the previous and current two-week periods, the CRISP report states.
The cases of influenza also decreased to only seven cases reported this week from 32 in the first week of January. CRISP reporting shows that influenza test positivity also dropped each week, to 0.6 per cent this week from 2.1 per cent in the first week of January.
Officials stated that there have been no reported influenza outbreaks in high-risk settings in the past month and there were no influenza hospitalizations or ICU admissions reported Jan. 22-28.
“Influenza immunization campaign launched October 11, 2022. As of December 31, 2022, one quarter of the Saskatchewan population have received an influenza vaccine,” the report states. “This is a one percent increase from the previous reporting period. There is a 12 percent decrease in doses administered compared to the same time last year.”
However, RSV detections have remained constant for the past three weeks and sit at 15.9 per cent – the highest lab test positivity of the respiratory viruses. The RSV cases are vast in the pediatric age group where there were 95 cases in patients 0-4 years old.
Officials stated that hospitalizations attributed to RSV from Jan. 15 to Jan. 28 decreased by 19 per cent compared to the weeks prior. ICU admissions also decreased by 33 per cent in the same time frame.
“Children aged 0 – 19 years account for 74 percent of RSV hospitalizations and ICU admissions over the past two weeks,” according to the report.
The CRISP report shows “other” respiratory viruses declined by 32 per cent from the beginning of January to 96 lab detections in the past week.
A full copy of the CRISP report can be found on the government of Saskatchewan’s website.