REGINA -- Saskatchewan reported 245 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday and identified 178 more cases of variants of concern (VoC).

Another Saskatchewan resident has died of COVID-19, a person in their 60s in the Far Northwest.

With 221 new recoveries reported Monday, the province currently sits at 2,538 active cases.

The seven-day average of new COVID-19 cases is 251, or 20.5 new cases per 100,000 people.

One hundred eighty-seven Saskatchewan residents are being treated in hospital for COVID-19. There are 45 people in Saskatchewan ICUs.

 

 New cases are located in the Far Northwest (10), Northwest (17), North Central (nine), Northeast (one), Saskatoon (39), Central West (four), Central East (20), Regina (80), Southwest (eight), South Central (32) and Southeast (25) zones.

VARIANTS OF CONCERN

Saskatchewan identified 178 more VoC cases on Monday, for a total of 6,204 to date. The province does not have any new lineage results to report.

Ninety-two more previously reported VoC cases have reported lineage. To date the province has identified lineage for 2,152 VoC cases; 2,138 cases are B.1.1.1.7, which originated in the U.K., nine are B.1.351, which originated in South Africa and five are P.1., which originated in Brazil.

VACCINES MAY BE AVAILABLE AT SOME SASK. PHARMACIES

Vaccination appointments may be available at pharmacies in some Saskatchewan communities, as part of a pilot project.

Select pharmacies in Regina, Emerald Park, Moose Jaw, Yorkton, Estevan, Fort Qu'Appelle, Humboldt, Davidson, Indian Head, Melville, Pilot Butte, Southey, Stoughton and Watrous will be offering vaccinations.

A full list of participating pharmacies is available on the Government of Saskatchewan's website.

REGINA'S HEAD OF ICU DESCRIBES GRIM REALITY AS COVID-19 ADMISSIONS SOAR

Dr. Jeffrey Betcher, head of critical care in Regina described the bleak reality health care workers are facing on Regina’s COVID-19 wards.

He said that over his 30-year career in the community, he’s never experienced anything close to the dire circumstances presented by COVID-19.

“Nothing has impacted me like this has. I’ve never seen anything like this,” he said. “If you asked me two years ago if I ever imagined that we would ever be facing anything like this, and on a worldwide level."

As of Sunday, 49 Saskatchewan residents are being treated in Saskatchewan intensive care units for COVID-19; 30 patients are being treated in ICU in Regina.

The number of patients being treated for COVID-19 in Regina’s ICU has more than doubled since March 25; from 12 to 30 on April 25.

VACCINES

The Saskatchewan Health Authority administered 3,639 more doses of COVID-19 vaccines. Doses were given in the Far Northwest (10), Far North Central (30), Far Northeast (three), Northwest (440), North Central (452), Northeast (23), Saskatoon (1,704), Central West (20), Central East (86), Regina (411), Southwest (60), South Central (54) and Southeast (210). There were 136 doses administered with zone details pending.

 

The province said 38 per cent of Saskatchewan adults have received their first dose.