Active COVID-19 cases in Sask. nearly double in last 10 days
Active COVID-19 cases across Saskatchewan rose to 448 Friday, which is the highest number since the province dropped all public health measures on July 11 and 206 more than the province had 10 days ago.
The government reported 56 new COVID-19 cases on Friday. The confirmed cases are in the Far Northwest (eight); Far North Central (one); Far Northeast (11); Northwest (two); North Central (two); Central West (four); Saskatoon (13); Regina (two); South Central (two) and Southeast (one) zones. Five cases are pending residence information.
Forty-six per cent of active cases and 36 per cent of new COVID-19 cases are in the Far North zones.
According to the province, there were 1,779 COVID-19 tests processed on Thursday. The seven-day average of daily new cases is 45 – up from 27 ten days ago.
There are 46 COVID-19 patients are in hospital; 12 are in ICU in the North Central (one); Saskatoon (six); and Regina (five) zones.
VACCINATIONS
The province said health-care workers have administered an additional 5,345 vaccines since the last update. Of those doses, 4,263 were second shots and 1,082 were first.
As of Friday, 75 per cent of residents age 12 and older have their first dose and 63 per cent are fully vaccinated.
The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) said the August long weekend is the last opportunity for children between the ages of 12 and 17 to get their first dose if they want to be fully immunized before school starts.
According to public health, children should get the shot by Aug. 1, then wait the minimum 28 days to get the second. The SHA noted it takes around two weeks for the second dose to be fully effective.
VARIANTS OF CONCERN
The government said a total of 12,353 COVID-19 cases have been identified as variants of concern. Of those cases, 8,050 have been whole genome sequenced; 7,041 are Alpha (B.1.1.7), 573 are Delta (B.1.617.2), 426 are Gamma (P.1), and 10 are Beta (B.1.351).
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.