98 new COVID-19 cases, 1 death reported in Sask.
The Government of Saskatchewan reported 98 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, along with one death.
The death was a person in their 70s from the North West zone. Saskatchewan has recorded 562 COVID-19-related deaths.
The province now has 763 active COVID-19 cases, after confirming 95 more recoveries.
A total of 81 patients are in hospital related to COVID-19, including 10 in intensive care.
New cases are located in the Far North West (one), North West (nine), North Central (19), North East (two), Saskatoon (12), Central West (eight), Central East (eight), Regina (25), South Central (four) and South East (four) zones. Six cases are pending residence information.
VACCINES
The province said as of the end of day Thursday, there were an additional 24,260 vaccinations administered. That total includes data from both June 16 and 17.
A total of 961,997 doses have been given in Saskatchewan.
According to the province, 69 per cent of those 18 years and older have received a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine – one per cent shy of the target for step three of the reopening roadmap.
VARIANTS OF CONCERN
As of Thursday, 11,904 variants of concern have been identified in Saskatchewan – up 57 cases from Wednesday’s data.
Lineage results were determined for four more variants of concern. Of the variants identified by whole genome sequencing in Saskatchewan, 6,136 are Alpha (B.1.1.7), 231 are Gamma (P.1), 70 are Delta (B.1.617.2) and 10 are Beta (B.1.351).
STEP 2 OF REOPENING ROADMAP BEGINS SUNDAY
Certain public health measures will be loosened this weekend as Saskatchewan enters Step 2 of its reopening roadmap on Sunday.
Nearly three weeks ago, the province reached its targeted vaccine threshold to enter the next reopening phase – 70 per cent of people age 30 and older received their first dose.
In Step 2, there will be no capacity limits at retail stores and personal care services, but physical distancing must be maintained.
45+ ELIGIBLE FOR 2ND DOSE OF COVID-19 VACCINE
Second doses of the COVID-19 vaccine are available in Saskatchewan for residents age 45 and older or anyone who received their first dose on or before May 1, as of 8 a.m. Thursday.
The age eligibility for Northern Saskatchewan Administration District is now 18 years and older for second doses regardless of when they received their first dose.
Other individuals who are eligible for their second doses – including anyone diagnosed with or being treated for cancer, or anyone who has received a solid organ transplant – will receive a letter.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
OPP responds to apparent video of officer supporting anti-Trudeau government protestors
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says it's investigating an interaction between a uniformed officer and anti-Trudeau government protestors after a video circulated on social media.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Loud boom in Hamilton caused by propane tank, police say
A loud explosion was heard across Hamilton on Friday after a propane tank was accidentally destroyed and detonated at a local scrap metal yard, police say.