Sask. nears 1M vaccinations; reports 60 new COVID-19 cases
Saskatchewan reported 60 additional COVID-19 cases on Sunday, along with 76 recoveries and one death.
The person who died was in their 70s and from the Northwest zone. To date, 563 people in the province have died as a result of COVID-19.
The new cases are in the Far Northwest (four); Far Northeast (one); Northwest (nine); North Central (four); Saskatoon (27); Central West (one); Regina (nine); South Central (three); and Southeast (two) zones.
The seven-day average for new daily cases is 69. The province says there are 743 cases considered active.
There are 79 COVID-19 patients in hospital across the province. Twelve of those patients are in the ICU in the North Central (one); Saskatoon (six); Central East (one); and Regina (four) zones.
VACCINES
Health-care workers gave 16,084 doses of COVID-19 vaccine on Saturday, bringing the total number of vaccinations in the province to 997,818.
According to the province, 708,939 first doses have been administered and 288,879 people are fully vaccinated.
VARIANTS OF CONCERN
The province said 25 more COVID-19 cases were identified as variants of concern, bringing the total number of variant cases in the province to 11,955.
The government reported 224 variant cases were confirmed through whole genome sequencing. Of the 6,814 variant cases with identified lineages, 6,417 are Alpha (B.1.1.7), 282 are Gamma (P.1), 105 are Delta (B.1.617.2) and 10 are Beta (B.1.351).
MASK MANDATE TO LIFT JULY 11
All public health restrictions – including the mask mandate and gathering limits – will be lifted in Saskatchewan on July 11.
The government made the announcement Sunday as 70 per cent of people age 18 and older have their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and 69 per cent of all residents 12 and older have their first shot.
STEP 2 STARTS SUNDAY
Saskatchewan began the second phase of its reopening plan Sunday as certain public health measures loosened across the province.
Step 2, which was triggered when 70 per cent of people age 30 and older got their first dose, will allow 15 people at private indoor gatherings. There will be a 150 person limit at public and private outdoor gatherings.
Step 3 will start on July 11.
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
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
BREAKING McGill University seeks emergency injunction to remove pro-Palestinian encampment from campus
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Friday that Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
Rare severe solar storm Friday could bring spectacular aurora light show across Canada
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
More than half the Canadians once detained in Syrian camps for suspected ISIS family members have returned home
A total of 29 Canadians have been freed from detention camps in northeast Syria and brought back to Canada since human rights advocates began lobbying for their release years ago.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.