36 new COVID-19 cases marks Sask.'s lowest daily increase since November
Saskatchewan recorded its lowest single-day increase of COVID-19 cases since November, on Tuesday.
The province reported 36 new COVID-19 cases along with 87 recoveries. A new case total as low as 36 was last seen on Nov. 4, according to the province's COVID-19 dashboard.
There were 21 cases removed from Saskatchewan’s count after they were deemed out-of-province residents. As of Tuesday, 639 cases remain active.
A total of 79 people are in hospital related to the virus, including 12 people in intensive care.
New cases are located in the Far North East (three), North West (two), North Central (two), Saskatoon (nine), Regina (11), South Central (one) and South East (six) zones. Two cases are pending residence information.
The seven-day average for new COVID-19 cases is 67, or 5.4 per 100,000 population.
VACCINATIONS
Saskatchewan has administered more than one million vaccine doses. A total of 1,005,275 doses have been given.
To date, 69 per cent of those 12 years and older have received their first dose of vaccine.
VARIANTS OF CONCERN
The province has detected 11,998 variants of concern through screening – up 28 from Monday.
Lineage results were determined for 89 more cases. Of the 6,903 variant cases with identified lineages, 6,475 are Alpha (B.1.1.7), 293 are Gamma (P.1), 125 are Delta (B.1.617.2) and 10 are Beta (B.1.351).
2ND DOSE ELIGIBILITY
Starting 8 a.m. Monday morning, second doses of the COVID-19 vaccine will be available for anyone in the province who got their first dose on of before May 15.
Everyone who has a first dose will be eligible to receive a second after 28 days on Thursday.
MASK MANDATE ENDS 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 and 69 per cent of people 12 and older have their first shot.
The province had said it will lift the mask mandate and restrictions on gathering limits three weeks after 70 per cent of people age 12 and older have received their first dose.
In a video posted on Twitter, Premier Scott Moe said the province will hit the final threshold in the next few days.
STEP 2 UNDERWAY
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 see capacity limits in stores lifted and restaurants will no longer have a limit on the number of people allowed to sit together at a table.
Fifteen people will now be allowed at private indoor gatherings. There will be a 150 person limit at public and private outdoor gatherings.
Step 3 of Saskatchewan’s reopening plan will go ahead on July 11 after the province hit its vaccination target Saturday.
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