REGINA -- The Government of Saskatchewan confirmed there are 891 cases of COVID-19 Variants of Concern (VoC) in the province, as of Tuesday.

Moving forward, the province will be reporting all screened VoC cases as confirmed for the purpose of public reporting and contact tracing.

The province also reported one COVID-19 death and 150 new cases on Tuesday.

Of the 891 variant cases, 763 were detected in Regina. VoCs have also been found in the Far North East (one), Saskatoon (18), Central East (10), South Central (56) and South East (43) zones.

The province has identified the lineage of 360 VoC cases, including 352 cases of B.1.1.7 and eight cases of B.1.351.

Regina currently accounts for more active cases than all of the other Saskatchewan zones combined, with 755 of the total 1,472 active cases.

Active cases in the Regina zone have increased 78 per cent over the last month.

 

150 NEW CASES, 1 DEATH

One person who tested positive for COVID-19 has died, according to the Government of Saskatchewan. The person from the South Central zone was in their 60s.

The 150 new cases are located in the Far North West (one), Far North Central (one), Far North East (one), North West (nine), North Central (eight), North East (12), Saskatoon (eight), Central East (eight), Regina (91), South West (one), South Central (three) and South East (six) zones.

One other new cases is pending residence information.

The province said there are 1,472 COVID-19 cases considered active, following 152 recoveries.

Saskatchewan's seven-day average of daily new cases is 158, or 12.9 new cases per 100,000 population.

A total of 3,209 COVID-19 tests were processed on Monday.

PRIVATE GATHERINGS IN BANNED REGINA, RESTAURANTS TO MOVE TO TAKE-OUT ONLY

All private indoor gatherings are restricted to immediate household members, effective immediately. People who live alone will be allowed to meet with one household of fewer than five people.

Effective Sunday, all restaurants and bars must close for in-person dining; take-out and delivery is still allowed.

All non-essential indoor locations that had a 30 person limit must close.

Venues including banquet and community halls, conference facilities, arts venues, museums, libraries, live theatre, cinemas, arcades, bowling and science centres will also be forced to temporarily close.

According to the province, a travel advisory has been issued for Regina and the surrounding communities. Travel is not recommended in or out of the city unless “absolutely necessary.”

Places of worship will continue to have a 30 person limit.

VACCINES

The province said 5,038 doses of COVID-19 vaccines were given in Saskatchewan, bringing the province's total to 149,209 doses administered.

New vaccines were administered in the Far North West (112), Far North East (11), North West (12), North Central (20), Saskatoon (626), Central West (313), Central East (218), Regina (2,948), South West (158) and South East (620) zones.

Of those 5,038 doses administered, there were 1,873 doses delivered at the Regina drive-thru vaccine clinic.