Sask. has 'highest burden' of COVID-19 in Canada, health authority says
According to data presented during a physicians' town hall, Saskatchewan has the "highest burden" of COVID-19 in Canada.
Thursday evening's virtual Saskatchewan Health Authority town hall event came just hours after Premier Scott Moe announced a series of new measures to help control the spread of COVID-19.
During the event, Medical Health Officer Dr. Johnmark Opondo said Saskatchewan has the highest new daily COVID-19 hospitalization rate in Canada — with Alberta in a close second.
"Sadly to report in the last 14 days … the death rates in Saskatchewan are the second-highest of all the provinces," Opondo said.
Opondo said the province saw its highest test-positivity rate late last week, 11.8 per cent, surpassing the previous record of 8.2 per cent set during the third wave.
The current fourth wave of COVID-19 will probably be "the largest COVID-19 experience" the province has seen so far, Opondo said.
Because the Delta variant is "so transmissible, a vaccination rate of 85 per cent among eligible people over the age of 12 is needed to reach herd immunity, according to Opondo.
"Vaccines alone may not get us where we want to go," Opondo said.
"We need to continue to promote reducing indoor density, maintaining physical distancing, limiting non-essential gatherings and non-essential visits outside the house."
Opondo called the introduction of a masking measure an "important step."
"We are going to continue to encourage people to work from home and we do want to see further policies, some of which were discussed today, which would introduce things like vaccine passports (and) mandatory vaccines for certain worker categories."
Opondo said the policies have been shown to "accelerate" COVID-19 vaccination in other jurisdictions.
If Saskatchewan does not cut transmission and increase vaccine uptake, Opondo said hospital capacity will exceed previous highs reached during the third wave of COVID-19 that battered the province in the spring.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
RCMP uncovers alleged plot by 2 Montreal men to illegally sell drones, equipment to Libya
The RCMP says it has uncovered a plot by two men in Montreal to sell Chinese drones and military equipment to Libya illegally.
Demonstrators kicked out of Ontario legislature for disruption after failed keffiyeh vote
A group of demonstrators were kicked out of the legislature after a second NDP motion calling for unanimous consent to reverse a ban on the keffiyeh failed to pass.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
Government agrees to US$138.7M settlement over FBI's botching of Larry Nassar assault allegations
The U.S. Justice Department announced a US$138.7 million settlement Tuesday with more than 100 people who accused the FBI of grossly mishandling allegations of sexual assault against Larry Nassar in 2015 and 2016, a critical time gap that allowed the sports doctor to continue to prey on victims before his arrest.
Man wanted in connection with deadly shooting in Toronto tops list of most wanted fugitives in Canada
A 35-year-old man wanted in connection with the murder of Toronto resident 29-year-old Sharmar Powell-Flowers nine months ago has topped the list of the BOLO program’s 25 most wanted fugitives across Canada, police announced Tuesday.
Doctors ask Liberal government to reconsider capital gains tax change
The Canadian Medical Association is asking the federal government to reconsider its proposed changes to capital gains taxation, arguing it will affect doctors' retirement savings.
Keeping these exotic pets is 'cruel' and 'dangerous,' Canadian animal advocates say
Canadian pet owners are finding companionship beyond dogs and cats. Tigers, alligators, scorpions and tarantulas are among some of the exotic pets they are keeping in private homes, which pose risks to public safety and animal welfare, advocates say.
Thieves use stolen forklift to rip cash machine out of U.K. bank
Police in the U.K. are searching for a group of suspects seen on video using a forklift to steal a cash machine from a bank.
'There was a lot of black smoke': Crane operator sounds alarm while trapped during highrise fire in Halifax
A tower crane operator alerted emergency crews after noticing a fire on a construction site in Halifax Tuesday morning.