Sask. reports 14 more COVID-19 deaths, 409 in hospital
Saskatchewan reported 14 COVID-19 deaths for the week of April 17-23, down eight from last week. Of those, four deaths occurred in previous weeks but were reported this week. Six of the newly reported deaths were in the Saskatoon zone.
A total of 409 people are in hospital related to COVID-19 as of April 27, down eight from last week. Of that, 166 are for a COVID-19 related illness, 231 are an incidental COVID-19 infection and 12 are under investigation. Twenty people are in ICUs.
A total of 829 lab-confirmed cases were also reported, which is down by 61 from the last update.
There were 264 new lineage results reported, down 275 from the last update. Of those 264 variants of concern, 100 per cent were Omicron with the BA.2 sublineage accounting for 69.7 per cent.
There were 22 confirmed COVID-19 outbreaks in long-term care homes and care home settings reported.
As of April 23, 85.8 per cent of the population five years and older has received at least one dose of vaccine with 80.8 per cent having completed two doses.
Among the population 18 and older, 51.8 per cent have gotten at least one booster shot.
According to a release from the Government of Sask., the oral antiviral treatment, Paxlovid is now available for anyone who tests positive who is immunocompromised or who is 70 years and older with risk factors, regardless of vaccination status.
Adults 18-54 who are not fully vaccinated with a medical condition or those who are unvaccinated between 55-69 years of age are also eligible.
Paxlovid must be taken within five days of developing symptoms for it to be effective in treating COVID-19.
For more information on Paxlovid, visit www.saskatchewan.ca/covid-19 or call HealthLine 811.
The Government of Canada will also not be securing additional doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine after its expiration date of April 30.
As of Thursday, the Sask. Ministry of Health said there are approximately 180 doses left which will be properly disposed of as per jurisdictional policy.
Residents needing another AstraZeneca dose are advised to call 1-833-727-5829 as soon as possible.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
Fluid in eye cells can 'boil' if you watch the eclipse without protection: expert
Millions of people in parts of Eastern and Atlantic Canada will be able to see the rare solar eclipse happening on April 8. But they should only look up if they have proper eye protection, experts say.
Ontario urges mpox testing amid spike in cases
Ontario health officials are urging public health units to test for mpox, the viral disease formerly known as monkeypox, amid a spike of confirmed cases in the province.
More unauthorized products for skin, sexual enhancement, recalled: Here are the recalls of this week
Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency recalled various items this week, including torches, beef biltong and unauthorized products related to skin care and sexual enhancement.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Do these exercises for core strength if you can't stomach doing planks
Planks are one of the most effective exercises for strengthening your midsection, as they target all of your major core muscles: the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, external obliques and internal obliques. Yet despite the popularity of various 10-minute plank challenges, planking is actually one of the most dreaded core exercises, according to many fitness experts.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
'Don't expect any deals:' Expert says stores may not offer steep discounts on post-Easter chocolate
Those looking to snap up cheap treats at their local grocery store next week following the Easter long weekend could be in for a bit of a surprise as the rising cost of cocoa continues to drive up the price of chocolate, one expert says.