REGINA -- Saskatchewan recorded 254 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, along with 299 recoveries and one additional death.

The person who died was in their 50s and from the South Central zone.

 

The new cases are in the Far Northwest (14), Far Northeast (nine), Northwest (18), North Central (12), Northeast (seven), Saskatoon (31), Central West (four), Central East (19), Regina (76), Southwest (14), South Central (17) and Southeast (29) zones.

There are 177 people in hospital; 48 are in the ICU. People receiving intensive care are in the North Central (two), Saskatoon (eight), Central East (three), Regina (34) and South West (one) zones.

There are 2,505 active cases in the province, as of Thursday

VARIANTS OF CONCERN

According to the province, labs identified an additional 219 cases as variants of concern (VoC).

So far, 5,521 cases have been identified as VoC through screening. The cases have been identified in the Far Northwest (49), Far Northeast (two), Northwest (108), North Central (71), Northeast (eight), Saskatoon (560), Central West (75), Central East (229), Regina (3,206), Southwest (136), South Central (432) and Southeast (575) zones.

Labs have identified the lineage of 2,060 VoC cases through whole genome sequencing; 2,046 have been confirmed as the B.1.1.7 variant, which originated in the U.K., nine are the B.1.351 variant, which was first seen in South Africa, and five are the P.1, which was first identified in Brazil.

VACCINATIONS

Healthcare workers administered 7,333 vaccines on Wednesday, which brought the total number of vaccine administered in the province to 372,334.

 

The shots were given in the Far Northwest (240), Far North Central (43), Far Northeast (281), Northwest (248), North Central (823), Northeast (776), Saskatoon (1,222), Central West (534), Central East (496), Regina (962), Southwest (328), South Central (350) and Southeast (772). There were 258 doses administered with zone of residence pending.

According to the government, approximately 53 per cent of residents older than 40 have received a COVID-19 vaccine.

The province announced Thursday that a pharmacy vaccination pilot project will get underway next week.

Currently, those 44 and older are eligible to get a vaccine, except for the Northern Saskatchewan Administrative District, people age 40 and older are eligible.