Sask. reports 77 new COVID-19 cases; 1 death
The Saskatchewan government reported 77 new COVID-19 cases Thursday, along with one additional death and 129 recoveries.
The person who died was in their 70s and from the Central East zone.
The new cases are in the Far Northwest (nine); Far Northeast (one); Northwest (eight); North Central (ten); Saskatoon (18); Central East (one); Regina (eight); Southwest (two); South Central (12); and Southeast (seven) zones. One case is pending residence information.
There are 101 people in hospital across the province; 19 of those people are in the ICU in the Northwest (one); North Central (four); Saskatoon (eight); Central East (one); Regina (four); and Southwest (one) zones.
The seven-day average of new daily cases is 79 – the lowest it has been since Nov. 6, 2020, and a 41 per cent decrease from seven days ago.
There are fewer than a thousand active cases in the province for the second day in a row as the government reported 902 active cases Thursday, which is a 56 per cent decrease from 30 days ago.
VACCINES
The province said there were 16,787 vaccines given Wednesday, bringing the provincial total to 845,439.
So far, 68 per cent of people age 18 and older have received their first dose, while 66 per cent of residents age 12 and older have.
The government said it expected to receive 3,000 Moderna doses and 74,880 Pfizer doses this week.
VARIANTS OF CONCERN
Another 41 COVID-19 cases have been identified as variants of concern (VoC). As of Wednesday, the government said labs have identified 11,504 cases to be VoC.
Labs have confirmed the variant type of 6,115 VoCs through whole genome sequencing. The dominant variant type in Saskatchewan continues to be the Alpha variant – also known as the B.1.1.7 variant first identified in the U.K. To date, 5,866 Alpha variant cases have been confirmed across the province.
2ND VACCINE DOSE ELIGIBILITY DROPS TO 55+
Saskatchewan residents 55 years and older are eligible to receive their second dose of COVID-19 vaccine, effective 8 a.m. Thursday.
The expanded eligibility also includes anyone who received their first dose on or before April 7.
Second dose eligibility for residents of the Northern Saskatchewan Administration District remains at 40 years and older.
REGINA DROP IN VACCINE CLINIC FOR STUDENTS, FAMILIES
The SHA is opening a drop-in vaccine clinic geared towards Regina students, their families and caregivers, on Friday.
“Students are out of school for the most part [on Friday], so we thought this would be a great day if parents are home with their kids to be able to come on down and get their vaccines,” Laveena Tratch, the SHA’s Vaccine Section Chief for Regina, said in an interview with CTV Morning Live Regina Thursday.
The clinic, located at the International Trade Centre at Evraz Place, will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
SASK. OPENS UP ACCESS TO RAPID ANTIGEN TESTS
Rapid COVID-19 tests can now be used by businesses and individuals in Saskatchewan to screen for COVID-19.
The Government of Saskatchewan announced amendments to The Medical Laboratory Licensing Regulations, 1995, allowing residents to use rapid antigen tests without a formal agreement with the Saskatchewan Health Authority.
While rapid antigen tests are not a diagnostic test, they can be used to screen asymptomatic people for COVID-19.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
U.S. paused bomb shipment to Israel to signal concerns over Rafah invasion, official says
The U.S. paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns that Israel was approaching a decision on launching a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah against the wishes of the U.S.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.