Sask. reports 94 new COVID-19 cases; doesn't meet Step 3 vaccine target

REGINA -

Saskatchewan reported 94 new COVID-19 cases Thursday, along with 70 recoveries and zero new deaths.

Sixty-nine per cent of people 18 and older have their first dose of the vaccine. The province has been stuck at 69 per cent since Sunday. It has to hit 70 per cent by June 20 in order to begin Step Three by July 11.

Though the government did not report any deaths, one person in the 80-plus age group from Regina was removed from the COVID-19 related deaths count, bringing the total number down to 561.

The new cases are in the Far Northwest (four); Far Northeast (one); Northwest (nine); North Central (seven); Northeast (five); Saskatoon (25); Central West (11); Central East (two); Regina (nine); Southwest (three); South Central (seven); and Southeast (four) zones.

There are 87 people in hospital across the province – the lowest number since mid-November. Nine of those patients are in intensive care in the Saskatoon (six) and Regina (three) zones.

The seven-day average of new daily COVID-19 cases is 75. There are 752 active cases across the province.

VACCINES

There were 15,402 doses of COVID-19 vaccine administered Wednesday, bringing the total to 937,737.

The province is expecting 89,880 doses of the Moderna vaccine this week.

The government said Pfizer adjusted its delivery schedule for Canada and will see lower allocations than projected. The province said it does not yet know how Saskatchewan’s Pfizer delivery will be impacted.

45+ ELIGIBLE FOR 2ND DOSE OF COVID-19 VACCINE

Second doses of the COVID-19 vaccine are available in Saskatchewan for residents age 45 and older or anyone who received their first dose on or before May 1, as of 8 a.m. Thursday.

The age eligibility for Northern Saskatchewan Administration District is now 18 years and older for second doses regardless of when they received their first dose.

Other individuals who are eligible for their second doses – including anyone diagnosed with or being treated for cancer, or anyone who has received a solid organ transplant – will receive a letter.

VARIANTS OF CONCERN

The province said labs identified another 60 COVID-19 cases to be variants of concern, bringing the total to 11,847.

The dominant variant continues to be the Alpha variant, which was first identified in the U.K. There are 6,134 identified Alpha cases, 231 are Gamma, first seen in Brazil, and 68 are the Delta variant first identified in India.