Sask. reports 94 new COVID-19 cases; doesn't meet Step 3 vaccine target
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.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Most of Canada to receive emergency alert test today
The federal government will test its capacity to issue emergency alerts today, with the exception of Ontario, where the test will take place on May 15.
'A huge difference': These adults born in the '90s partnered with their parents to buy homes in Ontario
An Ontario woman said it would have been impossible to buy a house without her mother – an anecdote that animates the fact that over 17 per cent of Canadian homeowners born in the ‘90s own their property with their parents, according to a new report.
OPINION No reunion between Prince Harry and the King signifies a setback for royal unity
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
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.
How Drake and Kendrick Lamar's rap beef escalated within weeks
A long-simmering feud between hip-hop superstars Drake and Kendrick Lamar reached a boiling point in recent days as the pair traded increasingly personal insults on a succession of diss tracks. Here’s a quick overview of what’s behind the ongoing beef.
NEW For their protection, immigrants critical of China and India call for speedy passage of Canada's foreign interference legislation
Canadian immigrants threatened by hostile regimes are urging parliamentarians to quickly pass the 'Countering Foreign Interference Act' so they can feel safe living in their adopted home.
Ontario man devastated to learn $150,000 line of credit isn't insured after wife dies
An Ontario man found out that a line of credit he thought was insured actually isn't after his wife of 50 years died.
Spanish prosecutors recommend 2nd investigation into Shakira's taxes be thrown out
Spanish state prosecutors recommended Wednesday that an investigating judge shelve a probe into another alleged case of tax fraud by pop star Shakira.
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.