Sask. surpasses 1,000 COVID-19-related deaths

Saskatchewan has surpassed the milestone of 1,000 COVID-19-related deaths.

With four more deaths announced in the daily update Thursday, 1,001 people have now died in the province since the start of the pandemic.

There were also 837 new cases announced.

The new cases were located in the Far North West (three), Far North Central (zero), Far North East (eight), North West (34), North Central (30), North East (four), Saskatoon (221), Central West (16), Central East (69), Regina (257), South West (17), South Central (21), South East (74). A total of 83 cases are pending location.

Hospitalizations are up by 12 to 384, including 36 in ICUs.

Of the 347 inpatient hospitalizations, 137 are a COVID-19-related illness and 189 are incidental COVID-19 infections, while 21 have not been determined.

Of the 36 people receiving intensive care, 28 are for a COVID-19 related illness and eight are for incidental COVID-19 infections.

One resident is in the PICU/NICU for a COVID-19 related illness.

The seven day average for daily new cases dropped below 1,000 to 958 and active cases are down to 10,271.

Saskatoon continues to have the most active cases with 3,032, followed by Regina with 2,200.

On the vaccine front, 936 new doses were administered.

With Saskatchewan announcing an end to mass PCR testing, the province also revealed the COVID-19 dashboard on the government’s website will be discontinued, starting on Monday cases will instead be reported weekly.