Sask. reports lowest COVID-19 hospitalizations in 2021; adds 122 new cases

COVID-19 debated at the Legislature WATCH: On day two of Spring Session at the Saskatchewan Legislature COVID-19 was again front and centre. Allison Bamford explains.

REGINA — The Saskatchewan government recorded 122 new COVID-19 cases and two more deaths on Friday, along with 131 recoveries.

One person who died was in their 70s and from the Saskatoon zone; the second person was in the 80-plus age range and from the Northwest zone.

The new cases are located in the Far Northwest (four); Far North Central (one); Northwest (six); North Central (12); Northeast (two); Saskatoon (38); Central East (16); Regina (21); Southwest (one); South Central (11); and Southeast (five). Five more cases are pending location information.

There are 113 people in hospital across the province – the lowest number since Nov. 28, 2020, according to the government. Twenty-six of those people are in the ICU in the Northwest (two); North Central (five); Saskatoon (eight); Central East (one); Southwest (one); and Regina (nine) zones.

The seven-day average of new COVID-19 cases is 129 – the lowest seven day average the province has seen since Nov. 13, 2020. There are 1,371 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.

VACCINATIONS

There were 14,351 doses of COVID-19 vaccines administered across Saskatchewan on Thursday.

So far, 64 per cent of people age 18 and older have received their first dose.

Residents age 80 and older and those who received their first COVID-19 vaccine dose before March 1, are eligible for their second doses. The age eligibility for first doses remains at 12 years and older.

VARIANTS OF CONCERN

Labs identified 32 more variant cases, according to the government. The province said 10,399 cases have been marked as variants of concern (VoC).

The government reported two new lineage results Friday. Of the 5,713 VoCs with a variant type identified by whole genome sequencing, 5,529 are B.1.1.1.7, which was first identified in the U.K.; 144 are P.1, the variant first seen in Brazil; 30 are the B.1.617 variant identified in India; and 10 are B.1.351, first identified in South Africa.

SHA EASING VISITOR RESTRICTIONS AT REGINA HOSPITALS

The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) is moving the Regina General Hospital and Pasqua Hospital to Level 1 visitation, effective Sunday.

Level 1 visitation means that all patients can designate two essential family members or support persons to provide in-person care. Only one designated person can be with a patient at a time.

The SHA said the timing and frequency of visits will be determined by the staff, patient and the patient’s needs.