COVID-19 in Sask.: 1 more death, 197 new cases announced Saturday
Community transmission at events has resulted in hundreds of people being exposed
Another person in Saskatchewan who tested positive for COVID-19 has died.
The person is in the 80-plus age group and is from the northwest zone, the province said in its Saturday COVID-19 update.
The province also reported 197 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total to date in Saskatchewan to 7,888.
Community transmission has been found in a number of locations, the province reported.
That includes:
- A recent outbreak among a teenage hockey team resulted in nine players and one coach testing positive. Multiple teams are currently self-isolating as a result.
- A recent outbreak at a curling bonspiel resulted in positive cases on teams from several cities and towns across the province.
- Positive cases among attendees at a recent funeral has led to the potential exposure of more than 200 people.
- Seventeen nurses working in one hospital were recently required to self-isolate after being identified as close contacts to positive cases linked to sporting events and community transmission.
The province said investigating and contact tracing these incidents has delayed notification of possible exposure resulting in further transmission.
"With significant outbreaks continuing to occur among larger gatherings and sporting events, the public is urged to follow the public health orders in place and are reminded these orders are enforceable," said the news release.
Regina had the most new cases on Saturday, with 73, followed by Saskatoon, with 56 new cases.
The other cases were in the far northwest (six), far northeast (four), northwest (five), north central (17), northeast (five), central west (one), central east (five), southwest (16), south central (five) and southeast (two) zones.
The location of the two other new cases is pending.
The seven-day average of daily new cases is 234 (19.3 new cases per 100,000 population).
Of the 7,888 reported cases, 3,322 are considered active, with 4,521 people having recovered from the illness.
There are now 106 people in hospital with COVID-19, including 88 people receiving in-patient care.
Thirty of those patients are in Saskatoon, and 18 are in Regina. There are 19 patients receiving in-patient care in the southeast zone, nine in the northwest and seven in north central. The far northwest, northeast, central east, southwest and south central zones each have one person receiving in-patient care.
Eighteen people are in intensive care, including 11 in Saskatoon and five in Regina. The north central and southwest zones each have one patient in intensive care.
A total of 244 health-care workers have been infected with the virus.
In the last three days, the province has recorded eight deaths. There have now been 45 deaths in total related to COVID-19 in the province.
Saskatoon now has 1,108 active cases and Regina has 636 active cases.
On Friday, 3,359 COVID-19 tests were processed in Saskatchewan.