COVID-19 in Sask: 200 new cases, three more deaths, 108 recoveries

Saskatchewan reported 200 new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday. Three more residents have died due to the illness caused by the novel coronavirus.

Two of the people who died were located in the far north east zone. One was in their 60s, and one was in their 80s. A person in their 30s from the north central zone also died. 

There have now been 417 deaths in the province due to COVID-19.

There are no new confirmed cases involving the more transmissible coronavirus variants of concern (VOC) in Saskatchewan today.

However, the province has also reported 590 presumptive VOC cases in the province:

• Far northeast: one.

• Saskatoon: 13.

• Central East: six.

• Regina: 504.

• South Central: 38.

• South East: 28.

Of the 31,459 known COVID-19 cases to date in the province, 1,434 are considered active. 

The seven-day average of daily new cases in Saskatchewan is 134  — 11 new cases per 100,000 population. 

The new cases Saturday are in the following provincial zones:

• Far northwest: six.

• Far northeast: two.

• Northwest: nine.

• North central: 14.

• Northeast: five.

• Saskatoon: 29.

• Central west: two.

• Central east: 12.

• Regina: 91.

• South central: 12.

• Southeast: 18.

There are currently 135 people in hospital in the province due to COVID-19, including 27 in intensive care.

The province also reported 108 new recoveries. There have been 29,608 known recoveries in total as of Saturday. 

To date, 627,752 COVID-19 tests have been processed in Saskatchewan, 3,581 of which were processed on Friday.

8,766 vaccinations Friday

The province says 8,766 COVID-19 vaccine doses were administered Friday. This is the highest one-day total for vaccine delivery in Saskatchewan, surpassing the previous one-day high of 6,867 doses delivered Thursday.

To date, a total of 133,828 doses have been administered in the province.

Of the doses administered Friday, 2,019 were delivered at the Regina drive-thru clinic.  

Reduce Regina COVID-19 transmission

The province says there is an elevated risk of COVID-19 in Regina due to community transmission of the variants.

The province recommends that Regina and area residents, particularly those over age 50, not increase their household bubbles, to include the two to three households up to 10 people allowed under current regulations. They should consider remaining with their current household only, the province says.

The province also says that while worship services in most of Saskatchewan expanded yesterday to 30 per cent capacity or 150 people, whichever is lower, places of worship in Regina and adjacent communities will remain at the current capacity level of 30 individuals with physical distancing and masking guidelines in place. 

This restriction will remain in effect until at least April 5.

The adjacent communities include Belle Plaine, Pense, Grand Coulee, Lumsden Beach, Regina Beach, Craven, Lumsden, Edenwold, Pilot Butte, White City, Balgonie, Kronau, Davin, Gray and Riceton.

All residents of Regina, those who work in Regina and area, and those who are planning travel to the region are asked to abide by personal protective best practices:

• Wear your mask in all public places, including all workplaces.

• Wash non-medical masks daily.

• Maintain physical distancing.

• Wash your hands frequently.

• Reduce activities outside of your home. 

• Order takeout or curbside pickup. 

• If you are able to work from home, do so.

• Avoid all unnecessary travel to and from Regina.