Latest COVID update March 29: 202 new cases, 174 recoveries, 109 new variant cases

Saskatchewan reported 109 new cases of COVID-19 variants of concern Monday, including 96 in the Regina region.

There now are 1,474 cases of the variants in Saskatchewan — 1,222 in the Regina area, 109 in the south-central zone, 98 in the southeast, 25 in the central-east area, 17 in the Saskatoon region, two in the central-west zone and one in the far northeast.

Whole genome sequencing has identified 495 cases of variants in the province, comprising 487 of the United Kingdom strain and eight of the South African mutation. Of the total, 410 are in the Regina area.

Variants also are showing up in the Moose Jaw area, prompting the Ministry of Health to remind residents of the region to practise physical distancing, wear masks and reduce activities outside of their homes.

The government also told residents to avoid unnecessary travel to and from the Moose Jaw region.

Saskatchewan also reported 202 new COVID cases and 174 recoveries Monday. There weren’t any new deaths announced.

A look at the numbers

The new cases were reported in the Regina (101), Saskatoon (22), southeast (16), northeast (11), north-central (10), south-central (10), northwest (nine), central-east (six), far northeast (six), central-west (four), far northwest (two) and southwest (one) zones. The hometowns of four cases are pending.

The total number of cases in Saskatchewan since last March now stands at 33,233.

The seven-day average of daily new cases is 199.3, or 16.3 per 100,000 population.

There have been 30,822 recoveries reported to date. As of Monday, there were 1,978 active cases being reported, with 1,026 of those in the Regina area.

The active caseload in the province it has been since Feb. 9, when it stood at 2,026.

There are 137 people receiving inpatient care in Saskatchewan hospitals, with 62 of those in the Regina region. Of the 25 people in intensive care across the province, 15 are in Regina.

That’s a new single-day high for hospitalizations in the Queen City and area.

The 3,067 tests processed in Saskatchewan on Sunday increased the total so far to 659,170.

Vaccination update

There were 6,104 COVID vaccinations done in the province on Sunday, with 2,270 in the Saskatoon zone, 1,971 in the south-central area, 1,280 in the Regina region and 583 in the central-east zone.

The total so far in the province is 179,800.

According to the government, more than 10,000 Saskatchewan residents in their 80s have received both doses of vaccine. As well, more than two-thirds of personal care home residents now are fully vaccinated.

Saskatchewan is to receive a shipment of 46,600 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine from the United States this week. Those doses all are destined for people 55 and over after the National Advisory Committee on Immunization on Monday updated its guidelines on the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine in Canada.

“The primary use of AstraZeneca in Saskatchewan to date was at the drive-through clinic in Regina, with more than 15,000 doses available to residents 58 years and older,” the government said.

“Some residents younger than 55 would have received AstraZeneca including eligible health-care workers and vaccinators, though no thrombosis-like adverse events have been reported in Saskatchewan to date.”

A shipment of Moderna doses expected in the province Tuesday has been delayed due to ongoing quality assurance processes at the manufacturing level. It’s unknown when that shipment will arrive in Saskatchewan.