Latest COVID update June 7: 68 new cases, 119 recoveries, 3 deaths

The number of new COVID-19 cases in Saskatchewan continues to fall, but so does the number of tests.

The Ministry of Health reported Monday there were 68 new cases in the province, the lowest daily total since there were 56 new infections reported Feb. 24. But there also were just 1,265 tests performed Sunday, the fewest done in the province since 1,101 were conducted Nov. 4.

The province on Monday also reported 119 recoveries, 17 new cases of variants of concern and three deaths — including the third person in the 19-and-under age group since the pandemic started in March of 2020.

That individual was from the northwest zone. A person in their 70s from that zone and an individual in their 60s from the north-central zone were the other two fatalities due to the virus announced Monday.

A total of 549 Saskatchewan residents have died due to COVID since the start of the pandemic.

A look at the numbers

The new cases increased the provincial total to date to 47,427.

The latest infections were reported in the Saskatoon (15), central-east (13), northwest (12), Regina (nine), north-central (nine), south-central (seven), far northeast (two) and northeast (one) zones.

The seven-day average of new cases dropped to 97, the lowest it has been since it was 97 on Nov. 8.

To date, there have been 45,736 recoveries. The active caseload was 1,142; it hasn’t been that low since it was 1,122 on Nov. 8.

So far, 11,253 variant cases have been identified by screening in Saskatchewan.

The 102 hospitalizations include 19 patients in intensive care — 10 in Saskatoon, six in Regina, two in the central-east region and one in the north-central zone. The ICU cases included one person from Manitoba who has been transferred into the province.

There were 30 people receiving inpatient care in Regina, an increase of eight since Friday.

Vaccination update

There were 8,628 COVID vaccinations done in the province in the last reporting period, with 6,325 of those second doses and 2,303 first doses.

It’s the eighth straight that second doses have outnumbered first doses in Saskatchewan. There are 138,040 people in the province who now are considered fully vaccinated.

The total number of vaccinations done in Saskatchewan to date is 809,400.

The latest shots were given in the Saskatoon (1,896), Regina (1,823), southeast (1,024), central-east (932), northwest (911), north-central (628), southwest (278), northeast (263), central-west (229), south-central (181), far northwest (179), far northeast (eight) and far north-central (three) regions.

The hometowns of 273 recipients are still being determined.

All residents of the province who are 12 and over can receive their first dose. On Monday, the age of eligibility for those who can get their second dose fell to 60 and over, while anyone who received their first dose before March 29 also can get their second shot.

Individuals who were diagnosed with or are being treated for cancer and those who have received solid organ transplants will receive a letter of eligibility in the mail to get their second shots.