Latest COVID update Dec. 23: 194 new cases, 1 death

The number of new COVID-19 cases in Saskatchewan and the number of COVID-related hospitalizations in the province continued going in opposite directions Thursday.

In its daily update, the Ministry of Health said there were 194 new cases in the province — the highest single-day total since 238 cases were reported Oct. 29.

But hospitalizations fell to 87, the fewest since there were 84 on Aug. 20. The total reported Thursday included 29 cases in intensive care units, the first time that number has been under 30 since it was 29 on Sept. 7.

The ministry also reported 35 recoveries and one death. A person in the 80-and-over age group from the north-central region is the 945th Saskatchewan resident to die due to COVID since the pandemic began.

Screening reported another 52 cases of the Omicron variant in the province, increasing the total so far to 148.

A look at the numbers

The new cases were in the Regina (64), Saskatoon (63), central-east (18), southeast (12), northwest (seven), north-central (seven), south-central (six), northeast (four), central-west (four), far northwest (two), far northeast (one) and southwest (one) zones. The hometowns of five cases are pending.

The total included 113 people who were considered fully vaccinated, with 34 of those in their 20s and 25 in their 30s. There also were 78 individuals who weren’t vaccinated and three who were partially vaccinated.

Four Saskatchewan residents who tested positive outside the province were added to the total to date, which increased to 82,640.

To date, there have been 80,906 recoveries. The active case count rose to 789, an increase of 162 from Wednesday’s report.

The seven-day average climbed to 88, or 7.3 per 100,000 people.

A vaccination update

There were 2,401 doses of COVID vaccine given in Saskatchewan in the latest reporting period, including 1,126 first shots and 1,275 second shots.

To date, 1,791,769 shots have been given in the province, with 852,343 of them second shots.

The Saskatchewan Health Authority reminded people that walk-in and booked vaccination clinics will be held over the holidays. Vaccinations also can be done at participating pharmacies.

Times and addresses for walk-in clinics are available on the SHA webpage. Appointments can be booked online or by phone at 1-833-727-5829.

From Thursday through Jan. 2, more than 1,200 booked appointments are available throughout the province.

Saskatchewan residents aged five and up are eligible to get first and second shots. Everyone aged 18 and over in the province can get a booster dose as long as at least three months have passed since their second dose of a two-dose vaccine or two months have passed since they got a single-dose vaccine.