Flu cases increase, COVID cases decrease in Saskatchewan

COVID-19 cases in Saskatchewan dropped over the past week, but influenza cases went the other way.

In the biweekly epidemiological report released Thursday by the Ministry of Health, flu cases in the province nearly tripled from the previous week while COVID cases dropped by 200 week over week.

According to the report, there were 192 flu cases in the week that ended Saturday, up from 68 in the previous week. There were 15 flu cases in the week before that.

Of the 192 cases, 117 were under the age of 19.

The test positivity rate for influenza went from 2.5 per cent in the week of Oct. 16-22 to 8.8 per cent in the week of Oct. 23-29, and then to 21.8 per cent last week.

The northeast region had the highest test positivity rate for influenza at 60.5 per cent. The Saskatoon region was at 17.4 per cent, with the Regina area at 11.0 per cent.

Hospitalizations due to the flu went from zero three weeks ago to 16 in the week ending Saturday. There also were four ICU admissions due to the flu.

The number of COVID cases reported in the province dropped from 800 in the week of Oct. 23-29 to 600 in the week ending last Saturday. As well, the test positivity rate fell to 9.9 per cent from 11.8 per cent the week before.

At 12.4 per cent, the Regina area had the third-highest test positivity rate in the province last week. The Saskatoon region was fourth at 11.9 per cent.

Hospitalizations due to COVID decreased from 211 in the week of Oct. 16-22 to 194 in the week of Oct. 23-29, and to 164 in the week ending Saturday. However, there were 15 ICU admissions due to COVID last week, up from 10 the week before.

There were 22 COVID-related deaths last week, and 17 the week before.

The statistics showed 52 per cent of the eligible population in Regina were up to date on their COVID vaccinations, but that was the only region in the province over 50 per cent.