Latest COVID update March 26: 8 deaths, 213 new cases, 1,680 active cases

Saskatchewan is reporting its highest single-day death toll due to COVID-19 in nearly two months.

In its daily COVID update Friday, the Ministry of Health said another eight people had died from the virus. That’s the highest number in a day since eight fatalities were reported Feb. 3.

Seven of the eight deaths reported Friday were in the Regina region, comprising three people in each of the 60-to-69 and 80-and-over age groups and one person in their 50s. An individual in their 50s from the northwest zone also died.

To date, 430 Saskatchewan residents have died due to COVID.

The province also announced 213 new cases (the highest-such figure since there were 244 new cases on Feb. 13), 1,680 active cases (the most since 1,742 active cases were reported Feb. 15) and 4,623 COVID-19 tests (the highest one-day total ever in the province).

The Regina region reported 867 of the active cases. The zone also set an all-time high with 70 hospitalizations and tied its single-day high with 16 patients in intensive care.

A look at the numbers

As of Thursday, 1,155 cases of variants of concern had been identified by screening in Saskatchewan.

They were reported in the Regina (973), south-central (70), southeast (69), central-east (24), Saskatoon (18) and far northeast (one) zones. The Regina area accounts for 400 of the 473 variant cases that have been identified by whole genome sequencing.

The new COVID cases reported Friday were in the Regina (104), Saskatoon (34), south-central (14), southeast (13), northwest (10), north-central (nine), northeast (eight), far northeast (five), far northwest (four), central-east (three) and central-west (one) zones.

The hometowns of eight cases are still being determined.

The seven-day average of daily new cases rose to 186, or 15.2 per 100,000 population.

The total number of cases in Saskatchewan to date stands at 32,559. The 148 recoveries announced Friday increased that total so far to 30,449.

There are 155 people in Saskatchewan hospitals, including 24 in intensive care. There are five people in Saskatoon ICUs, the lowest that figure has been since there were four ICU patients in the city on Nov. 9.

Public health measures

The ministry reported the Shorebird Inn at Tobin Lake had been fined $14,000 for failing to abide by public health orders. No other details were provided.

Starting Sunday at 12:01 a.m., all restaurants and licensed establishments in the Regina region must close for in-person dining. Takeout and delivery are still options.

Video lottery terminals also must shut down in those locations.

Banquet and conference facilities, community halls, galleries, museums, libraries, live and movie theatres, performing arts facilities, bowling alleys, car shows, racing and rodeo facilities, arcades, trade shows, science centres and auctions also are to close under the new measures.

As of last Tuesday, private indoor gatherings are limited to people from the same household and non-essential travel into and out of the area is not recommended.

Vaccination update

There were 6,941 doses of COVID-19 vaccine given Thursday in Saskatchewan, increasing the province’s total to date to 162,695.

The latest shots were given in the central-east (1,994), Saskatoon (1,925), Regina (1,217), south-central (583), northeast (481), northwest (385), far northwest (231), north-central (48), far northeast (43) and central-west (34) regions.