Latest COVID update June 23: 64 recoveries, 32 new cases, 1 death

Saskatchewan reported 32 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, its lowest daily total since mid-October.

The last time a daily caseload was that low was Oct. 18, when 24 cases were reported.

The Ministry of Health also announced 64 recoveries, 22 new confirmed cases of variants of concern and one death. A person in their 70s from the northwest zone is the latest fatality in Saskatchewan due to COVID.

There also were 18,423 doses of COVID vaccine delivered, increasing the provincial total to date to 1,023,698.

The latest shots included 1,662 first doses and 16,761 second shots. So far, 311,963 Saskatchewan residents have received both shots and are considered fully vaccinated.

A look at the numbers

The new cases were in the Saskatoon (10), Regina (eight), southeast (four), central-east (three), far northwest (two), northwest (two), north-central (one) and northeast (one) zones. The hometown of one case is being investigated.

Since last March, Saskatchewan has reported 48,537 cases.

There have been 12,020 cases of variants of cases identified by screening in the province. Of the 6,904 variant cases identified by whole genome sequencing, 6,476 are the Alpha variant (United Kingdom), 293 are Gamma (Brazilian), 125 are Delta (Indian) and 10 are Beta (South African).

Over the past seven days, the number of Delta cases in the province has nearly doubled from 68.

The seven-day average of new COVID cases fell to 61 (or five per 100,000 population). That’s the lowest that figure has been since Oct. 28, when it was 59 (4.8 per 100,000).

The active caseload (607) is the lowest it has been since Oct. 24 (574).

There are 75 COVID patients in Saskatchewan hospitals, the fewest since there were 71 on Nov. 17. The current total comprises 63 inpatient cases and 12 intensive care cases.

Regina has 11 people receiving inpatient care and five in ICU. The 16 hospitalizations in the Queen City is the fewest since there were 16 on Nov. 24.

Vaccination update

The latest shots were done in the Saskatoon (4,243), Regina (4,198), central-east (1,716), southeast (1,572), northeast (1,138), south-central (899), central-west (892), northwest (845), north-central (776), southwest (628), far northwest (549), far northeast (402) and far north-central (49) zones.

The hometowns of 516 recipients is being determined.

Seventy per cent of those 18 and over in the province now have received a first dose. The percentage of Saskatchewan residents aged 12 and over who have received their first shot stands at 69.

Starting Thursday, everyone who received their first dose of vaccine will be eligible to get a second shot provided 28 days have passed since they got their first dose.