Latest COVID update Sept. 27: Active cases fall, hospitalizations rise

For the first time in nearly three weeks, the number of active cases of COVID-19 in Saskatchewan has fallen.

In a media release Monday, the Ministry of Health said there were 4,788 active cases in the province, a drop of 76 from Sunday’s record high. The total had increased in each of the previous 19 days.

There were 398 new cases reported Monday, along with 470 recoveries and two deaths.

An individual from the Saskatoon region and a person from the northwest zone died, increasing the provincial death toll to date to 672. It’s the 23rd straight day the province has reported at least one death due to COVID.

While active cases and new cases dropped, hospitalizations due to COVID in Saskatchewan increased to a single-day record of 289. The previous high of 282 was reached on Saturday.

The hospitalizations include 226 people receiving inpatient care and 63 people in intensive care. According to the government, 225 of the province’s COVID patients weren’t fully vaccinated.

There are 57 people in hospitals in the Regina region, the highest that figure has been since it was 57 on May 24. There are 101 patients in Saskatoon hospitals.

A look at the numbers

The new cases reported Monday were in the Saskatoon (147), north-central (43), Regina (32), northwest (32), southwest (23), far northwest (19), central-east (18), central-west (17), northeast (16), far northeast (14), southeast (13) and south-central (seven) zones. The hometowns of 17 cases are still being identified.

The seven-day average of new cases fell to 461.

Of the total number of new cases, 333 people were unvaccinated. That included 87 children aged 11 and under (the age group that currently isn’t eligible to get a COVID shot), 54 people in their 30s, 53 individuals in their 20s, and 40 children aged 12 to 19.

There also were 51 cases among people who were fully vaccinated and 14 among those who are partially vaccinated.

To date, there have been 65,897 COVID cases reported in Saskatchewan and 60,437 recoveries.

Vaccination update

There were 2,510 doses of COVID vaccine administered, with 1,436 first doses and 1,074 second. It’s the 10th straight day that first doses equalled or exceeded second doses as people look to follow the province’s proof-of-vaccine requirements.

To date, 730,171 Saskatchewan residents have received two doses. The provincial total of vaccinations so far is 1,548,690.