Latest COVID update Feb. 1: Hospitalizations rise, active cases fall

The seven-day average of new COVID-19 cases in Saskatchewan continued its downward trajectory Tuesday.

According to the provincial government, the average as of Tuesday was 1,105, or 91.7 cases per 100,000 people. That’s the lowest the average has been since Jan. 14, when it was 1,104.

The Ministry of Health reported 661 new cases Tuesday, along with 1,503 recoveries and one death.

An individual from the central-east region who was between the ages of 60 and 79 is the 993rd Saskatchewan resident to die as a result of COVID since the pandemic began.

The number of patients with COVID in Saskatchewan hospitals rose by seven from Monday’s update, to 370. There were 10 more inpatient admissions from the previous day, but three fewer patients in intensive care.

However, hospitalizations in the Saskatoon zone continued to climb, reaching 188. There were 12 more inpatient admissions than the previous day and three fewer cases in ICU.

A look at the numbers

The new cases reported Tuesday were in the Regina (193), Saskatoon (154), north-central (39), central-east (31), south-central (25), northwest (25), southwest (22), southeast (22), far northwest (19), central-west (16), far northeast (13), northeast (13) and far north-central (three) zones.

The hometowns of 86 cases weren’t immediately known.

There were 426 tests in the Regina region reported to public health, meaning 45.3 per cent of the tests done returned a positive result. The percentage in Saskatoon was 39.1.

The new cases reported Tuesday included 300 people who were fully vaccinated and 225 who were more than two weeks removed from receiving their booster shots.

Five out-of-province cases were added to Saskatchewan’s total to date, which stood at 119,272.

The active case count fell by 838 to 11,370, the lowest that number has been since it was 10,923 on Jan. 15. To date, 106,909 cases are considered recovered.

The 331 inpatient hospitalizations comprised 137 people who had a COVID-related illness, 169 incidental COVID infections, and 25 that hadn’t been determined.

There were 39 ICU admissions, with 32 patients in for COVID-related illnesses, six with incidental COVID infections and one in a pediatric/neonatal ICU whose status was undetermined.

The government said four million rapid tests are to arrive in the province in February, adding to the total of 15 million that already have been distributed.

Vaccination update

There were only 554 doses of COVID vaccines administered in the latest reporting period, with 414 of those being second shots.

To date, 1,859,978 first and second doses have been given in Saskatchewan along with 451,254 third doses and 13,483 fourth shots. Forty-nine per cent of eligible residents aged 18 and over have now received their booster doses.

As of Tuesday, 85 per cent of residents 12 and over and 79 per cent of residents five and over had received two doses.

The government noted that since Oct. 25, 146 monoclonal antibody treatments had been delivered in Saskatchewan. Since Jan. 26, 14 courses of Paxlovid — the COVID pill — had been dispensed.

Public health fines

Nine individuals and one business were fined for violating public health orders last week.

According to the government, the Prairie Pride Motel Bar and Grill in Maple Creek was fined $14,000 for failing to check for proof of vaccination or a negative test.

Two people in each of Estevan and Maple Creek and one person in each of Fort Qu’Appelle, Grenfell, Hudson Bay, Leader and Wynyard were fined $2,800 for failing to wear a mask where required.