16th Sask. resident dies after positive COVID-19 test; active cases reach all-time high

A 16th Saskatchewan resident has died following a positive test for COVID-19.

In a media release Thursday, the provincial government said a person in their 60s from the north region had died.

It’s the first death connected to the coronavirus in Saskatchewan since July 7.

The government also reported 42 new cases Thursday, increasing the total number of cases in the province to date to 1,072.

The new cases comprised 23 in the south, 11 in the central area of the province, three in the north, three in the far north and two in the Saskatoon region.

Of the 42 cases, 17 are from Hutterite colonies in the southwest and west-central regions where previous cases had been reported. The government said there are 15 Hutterite communities with active cases in those areas of the province.

The government reiterated that it’s working with community leaders to limit all non-essential travel into and out of communities with high numbers of active cases. That includes travel between Hutterite communities.

The province also said 13 people had been declared recovered, moving that total so far to 838.

There are 218 active cases in Saskatchewan. That’s the highest number reported since the provincial government started announcing case numbers in March.

The previous high of 209 was reported May 10.

The current total includes 111 in the south, 60 in the central region, 24 in the Saskatoon area, 11 in the far north, eight in the north and four in and around Regina.

There are 13 people in Saskatchewan hospitals. Nine individuals — five in Saskatoon, two in the north, one in the south and one in Regina — are receiving inpatient care. Three people are in intensive care in Saskatoon and one is in an ICU in the south.

Of the total number of cases, 559 are community contacts, 205 don’t have any known exposures, 192 are travellers and 116 are being investigated by local public health officials.

The total includes 58 health-care workers.

There have been 347 cases in the far north, 218 in the Saskatoon area, 196 in the south, 128 from the north, 96 from the central region and 87 in the Regina area.

The total includes 359 cases in the 20-to-39 age range, 335 between the ages of 40 and 59, 183 in the 60-to-79 age range, 161 involving people 19 and under, and 34 in the 80-and-over range.

A total of 1,468 tests were reported by the province, an all-time single-day high. That increased the total number of tests performed so far in Saskatchewan to 86,384.

The government didn’t hold a media conference Thursday to discuss the numbers.