Sask. reports 33 new COVID-19 cases, 16 more recoveries

Saskatchewan reported 33 new COVID-19 cases Thursday, the vast majority of which were connected to known cases and/or gatherings.

In its daily media release, the Ministry of Health said 25 of the new cases were linked to previously reported cases.

Of Thursday’s total, there were eight cases in each of the Saskatoon and central-east zones, seven in the Regina region, three in the far northwest, two in each of the far northeast, north-central and northeast areas, and one in the south-central zone.

The total number of cases in Saskatchewan since March is 2,232.

Because of the recent rise in new cases — there have been 319 reported in October — the public health order has been amended to cap private indoor gatherings at 15 people. That change takes effect Friday at 12:01 a.m.

There were 16 recoveries reported Thursday, increasing that total so far to 1,936. To date, 25 residents of the province have died after testing positive for COVID-19.

There are 271 active cases being reported. That’s the highest that number has been since July 31, when it was 293.

Eight people are in hospital in the province.

Six are receiving inpatient care, with four in the Saskatoon zone and one each in the northwest and north-central areas. Two people — one each in Saskatoon and Regina — are in intensive care.

The total comprises 1,081 community contacts, 622 cases without any known exposures, 319 travellers and 210 cases that are being investigated.

There have been 78 cases among health-care workers.

The total includes 467 cases from the south area (226 southwest, 208 south-central, 33 southeast), 462 from the Saskatoon zone, 384 from the far north (359 far northwest, 25 far northeast), 354 in the north (140 northwest, 134 north-central, 80 northeast), 323 from the central zone (187 central-west, 136 central-east) and 241 in the Regina region. The location of one case is pending.

There have been 751 cases in the 20-to-39 age range, 673 from age 40 to 59, 386 involving people 19 and under, 351 between the ages of 60 and 79, and 71 in the 80-and-over range.

There were 2,305 tests done in Saskatchewan on Wednesday, increasing the province’s total to date to 222,964.

Since Sept. 7, 13,968 COVID-19 tests have been done on children up to the age of 19 in the province. There currently are 35 active cases in Saskatchewan in that age group, with 17 of those in the Saskatoon area.