Sask. reports highest single-day total yet with 66 new COVID cases

Saskatchewan set a single-day high in new COVID-19 cases Monday while nearly matching its all-time high for hospitalizations due to the virus.

In a media release, the Ministry of Health said there were 66 new cases to report, topping the previous single-day mark of 60 set on July 22.

The new cases were in the Saskatoon area (25), the north-central region (17), the Regina area (eight), the northwest (four), the far northwest (three), the far northeast (three), the central-west area (two), the central-east zone (two), the northeast (one) and the southwest (one).

“Public health investigations are underway to determine the source of transmission for all new cases,” the release said. “Saskatoon’s cases are primarily linked with outbreaks at local bars (and) nightclubs and additional cases are expected to be reported in the coming days.”

The release noted a church event in Prince Albert now has been linked to 86 first- and second-generation cases in 17 different communities in Saskatchewan, with other cases and outbreaks in the north considered third-generation cases from that event.

The total number of cases in the province now stands at 2,396.

There have been 485 cases reported in Saskatchewan in October, with 256 of those in the past seven days.

Of that latter number, 114 have been in the 20-to-39 age group, 65 have been 19 and under, 60 have been between the ages of 40 and 59, 11 have been aged 60 to 79, and six have been 80 and over.

There currently are 18 people in hospital, one off the previous single-day high set on May 8.

Sixteen individuals are receiving inpatient care, with seven in the Saskatoon area, five in the north-central area, two in the Regina region and one in each of the central-east and southeast zones.

Two people — one in Regina and one in Saskatoon — are in intensive care.

There were 10 recoveries reported Monday, increasing that number so far to 1,973. To date, 25 residents of the province have died after testing positive for COVID-19.

The number of active cases being reported is now 398.

The total includes 831 cases in the 20-to-39 age range, 705 aged 40 to 59, 431 involving people 19 and under, 353 between the ages of 60 and 79, and 76 aged 80 and over.

There have been 81 health-care workers infected, an increase of three since Sunday’s update.

The provincial total comprises 1,160 community contacts, 647 cases without any known exposures, 326 travellers and 263 cases that are being investigated.

To date, there have been 505 cases in the Saskatoon area, 471 from the south zone (227 southwest, 209 south-central, 35 southeast), 410 in the far north (369 far northwest, 41 far northeast), 406 in the north zone (149 northwest, 173 north-central, 84 northeast), 336 from the central zone (193 central-west, 143 central-east) and 266 in the Regina region.

The hometowns of two cases are still being determined.

There were 2,288 tests done in the province Sunday, increasing the province’s total so far to 233,017.

On Monday, the Saskatchewan Health Authority announced the drive-through testing facility in Regina has expanded its hours. It now is to be open daily from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is a corrected version of this story. The number of hospitalizations in the province was 19 on May 8.