Latest COVID update May 15: Sask. sets new single-day vaccination record

Saskatchewan reported a new single-day vaccination record Saturday by more than doubling the number of vaccines given over the previous four days.

In its daily update, the Ministry of Health said 18,568 doses of COVID-19 vaccine were given across the province Friday, far eclipsing the previous single-day record of 13,651 from May 9.

Doses were given in the far northwest (122), far north-central (one), far northeast (132), northwest (667), north-central (985), northeast (775), Saskatoon (4,764), central-west (412) central-east (1,534) Regina (5,722) southwest (657) south-central (977) and southeast (1,168).

The hometowns of 652 doses administered are still being determined.

People aged 23 and older are currently eligible for a vaccine. Eligibility remains age 18 and older for people living in the Northern Saskatchewan Administration District.

As of Sunday, anyone 20 or older will be allowed to get their shot.

Starting Monday, anyone aged 85 and older, or anyone who received their first dose before February 15, will be able to book a second dose appointment by phone or through a pharmacy offering vaccinations. The online booking system won’t accept second dose appointments until Tuesday at 8 a.m.

A look at the numbers

Saskatchewan reported 196 new cases of COVID-19 Saturday.

The provincial total is now at 44,364. Eight cases tested out of province were added to the provincial total in the northwest (two) and north-central (six) zones.

One person from the Regina area in the 80-plus age group has died. Since the pandemic began, 516 people in Saskatchewan have died from COVID-19.

The new cases are located in the far northwest (three) far northeast (four) northwest (19),  north-central (21) northeast (two) Saskatoon (67) central-west (three) central-east (20) Regina (26) southwest (nine) south-central (five) and southeast (13) areas.

An additional five cases have been assigned to the north-central (three), southeast (one) and northeast (one) zones.

They’re still looking into the location for four other cases.

Saskatchewan’s total now stands at 44,364 cases, with 2,072 cases considered active after 41,776 recoveries.

Variants of concern identified by screening account for 9,085 cases in Saskatchewan,

There are 144 people in hospital. One hundred and eighteen people are receiving inpatient care in the far northwest (one), northwest (five), north-central (six), Saskatoon (50), central-east (three), Regina (41), southwest (four), south-central (five), and southeast (three) zones.

Twenty-six people are in intensive care in the northwest (one), north-central (one), Saskatoon (11), central-east (one) and Regina (12).

The seven-day average of new COVID-19 cases is 193, or 15.7 new cases per 100,000 population.