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Saskatchewan has set a record for most second doses of COVID-19 vaccines delivered in a day.
In its update Thursday, the Ministry of Health said 13,460 of the 16,787 vaccinations done in the latest reporting period were second shots. The previous mark of 10,567 was set last Friday.
It’s the 11th day in a row the number of second shots has exceeded the number of first doses administered in Saskatchewan.
A total of 166,824 residents of the province have received both doses and considered fully vaccinated.
So far, the government says, 66 per cent of those aged 12 and over have received their first dose of a vaccine. That number has to reach 70 per cent for further public health measures to be relaxed.
The ministry also reported 77 new cases of COVID-19, 129 recoveries, 41 new cases of variants of concern and one death.
An individual in their 70s from the central-east zone is the 553rd Saskatchewan resident to die as a result of the virus.
A look at the numbers
The new cases were reported in the Saskatoon (18), south-central (12), north-central (10), far northwest (nine), Regina (eight), northwest (eight), southeast (seven), southwest (two), far northeast (one) and central-east (one) zones. The hometown of one case is pending.
It’s the fewest new cases reported in Regina since Feb. 9, when there were four cases announced.
Eighteen cases tested out of province have been added to the Saskatchewan total, which stands at 47,668.
The seven-day average of new cases is 79, or 6.4 per 100,000 population. The last time it was that low was Nov. 6, when it also was 79.
The number of variant cases identified by screening is 11,504.
The recoveries reported Thursday increased that total so far to 46,213. The active caseload is 902, the lowest it has been since it was 877 on Nov. 5.
The number of hospitalizations dropped to 101, including 19 patients in intensive care — one of whom is a transfer from Manitoba. The ICU cases are in the Saskatoon (eight), Regina (four), north-central (four), northwest (one), central-east (one) and southwest (one) zones.
The 2,503 tests done in Saskatchewan on Wednesday hiked the total to date to 882,144.
Vaccination update
The latest doses increased the province’s total to date to 845,439.
The shots were given in the Saskatoon (4,858), Regina (3,598), north-central (1,297), southeast (1,219), northwest (1,184), central-east (1,120), southwest (816), south-central (799), northeast (619), central-west (501), far northwest (257), far northeast (228) and far north-central (five) regions.
The hometowns of 286 recipients are unknown.
Reopening Saskatchewan
The ministry also noted some changes to public health orders that have occurred under the Re-Opening Roadmap.
The limit on graveside services has increased from 30 to 150. More details on measures at places of worship can be found here.
With swimming pools opening for the summer, the maximum number of people who can visit an outdoor pool is 150. The capacity for indoor aquatic centres remains at 100.
More guidelines for recreational facilities can be found here.
The government also laid out guidelines for temporary food vendors like food trucks. Attendance for those is restricted to 150 people outdoors and 30 indoors. More details can be found here.