Neck guard sales jump after Sask. hockey player slashed by skate
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More adult players are now investing in the protective equipment.
The number of COVID-19 patients in Saskatchewan’s intensive care units has fallen to its lowest level since Remembrance Day.
The Ministry of Health announced Wednesday there were 12 people with COVID in ICUs around the province — six in Saskatoon, four in Regina and one in each of the northwest and north-central zones. That’s the fewest ICU cases in the province since 11 were reported on Nov. 11.
The number of hospitalizations fell to 92, its lowest mark since it was 85 on Nov. 20.
The province also reported Wednesday 76 recoveries, 74 new cases, 37 new cases of variants of concern and two deaths.
A person in their 70s from the central-east zone and an individual in the 80-and-over age group from the northwest zone are the latest fatalities in the province due to COVID. To date, 562 Saskatchewan residents have died as a result of the virus.
There were 12,013 vaccinations done, including 9,844 second shots and 2,169 first doses. It’s the 17th day in a row second shots have exceeded first doses.
To date, 69 per cent of people 18 and over in the province have received their first shot — one percentage point shy of the target for Step Three of the Re-Opening Roadmap.
A look at the numbers
The new cases reported Wednesday, along with nine positive tests that were done outside of the province, increase Saskatchewan’s total to date to 48,125 cases.
Of the new cases, 32 were in the 20-to-39 age group and 24 were among those 19 and under. Those are the two age groups with the lowest vaccination rates to date.
The latest infections were reported in the Regina (29), Saskatoon (16), central-east (six), north-central (five), northwest (four), northeast (four), central-west (four), southeast (three), far northwest (one), southwest (one) and south-central (one) zones.
That’s the highest single-day total in the Regina region since May 27, when 37 cases were reported.
The seven-day average of new COVID-19 cases is 72, or 5.9 per 100,000 population.
The new cases of variants of concern increase that total in the province to date to 11,787. The Regina (4,747), Saskatoon (2,037) and southeast (1,113) regions each has reported more than 1,000 cases.
To date, 46,837 recoveries have been reported. The active caseload is 726, up four from Tuesday’s total.
There were 2,140 COVID-19 tests done in Saskatchewan on Tuesday, hiking the provincial total to date to 893,330.
Vaccination update
The latest shots were administered in the Regina (3,542), Saskatoon (3,245), south-central (1,030), north-central (805), northwest (743), southeast (633), central-east (568), central-west (318), southwest (253), far northeast (246), northeast (206), far northwest (151) and far north-central (three) zones.
The hometowns of 270 recipients are pending.
To date, 922,335 vaccinations have been done in the province.
Everyone 12 and over in the province is eligible to receive their first shot. Starting Thursday at 8 a.m., the age of eligibility for second doses will drop from its current 50 and over to 45 and up. As well, anyone who got their first dose on or before May 1 will be eligible for a second shot.