Latest COVID update Nov. 16: Active cases continue to fall

The number of active COVID-19 cases in Saskatchewan has dropped by 72 per cent over the past month.

In its daily update Tuesday, the Ministry of Health said there were 1,112 active cases in the province. On Oct. 17, that number was 3,967.

Hospitalizations have dropped from 333 on Oct. 17 to 171 on Tuesday, a decrease of 48.6 per cent.

The ministry said there were 85 new cases, 104 recoveries and one death.

A person in the 40-to-59 age group who lived in the central-east zone is the 897th Saskatchewan resident to die as a result of COVID.

There were 171 COVID patients in Saskatchewan hospitals, the same number as the day before.

There were 42 COVID cases in the province’s intensive care units, as well as 52 non-COVID patients.

As of Tuesday, 11 ICU patients from Saskatchewan were being treated in Ontario. Eleven such cases also have been returned to this province, with another one expected home within the next 48 hours.

A look at the numbers

The new cases were reported in the Regina (20), central-east (16), Saskatoon (14), far northwest (seven), northwest (seven), north-central (three), northeast (three), south-central (two), central-west (two), far northeast (one) and southeast (one) zones. The hometowns of nine cases are pending.

The total included 54 people who weren’t vaccinated, 26 people who were considered fully vaccinated and five individuals who were partially vaccinated.

The seven-day average of new COVID cases in Saskatchewan remained steady at 110.

The latest cases were detected in 1,495 tests, for a test positivity rate of 5.7.

The ministry said 69 previously reported cases were removed from the province’s total after a review determined they were negative PCR results. The dates of their collection range from June 27 to Oct. 12.

As a result, the total number of cases stood at 79,610. So far, 77,601 recoveries have been reported.

There were just 589 doses of COVID vaccine administered in Saskatchewan, with 373 of those second shots.

Saskatchewan has delivered more than 1.7 million doses so far, with 820,218 people considered fully vaccinated.

The ministry also reported three monoclonal antibody treatments were delivered during the past week, increasing the total so far to 14. The Saskatchewan Health Authority is expanding treatment availability to Estevan, Turtleford, Nipawin, Prince Albert and Swift Current.

More fines issued

According to the ministry, five corporate fines of $14,000 and five individual fines of $2,800 were handed out in the province for violating public health orders.

The A&W and Bluez on Second in Unity, two Tim Hortons locations in North Battleford and the Chicken Chef in Esterhazy each were fined $14,000 for failing to screen for proof of vaccination or a negative test.

Three people at the Oasis Roadhouse in Pangman and one individual in each of Unity and Outlook were fined $2,800 for failing to wear a mask.