Latest COVID update Nov. 26: More than 4,000 kids aged 5-to-11 vaccinated

More than 4,000 children in the five-to-11 age range in Saskatchewan have received COVID-19 vaccines over the past two days.

According to the Ministry of Health, 4,317 doses were administered to children in that age group. Kids between the ages of five and 11 became eligible for the vaccine on Wednesday.

The ministry said 1,847 doses were delivered to kids in that age group in the Saskatoon zone and 1,390 shots were given in the Regina region.

Immunizations also were done in the southeast (167), north-central (161), northwest (149), central-east (148), south-central (112), northeast (81), southwest (65), central-west (60), far northeast (53), far northwest (42) and far north-central (seven) zones.

The total of 4,184 vaccinations done in the latest reporting period was the most in a day since Oct. 30, when 4,320 shots were given. The total of 2,741 first doses was the most since 2,825 were done Oct. 10.

There also were 108 new cases reported Friday, along with 83 recoveries and one death.

A person in the 40-to-59 age group from the Saskatoon region is the 916th Saskatchewan resident to die of COVID since the pandemic started.

The number of COVID patients in Saskatchewan hospitals increased by one from Thursday’s total, to 143, but intensive care admissions went up by three, to 41.

A look at the numbers

The new cases represented the highest daily total since Nov. 20 and increased the total to date to 80,775.

The cases reported Friday were in the central-east (24), north-central (19), southeast (19), Regina (12), Saskatoon (12), northwest (eight), south-central (seven), northeast (two), far northeast (one) and southwest (one) zones. The hometowns of three cases are still being determined.

The total comprised 69 unvaccinated people, 37 individuals who were fully vaccinated and two partially vaccinated people.

The new cases were detected in 2,153 tests, for a test positivity rate of 5.0.

The seven-day average of new COVID cases increased to 98, or 8.1 per 100,000 people.

To date, there have been 78,842 recoveries in the province. The active case count continued its recent fluctuations, going back over the 1,000 mark to 1,017.

In addition to the COVID patients in Saskatchewan hospitals, six residents of the province are being treated in Ontario ICUs.