Latest COVID update Jan. 6: 9 deaths, 277 new cases, 439 recoveries

Saskatchewan is reporting its third-highest single-day total of deaths related to the COVID-19 virus.

In its daily update, the province confirmed that nine more people have died after contracting COVID. Three deaths were in the Regina region (two in the 80-and-over range and one in the 20-to-29 age groups), two in the Saskatoon zone (in the 60-to-69 and 50-to-59 age groups), two in the southeast zone (both in the 80-and-over range), one in the central west (a person in their 60s) and one in the north central region (80-and-over).

This is the highest number of deaths after 11 were reported on Dec. 12 and 10 on Dec. 29.

The number of new cases nearly doubled compared to Tuesday’s report, with 277 new cases reported in the Regina (70), Saskatoon (44), north-central (40), far northeast (32), northwest (18), southeast (16), central-east (four), far northwest (three), central-west (two), northeast (two), south-central (two), far north-central (one) and southwest (one) zones.

The location of 42 more cases hasn’t been determined.

The province has faced questions this week about why more vaccinations are not being administered, with a national tally showing only 31 per cent of vaccines provided to Saskatchewan by the federal government administered so far. Wednesday’s data showed 4,524 vaccinations, an increase of 241 from the previous day. That includes 2,069 Pfizer vaccine doses included in the pilot program focused on Regina health care workers, 2,407 Pfizer doses for Saskatoon, and 48 Moderna doses in the far northeast and far north regions.

The media release also noted that 3,900 doses of the Pfizer vaccine will be arriving in Prince Albert today with “administration to follow soon after.” The government is also dedicating all remaining Moderna doses to the far northeast and northeast zones, with residents and staff of long-term and personal care homes and front-line health care workers at the top of the queue.

More to come.