Latest COVID update March 15: More presumptive cases of variants detected

The number of presumptive cases of COVID-19 variants of concern in Saskatchewan has grown to 210.

In a media release Monday, the Ministry of Health said there now are 185 presumptive cases in the Regina region, 10 in the south-central area, five in each of the central-east and southeast zones, four in the Saskatoon area, and one in the far northeast.

That total includes the 77 presumptive cases that were reported Friday.

There are 70 confirmed variant cases in the province — 64 of the United Kingdom mutation and six of the South African strain. There are 62 confirmed cases of the U.K. variant in the Regina area.

The province also reported Monday there were 110 new cases of COVID-19 as well as 207 recoveries. There weren’t any new deaths announced.

When three out-of-province cases were removed from the province’s count, the number of active cases in Saskatchewan dropped to 1,299 — its lowest mark since it was 1,289 on Nov. 9.

The new cases were reported in the Regina (53), Saskatoon (11), northwest (10), central-east (10), northeast (eight), south-central (six), north-central (five), far northeast (three), central-west (two) and southwest (one) zones. The hometown of one case is undetermined.

There have been 716 new cases reported in the Regina region in March, the highest of any zone.

Public health officials reminded those who live in the area “to recommit to best prevention practices to protect against COVID-19,” including wearing masks in public places, maintaining physical distance, washing hands and avoiding all unnecessary travel.

“At this time, it is recommended that Regina and area residents — particularly those over age 50 — should not consider increasing their household bubbles to include two to three households up to 10 people,” the ministry said in its release, referring to the latest change to public health orders. “They should consider remaining with their current household only.”

The seven-day average of daily new cases in Saskatchewan is 132, or 10.8 per 100,000 population.

The province’s total to date is 30,727 cases. There have been 29,021 recoveries reported.

Of the 137 people in Saskatchewan hospitals, 30 are in intensive care — 14 in the Saskatoon area, 12 in the Regina region, three in the central-east zone and one in the northwest.

The 2,013 tests processed in Saskatchewan on Sunday increased the province’s total so far to 612,606.

Vaccination update

As of Monday at 8 a.m., the Saskatchewan Health Authority’s vaccine booking system was accepting appointment requests for people 70 and over in all parts of the province and people 50 and over in the Northern Administrative District.

Residents 50 to 69 years of age in the Northern Administrative District can only book their appointments by phone at 1-833-SASKVAX (1-833-727-5829) between 8 a.m. and 11 p.m. Northern residents 70 and over can utilize either the phone or the online system.

On Sunday, 2,009 doses of vaccine were administered in the province, hiking the total to date to 104,424.

The latest shots were given in the Regina (841), Saskatoon (827), northwest (200) and north-central (141) zones.