Saskatchewan records 14 COVID-related deaths in latest report

More than 1,900 Saskatchewan residents have died from COVID-19 since the pandemic began.

In the latest report from the Community Respiratory Illness Surveillance Program, released Thursday, the provincial government said 14 people had died from complications of the virus between February 26 and last Saturday.

One of the subjects was under 19 years old, two were between 20 and 59 years old and 11 were in the over 60 age group.

From March 2020 to last Saturday, 1,913 Saskatchewan residents were reported to have died from COVID. This number could increase due to a delay in reporting; The latest report added three to the total number of deaths for the week of February 19-25, not included in the previous CRISP release.

The province also reported one more death due to influenza. This occurred during the week of February 19-25 but was not included in the previous CRISP report due to a reporting delay.

According to the latest report, the virus most frequently detected by the Sentinel Provider program over the past week was the common cold.

COVID-19

The number of laboratory-confirmed cases has increased over the past two weeks, reaching 237 for the week of March 5-Saturday, and a total of 194 for the week of February 19-25.

The test positivity rate in the province rose to 8.1 percent last week from 6.6 percent during the Feb. 19-25 reporting period.

Hospitalizations related to COVID have increased over the past two weeks, going from 54 in the week of February 19-25 to 74 in the week ending Saturday.

ICU admissions due to COVID rose from six in the week of February 19-25 to 11 in the week of February 26-March 4, but fell back to four last week.

Among Saskatchewan residents five years and older, 20 percent received their last booster shot in the past six months. Outside of Regina, less than 50 percent of the population is up to date for COVID-19 vaccines in all areas of the province.

flu

Despite the recent emergence of type B influenza, the number of laboratory-confirmed cases of influenza remains low.

Seven cases were reported last week, including three under the age of four, three in the 20-64 age group and one in the over 65 age category.

There were two influenza hospitalizations last week but no admissions to intensive care because of the flu.

Other respiratory viruses

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) cases have declined significantly over the past three weeks.

There were 96 lab-confirmed cases in the week of February 19-25, but just 41 last week. The test positivity rate fell from 12.1 percent three weeks ago to 5.2 percent in the week ended Saturday.

Many of the cases detected in the past week were in the four-year-old age group (44 percent).

Hospital admissions for RSV fell from 39 three weeks ago to eight last week.