COVID-19 in Sask: 4 more deaths, 47 new cases, 59% of province partially vaccinated - CBC.ca

• Do you have a loved one in Saskatchewan who died from COVID-19? We'd like to hear from you. Email us at adam.hunter@cbc.ca or guy.quenneville@cbc.ca

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Saskatchewan health officials are announcing four more deaths related to COVID-19, bringing the province's total pandemic death toll to 560.

The four people reported dead Tuesday were:

• A person aged 80 or up from the north central region.
• A person in their 70s from the northeast region.
• A person in their 60s from the Saskatoon region.
• A person in their 50s from the southeast region. 

COVID-19 has affected Saskatchewan residents of all ages, but seniors aged 80 and over have proportionally suffered the most severe outcomes. Just under half of the 560 Saskatchewan residents who have died were aged 80 or older. 

(Government of Saskatchewan)

Out of those 560 total deaths, 153 occurred in 2020 and the remaining 407 happened in 2021. 

47 new cases

Health officials also reported 47 new cases of COVID-19 based on 1,478 tests, bringing the province's seven-day average of new cases 70 or 5.7 cases per 100,000. That's the lowest seven-day average since Oct. 31, when it was 68.

Tuesday's update comes as Saskatchewan accelerates its timeline for administering second doses and as the supply of Moderna vaccines is set to significantly increase over the next two weeks.

However, according to CBC's vaccine tracker, Saskatchewan is trailing most other provinces in having 58.8 per cent of its total population inoculated with one dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

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First-dose vaccine takeup varies by region in Saskatchewan, from a high of 70 per cent of all people 12 and up in the Regina area to a low of 34 per cent for the same age group in the far north central.

This chart shows the percentage of people aged 12 and older who have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine in Saskatchewan by region. (CBC)

The downward trajectory of Saskatchewan's COVID-19 case curve comes as the province prepares to enter Phase 2 of its reopening plan this coming Sunday.

Here's what that means when it comes to the rules previously enacted to help curb the spread of COVID-19:

(CBC)

As of Tuesday there are 97 infected Saskatchewan residents in hospital, including 17 people under intensive care. That's the fewest people in ICU since Feb. 21, when there were 13.

There are 722 known active cases of COVID-19 in the province right now — the lowest that figure has been since Oct. 29.

Call to relax rules for international travellers

Premier Scott Moe asked the federal government on Tuesday to allow fully-vaccinated Canadians to travel and return without having to quarantine.

Moe wrote a letter to the federal Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs Dominic LeBlanc, making a formal request.

"The federal government needs to move toward re-opening our borders with a science-based plan that will allow full vaccinated individuals to resume international travel," Moe said.

He said the resumption of international travel is critical to restarting provincial economies.

Canada does not yet have standard documentation for individuals who are fully vaccinated.

Moe said the province will work with the federal government to help develop something, allowing travellers to cross the border without having to quarantine.

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COVID-19 in Sask: 4 more deaths, 47 new cases, 59% of province partially vaccinated - CBC.ca
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