• As of January 4, there are 1,954 (single day case counts were: 623 on December 31, 2021, 607 on January 1, 398 on January 2, 326 on January 3) cumulative new confirmed cases of COVID-19, bringing the total to 87,167 reported cases.
• The new cases are located in the Far North West (9), Far North East (13), North West (44), North Central (89), North East (53), Saskatoon (566), Central West (37), Central East (175), Regina (509), South West (43), South Central (124) and South East (144) zones and 148 new cases have pending residence information.
• 26 SK residents tested positive out-of-province were added to the case counts in the Far North West (from December 30 (1)), North West (from December 29 (1), December 31 (1)), Saskatoon (from December 28 (1), December 29 (1), December 30 (9),January 1 (2)), Regina (from December 29 (2), December 31 (2), January 1 (2)), South Central (from December 29 (1)), and South East (from December 28 (1), December 30 (1), December 31 (1)) zones.
• 64 cases were assigned to various zones. Details of those assignments are included in a one time table included at the end of the report.
• One (1) case was removed from case totals from North West zone on December 29, 2021.
• 87,167 cases are confirmed
  • 21,260 cases are from the Saskatoon area
  • 20,420 cases are from the North area (9,035 North West, 8,454 North Central, 2,931 North East)
  • 17,422 cases are from the Regina area
  • 11,086 cases are from the South area (2,304 South West, 3,307 South Central, 5,475 South East)
  • 9,473 cases are from the Far North area (4,448 Far North West, 541 Far North Central, 4,484 Far North East)
  • 6,734 cases are from the Central area (1,574 Central West, 5,160 Central East)
  • 772 cases have pending residence information
• 4,062 cases are considered active and 82,145 cases are considered recovered.
• One-half (50.2%) of new cases are in the age category of 20 to 39 (Please note that this percentage is calculated based on the cumulative number of new cases from January 1 to 3).
• Less than five per cent (4.8%) of new cases eligible for vaccination (aged 5 years and older) were fully vaccinated.
• As of January 4, a total of 95 individuals are hospitalized; including 84 inpatient hospitalizations, and 11 ICU hospitalizations. Of the 95 patients, 49 (51.6%) were not fully vaccinated. The province has announced public reporting distinguishing COVID-19 hospitalizations and hospitalizations where COVID-19 diagnosis followed hospitalization. That reporting mechanism is expected to be ready the week of January 3.
• Five (5) new deaths reported since the December 31 report. 960 Saskatchewan residents with COVID-19 have died with a case fatality rate of 1.1%.
• 1,339,499 COVID-19 tests have been performed in the province. As of December 29, 2021, when other provincial and national numbers are available from PHAC, Saskatchewan’s per capita rate was 1,122,962 tests performed per million. The national rate of 1,374,277 tests performed per million. (Please note that the last update on PHAC website was December 29, 2021).
• As of January 4, new lineage results were reported for zero (0) new cases. The provincial total of VOC with identified lineage is 17,605 including 7,123 B.1.1.7 (Alpha), 9,871 B.1.617.2 (Delta), 484 P.1 (Gamma), 10 B.1.351 (Beta), and 117 B.1.1.529 (Omicron).
• New Omicron VOC probable (positive screen) results were reported for 171 new cases. The provincial total of Omicron VOC probable (positive screen) is 1,992.
• Of the total 1,992 screening positive cases including 95 pending location, 42.5% are in the Regina zone, 21.6% are in the Saskatoon zone, and the remaining 715 cases (35.9%) are spread across the remaining zones, with each zone has at least one Omicron case except Far North Central.
• The 7-day average of new COVID-19 case numbers was 515 (42.7 new cases per 100,000).

STICK IT TO COVID: AT-RISK POPULATIONS ELIGIBLE FOR FOURTH DOSES

The current number of COVID-19 cases from January 1 to January 3 are now available on the provincial COVID-19 dashboard at Saskatchewan.ca/covid-19.

This includes:

• For January 1, 607 new cases were reported with 2,246 tests completed. A test positivity rate of 27 per cent. No new deaths were reported.
• For January 2, 398 new cases were reported with 2,098 tests completed. A test positivity rate of 19 per cent. One death was reported in the 60-69 age group.
• For January 3, 326 new cases were reported with 1,890 tests completed. A test positivity rate of 17 per cent. Three new deaths were reported with two in the 60-69 age group and one in the 70-79 age group.

There are currently more than 60,000 immunization appointments available through the Saskatchewan Health Authority, in addition to vaccinations available through Saskatchewan pharmacies. Vaccination, including the third/booster dose is the best protection against severe COVID-19 illness.  Book your immunization today.

Fourth Doses Recommended for Designated Immuno-Compromised Residents
Those who are moderately to severely immunocompromised and have had three doses for their primary COVID-19 vaccination series are eligible to receive a booster/fourth dose at least three months after their third dose.

These individuals include those who had received a letter of eligibility from the Ministry of Health, including people receiving chemo and immuno-suppressive therapies, those with HIV or who have had organ transplants.  Those groups now eligible are listed at Saskatchewan.ca/covid-19.

Update your QR code after that booster dose
Booster dose information will be included in your MySaskHealthRecord vaccine certificate; however, if you generated your COVID-19 vaccination record QR code following your second dose of vaccine, you will be required to regenerate a new QR code after your booster dose if you wish it to show you have received the booster.

Once generated, QR codes are static and need to be updated when your vaccination status changes.  You can access your MySaskHealthRecord account and generate a new QR code after receiving any COVID-19 vaccine, to ensure your record is up-to-date.

Remember that parents and guardians are able to access their child’s immunization record through MySaskHealthRecord if that child is 13 years or younger. The parents or guardian must have an account themselves, and the child’s information can then be linked. More information is available at MySaskHealthRecord.

The SK Vax Wallet app has been downloaded more than 474,000 times since the app was introduced.

COVID-19 Summary for January 4, 2021:

• From December 29 – January 4, 8,202 first and second doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been given in Saskatchewan, bringing the total number of primary series vaccines administered in the province to 1,803,884.
• An additional 38,707 third and fourth doses have been administered in the province from December 29 – January 4. Thirty-four per cent of eligible residents age 18+ have now received their booster dose.
• As of January 4, 88 per cent of residents 12 years and older and 84 per cent of residents five years older have received their first dose.  Eighty-four per cent of residents 12 years and older and 76 per cent of residents five years and older are fully vaccinated.
• There were 3,602 new cases of COVID-19 to report in Saskatchewan from December 29 – January 4, bringing the provincial total to 87,167 cases. There were 962 recoveries recorded during the same period.
• The seven-day average of new COVID-19 cases in Saskatchewan is currently 515 (42.7/100,000).
• Thirteen new deaths were reported December 29 – January 4.
• There were 93 new lineage results reported for December 29 – January 4.

Note that the Royal Romanow Provincial Laboratory is reporting that 95 per cent of new cases are Omicron cases, based on SNP testing.  Based on this percentage, it is assumed that all new COVID-19 cases in the province are Omicron and the RRPL will cease performing SNP testing on new samples. All specimens from international travelers who test positive in Saskatchewan will continue to undergo whole genome sequencing to determine their lineage, as well as randomly selected cases from across the province to continue surveillance of circulating virus.

• As of January 4, 95 individuals are hospitalized including 84 inpatient hospitalizations and 11 ICU hospitalizations. Of the 95 patients, 49 (51.6 per cent) were not fully vaccinated
• Since October 25, 34 monoclonal antibody infusion treatments have been delivered.
• From December 29 – January 4, there were 15,469 COVID-19 tests processed in Saskatchewan.

(Saskatchewan Government News Release | Photo: Government of Saskatchewan)