Saskatchewan Releases First COVID-19 Weekly Epi Report

Released on February 10, 2022

Saskatchewan is releasing its first weekly COVID-19 integrated epidemiological (EPI) report as part of its transition to Living with COVID.  The integrated epi report is a deeper analysis of multiple data sources. It provides a more comprehensive profile of trends and includes laboratory-confirmed cases, deaths, tests, vaccination information provincially and by zones, as well as hospital and ICU census trends and distribution of rapid antigen tests. A new feature is the most common pre-existing conditions among severe COVID-19 cases in Saskatchewan as of February 5. The epi report this week looks at data from Sunday, January 30 to Saturday, February 5, 2022. The hospitalization data is a comparison from Wednesday, February 2 to noon February 9, 2022.

Public health surveillance and monitoring will continue as resources are shifted to long-term management of the challenges of a highly transmissible Omicron variant with a short incubation period.  Other factors that contribute to the shift in approach include widespread adoption of at-home rapid testing and broad uptake of COVID-19 vaccinations, which are proven to be effective in reducing severe outcomes from infection, particularly after a booster dose. 

The integrated epi report will be released weekly on Thursdays and can be found online at Saskatchewan.ca/COVID19-cases.

Weekly Summary

• 17,115 PCR tests performed in Saskatchewan for a testing rate of 14.2 tests per 1,000 population.
• The testing rate was just over two-thirds of the testing rate in the previous week.
• About one-third of tests were positive (weekly test positivity of 31.1 per cent).
• 5,401 new cases were confirmed for a rate of new laboratory-confirmed cases of 448.3 per 100,000 population.
• The rate of new confirmed cases was about two-thirds of the new case rate in the previous week.
• Highest weekly rate of confirmed new cases for the week was in North Central Zone (539.4 per 100,000).
• There were 90 new lineage results reported this week. Of the 90 variants of concerns (VOCs) with lineages identified by whole genome sequencing, all were Omicron.
• Based on data recorded in Panorama, the public health database, there were 63 COVID-19 cases hospitalized (10 of which were admitted to an intensive care unit) and 22 COVID-19 deaths. 
• Of the 31,344 cases reported in January, 398 (1.3 per cent) were hospitalized. Of the 398 hospitalized cases, 34.2 per cent (136) were unvaccinated. 
• There were 47.1 COVID-like illness patients per 1,000 emergency department visits.
• Thirty (30) confirmed new COVID-19 outbreaks in high-risk settings were reported this week.
• As of February 5, of the population five years and older, 85.3 per cent received at least one dose of a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine and 79.6 per cent completed a series.
• Among the population 18 years and older, 49.5 per cent had received at least one booster vaccination.
• The Regina zone at 81.3 per cent is the only zone reporting over 80 per cent of the eligible population with a completed series. All others are below 80 per cent.

Effective this Monday, February 14, proof of vaccination or negative test will no longer be required for Saskatchewan businesses, workplaces and other public venues.  eHealth Saskatchewan will continue to make proof of vaccination records and QR codes available to Saskatchewan residents for use where needed including for travel or in other jurisdictions.

The remaining public health orders requiring masking in indoor public spaces and mandatory five-day isolation for individuals with positive COVID-19 tests will remain in effect until the end of February.

Residents are encouraged to continue to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 including wearing your best mask, taking advantage of free rapid testing, regular handwashing, staying home when ill, and getting vaccinated, including your third/booster dose as soon as you are eligible. Booster/third dose eligibility now includes everyone 12 years of age and older.

Information about Saskatchewan Health Authority vaccine clinics and participating pharmacies is available at Saskatchewan.ca/COVID-19.

-30-

For more information, contact: