(File photo/paNOW Staff)

By paNOW Staff

COVID-19

Four more deaths, new rapid testing among latest info on COVID-19 front

Nov 27, 2020 | 3:04 PM

There’s another grim statistic with the latest daily government information regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, but there is also some encouraging news for the weeks ahead.

As the Saskatchewan Health Authority reported four more people who tested positive for COVID-19 have died, the government announced the introduction of rapid point of care testing in some hospitals and mobile testing sites.

One of the latest fatalities was in their 80s and from the North Central zone. The three other deaths – also in that age bracket – were in Regina and South East. One resident was from South Central in their 70s.

There are 329 new cases of COVID-19 and 208 recoveries in the province as of Friday.

The provincial total to date is 7,691 cases.

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COVID-19 map. (submitted photo/SHA)

The new cases are located in the Far North West (eight), Far North East (four), North West (23), North Central (21), North East (one), Saskatoon (158), Central West (six), Central East (11), Regina (61), South West (16), South Central (one) and South East (14) zones and five new cases have pending residence information.

Four cases with pending residence information have been assigned to the North Central zone.

The seven-day average of daily new cases is 268 (22.1 new cases per 100,000 population). Of the 7,691 reported cases, 3,263 are considered active. A total of 4,384 people have recovered.

Latest numbers on hospitalizations in Saskatchewan. (Aaron Schulze/ northeastnow Staff)

One-hundred and eleven people are in hospital. Ninety-five people are receiving inpatient care; one in the Far North West, eight in the North West, 12 in North Central, one in North East, 32 in Saskatoon, two in Central East, 16 in Regina, two in South West, one in South Central and 20 in the South East zone. Sixteen people are in intensive care: one in North West, 11 in Saskatoon, one in South West and three in Regina.

Of the 7,691 cases in the province 466 cases are travellers, 3,419 are community contacts (including mass gatherings), 1,569 have no known exposures and 2,237 are under investigation by local public health.

There are 241 cases affecting healthcare workers but the source of the infections may not be related to healthcare in every case.

In Saskatchewan 1,611 cases involve people 19 years of age and under, while the remainder are adults.

There are 2,740 cases in the 20 to 39 age range, 2,045 in the 40 to 59 age range, 1,020 in the 60 to 79 age range and 270 in the 80-plus range. Confirmation of age is pending for five cases.

Fifty-one per cent of the cases are females and 49 per cent are males.

There are 44 deaths related to COVID-19 reported to date.

The latest cases of COVID-19 in the province. (Aaron Schulze/ northeastNOW staff)

Of 7,691 confirmed cases:

• 2,328 cases are from the Saskatoon area
• 1,599 cases are from the north area (565 north west, 754 north central, 280 north east)
• 1,273 cases are from the Regina area
• 1,009 cases are from the south area (372 south west, 384 south central, 253 south east)
• 860 cases are from the far north area (575 far north west, 79 far north central, 206 far north east)
• 593 cases are from the central area (268 central west, 325 central east)
• 29 cases have pending residence information

To date, 334,051 COVID-19 tests have been processed in Saskatchewan. Yesterday, 3,687 COVID-19 tests were processed in Saskatchewan.

New pilot projects on rapid point of care testing

A new, faster way of COVID-19 testing is being introduced in Saskatchewan. Results that come back in a matter of 15 minutes will be put to the test in a pilot project for hospitals in Prince Albert, Saskatoon, Regina and Moose Jaw, and mobile testing locations to quickly determine status of an asymptomatic individual. This testing option will assist with hospital admissions, and discharges to a long-term-care facility. .

This testing option will assist with hospital admissions, and discharges to a long-term-care facility.

A rapid antigen test (Abbot Panbio) pilot project is also being rolled out to participating long-term care (LTC), personal care homes (PCH) and congregate living settings. Results are available in 15 minutes and used for rapid recurrent asymptomatic screening of staff and residents.

All rapid positive tests will be presumed positive and will need to be confirmed by a laboratory test for now.

The new Public Health Measures take effect today including an expansion on mandatory masking and team sports being suspended.

NITHA communities

The Northern Inter-Tribal Health Authority released its daily COVID-19 update that are specific to their communities.

According to its Facebook page, as of Nov. 26 there are 275 active cases of COVID-19 in NITHA communities.

These cases are located in the Far North Central, Athabasca (36), Far North West (83), Far North East (82), North Central (25), and North East (49).

There are 342 cases recovered, and eight people are currently in hospital.

NITHA is comprised of the Prince Albert Grand Council, Meadow Lake Tribal Council, Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation, and Lac La Ronge Indian Band.

The total amount of COVID-19 cases and their locations in Saskatchewan as of Nov. 26. (submitted photo/SHA)

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panews@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @princealbertnow