REGINA — The Saskatchewan Ministry of Health's weekly COVID-19 integrated epidemiology (epi) report was issued Thursday and there are a few things you should know.
Paxlovid more widely available
Effective immediately, eligibility for Paxlovid treatment now extended to all those who test positive (PCR or rapid test) with mild or moderate COVID symptoms who are immunocompromised or 70 years old and older with designated risk factors, regardless of vaccination status.
This is in addition to those between 18 and 54 who aren't fully vaxxed with a medical condition that puts them at high risk for severe outcomes, or are between 55 and 69 and are not fully vaccinated.
The Ministry of Health is working with physicians/pharmacists to enable more providers to provide Paxlovid. Details to be announced.
AstraZeneca supply is expiring
The provincial supply of AstraZeneca vaccine expires as of April 30 and the Government of Canada will not be securing additional doses.
If you are seeking AstraZeneca to complete your primary, two dose series or for a booster dose, contact 1-833-SaskVax (727-5829) to book immediately.
Hospital numbers, deaths down in latest data
This week's EPI report data includes data from Sunday, April 17 to Saturday, April 23, 2022, with hospital data from April 20 to 27, 2022.
829 new COVID cases were confirmed representing about .07 lab confirmed cases per 1,000.
14 more people have died, a decline of 30 per cent from the previous report. Of those, two were between 40 and 59. Five were 60-69, two were 70-79 and five 80 and older.
There were 22 more confirmed outbreaks in long-term care and care home settings.
The number of those hospitalized from COVID-19 is 409, down from 417. The number with COVID-related illness is 166, up six. The number with incidental COVID-19 infection is 231, also up six.
Omicron still dominant
The Omicron BA.2 sublineage accounted for 69.7 per cent of the variants of concern reported this week, which is higher from the previous report.
Vaccination numbers
As of April 23, of the population five and older. 85.8 per cent of those have had one dose. 80.8 per cent of them completed the series. 48.4 per cent of those over 12 have had at least one booster.
During the two month period from Feb. 13 to April 16, 2022, the risk of hospitalization, ICU admission and death was five, nine and seven times higher respectively among unvaccinated individuals compared to those vaccinated with three doses.
