REGINA — Analysis shared by the provincial government is showing that the vast majority of reported COVID-19 cases and subsequent hospitalizations during September were in unvaccinated individuals.
Public health shared the monthly summary of data alongside a reminder to residents to seek vaccination, and recommendations for the upcoming Thanksgiving weekend.
Of the 13,141 positive cases of COVID-19 reported throughout the month, 10,237 or 78 per cent were individuals who were unvaccinated or within three weeks of receiving a first dose.
The same percentage of hospitalized individuals were also unvaccinated, with 348 out of 449 cases, as well as 88 per cent of the 83 individuals admitted into intensive care. Nearly half of the 74 deaths recorded since Sept. 1 were in patients who were unvaccinated.
Weekly statistics show a similar picture, according to public health, with the majority of cases reported since Sept. 29 in unvaccinated individuals.
A total of 2,988 new cases were reported in the past week, outnumbered by 3,293 recoveries.
Saskatoon currently has the largest number of new cases, with 1,063 in the past week, followed distantly by Regina with 635 and the North West region with 546 cases.
The seven day average of new cases dropped slightly to 427 per 100,000, and 44 new deaths were recorded.
As of Tuesday morning, 340 individuals are currently in hospital, with 267 receiving inpatient care and 73 currently in ICU. Of those hospitalized individuals, 76 per cent are not fully vaccinated.
The province’s vaccination rate increased infinitesimally, with 82 per cent of residents ave 12 and older now having received a first dose and 73 per cent now fully vaccinated.
Public health recorded 14,613 new first doses of the COVID vaccine this week, with the total number of doses administered reaching 1,576,702.
Announced earlier today, incoming flu clinics operated by public health will be offering COVID-19 vaccinations alongside influenza shots, in addition to the current COVID clinics planned across the province.
Officials are also reminding residents to celebrate Thanksgiving weekend safely, by lowering transmission opportunities as much as possible.
Public health recommends taking celebrations outside wherever possible, and for unvaccinated individuals to avoid attending large gatherings. No new official public health orders have been issued for the weekend.
