COVID-19 case numbers rise in Sask., 25 deaths reported from Aug. 14 to Sept. 10

COVID-19 case numbers are increasing in Saskatchewan.

On Thursday afternoon, the province reported 25 new COVID-19-related deaths for the period of Aug.14to Sept.10, an average of aboutsix per week.

The province saidthat period yielded 1,932 confirmed cases, compared to 1,524 in the previous monthly update released on Aug. 18.

In a news conference Thursday afternoon, Saskatchewan's Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Saqib Shahab said that the increase in cases was expected.

"What we saw in other provinces, and what we predicted, was that we would see a gradual increase in COVID transmission, and that's what we're seeing over August and September," Shahab said.

He said COVID's upward trend is likely to continue for another month or two before numbers come down slightly.

"We don't think it's going to go a high as it did in the spring with Omicron."

Shahab is urging Saskatchewan residents to get their booster shots, especially the new Moderna Spikevax bivalent booster, as it protects against Omicron.

Meanwhile, both hospital admissions and ICU admissions of people with COVID-19have increased.There were 594 hospital admissions this period, up from 488 the last update, according to the province.

The Omicron variant was the dominant strain in the province from Aug. 14 to Sept. 10, accounting for 92.5 per cent of COVID-19 cases.

As of Sept.10, more than 22.7 million rapid antigen test kits have been distributed in the province. There have been 119 Remdesivir prescriptions filled, with 315 infusions completed. Also as of Sept. 10, pharmacies have dispensed 956 courses of Paxlovid, the province said.