Latest Sask. COVID-19 report shows increase

The Saskatchewan health ministry's latest publicly-released COVID-19 numbers show increased viral activity in the province and low vaccine uptake.

According to the newest Community Respiratory Illness Surveillance Program report (CRISP), positive tests rose to 96 between Sept. 3 and Sept. 9 — up from a weekly average of 66 over the prior three weeks.

The CRISP report, released on Friday covers the period between Aug. 13 and Sept. 9.

COVID-19 laboratory testing is uncommon outside of a hospital setting, so the report likely doesn't capture the bulk of COVID-19 cases in the province.

One person's death was linked to COVID-19 during that time, bringing the death toll for the year to 156. Two influenza-related deaths have occurred since the start of the year.

There were 10 COVID-19 outbreaks reported in high-risk settings over the four weeks captured in the report.

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The test positivity rate increased to eight per cent during the final week of the reporting period.

Fewer than half of people in Saskatchewan over the age of five — 46 per cent — have received a primary COVID-19 vaccine series and at least one booster.

However, according to the report, just over two per cent of people aged five and up have received their latest dose in the last six months.

"Having a COVID-19 booster in the last six months reduces the risk of a COVID-19 death over three times compared to unvaccinated individuals and over two times compared to those without a booster dose," the report says.

The EG.5 Omicron sub-variant and its related lineages were the most commonly detected variants during the reporting period.

The province says it will switch from monthly to bi-weekly reporting on COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses this fall.