New COVID-19 EG.5 sub-variant detected in Sask.

The new COVID-19 Omicron sub-variant has been identified in Saskatchewan.

According to the province's monthly COVID-19 status report, 21 cases of the new EG.5 variant — which is spreading globally — have been detected in the province.

The latest Community Respiratory Illness Surveillance Program (CRISP) report was released Thursday, with a data reporting period from July 16 to August 12.

It shows overall COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations continue to trend downwards as more outbreaks have been declared over the past four weeks.

"COVID is not done with us," epidemiologist Nazeem Muhajarine said. "Unfortunately, this is something that we have to learn to live for a while."

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Two new COVID-19-related deaths were reported. So far this year, 155 people in Saskatchewan have died from the illness, according to the province. There have been two influenza-linked deaths over the same span of time.

There were 207 lab-confirmed cases over the most recent reporting period, though this may not be indicative of the virus' transmissibility without widespread testing.

There was a weekly average of 57 positive tests in the previous three weeks compared to 36 in the week ending Aug. 12.

Hospitalizations have decreased from 53 for the previous two weeks, to 27 for the most recent two weeks. ICU admissions have decreased from 10 down to 7.

Ten outbreaks have been declared in "high-risk settings" the past four weeks, compared to four in the previous month.

Since Aug. 12, three more outbreaks have been declared at long-term care homes in Regina and Saskatoon.

"This is what viruses do. That's why they are so successful, because they get around things that are thrown at them," Muhajarine said.

Earlier this month, The World Health Organization (WHO) classified the EG.5 strain as a “variant of interest.”

Muhajarine said it's responsible for roughly 17 per cent of global cases. Two weeks ago it was responsible for seven per cent of global cases.

"It's showing that it is growing fairly quickly," he said. "What we really don't know yet — and it will take some time for us to know this — is whether it is making people who are infected with it ending up in the hospital."

He attributes the spread of the new variant to waning vaccination rates and mutations in the virus.

The latest data from the province shows 46.4 per cent of the population are up to date on their COVID-19 vaccines, meaning two vaccines and one booster since vaccines became available.

Muhajarine says with many people being more than six months away from a recent shot, positive tests could become more prevalent without a collective immunity.

The province says having a booster in the last six months reduces the risk of a COVID-19 death over three times compared to unvaccinated people.

It also said it will fund the new COVID-19 monovalent vaccine aimed at protecting against the Omicron variant pending Health Canada's approval this fall.

As the fall approaches, Muhajarine said the best protection against COVID is using the lessons of the past tthree years as an advantage. Vaccinate, mask when needed, and stay home if symptoms present.

"Trust the symptoms more than even the test," he said. "Stay at home."