Toxicologist predicts Saskatoon's COVID-19 case count to fall 90% in coming weeks
A University of Saskatchewan researcher expects that Saskatoon's COVID-19 daily new case count will drop to about 15-20 around the first or second week of February.
"They won't completely go away. But the numbers will be very low compared to what they are now," said toxicologist John Giesy, whose team measures coronavirus RNA in Saskatoon's wastewater.
The province reported 235 new cases in Saskatoon on Monday. His projection represents about a 91 per cent drop from that mark.
However, he said he can't predict how many people will end up in hospital.
Traces of Omicron RNA in Saskatoon's wastewater began appearing around the third week of December and peaked over the holidays, then started to decline. The numbers spiked again when school started after the holiday break and are now heading back down, he said.
Traces dropped by 39 per cent in his team's weekly report on Monday.
Omicron continues to be the dominant variant of concern in Saskatoon’s wastewater; Delta has become undetectable.
His projection is based on Saskatchewan being about two weeks behind Ontario, he said.
The rate of active cases of COVID-19 in Ontario was 456 per 100,000 people as of Sunday. Saskatchewan's figure was 1,126 per 100,000 people.
Giesy also said Public Health has contacted him about using the researchers' data to fill in the gaps in the official case counts after changes to testing procedures.
The province now recommends people who are asymptomatic or those with mild symptoms opt for a rapid antigen test rather than a PCR test, in an effort to preserve testing capacity.
Viral RNA load in Prince Albert’s wastewater has decreased by 58 per cent and North Battleford has seen an 8.1 per cent drop.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
WHO likely to issue wider alert on contaminated cough syrup
The World Health Organization is likely to issue a wider warning about contaminated Johnson and Johnson-made children's cough syrup found in Nigeria last week, it said in an email.
WATCH Video shows dramatic police takedown of carjacking suspects chased through parking lot north of Toronto
Police have released video footage of a dramatic takedown of a group of teens wanted in connection with an attempted carjacking in Markham earlier this month.
Canada, G7 urge 'all parties' to de-escalate in growing Mideast conflict
Canada called for 'all parties' to de-escalate rising tensions in the Mideast following an apparent Israeli drone attack against Iran overnight.
'It was all my savings': Ontario woman loses $15K to fake Walmart job scam
A woman who recently moved to Canada from India was searching for a job when she got caught in an online job scam and lost $15,000.
Families to receive Canada Child Benefit payment on Friday
More money will land in the pockets of some Canadian families on Friday for the latest Canada Child Benefit installment.
After COVID, WHO defines disease spread 'through air'
The World Health Organization and around 500 experts have agreed for the first time on what it means for a disease to spread through the air, in a bid to avoid the confusion early in the COVID-19 pandemic that some scientists have said cost lives.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.