28 new COVID-related deaths reported in Sask.'s latest weekly update

Saskatchewan's weekly COVID-19 statistical summary reported 28 new deaths related to the virus, up from 13 the previous week.

Ten confirmed outbreaks in long-term care and care home settings were also reported in the province's latest report, which was released Thursday and covers March 6 to 12.

On the hospitalization front, the province said that the rate of ER visitors who had aCOVID-like illness was 27.1 per 1,000.

As of Friday, March 11, there are approximately 2,250 adult acute care beds total in the province, according to a statement from a Saskatchewan Health Authority spokesperson.

Some facilities are experiencing disruptions to services because of lack of staff, the statement said.

"Furthermore, some of these beds are tailored to specific patient needs and are staffed by teams who also have specialization in these areas, thus may not be appropriate for a COVID admission," the statement reads, in part.

"While still high, COVID hospitalizations have peaked and we are experiencing an ongoing slow decrease in demand. SHA's health care teams are continuing to manage within their available resources and surge plan,"

About one in nine laboratory tests were positive during the last reporting period, and 832 new cases were confirmed.

Vaccine uptake

As of March 12, 80.5 per cent of the population five years and older has two doses of vaccine, or one dose of a single-dose vaccine.

Fifty-one per cent of Saskatchewanians 18 and up have at least one booster.

As of Monday,247 monoclonal antibody infusion treatments have been administered in the treatment of COVID-19, and 94 Paxlovid prescriptions were given.