Flu hospitalizations climbing in Sask. as province records 39 more COVID-19 deaths in latest report

The latest data released by Saskatchewan's Ministry of Health shows ajump in the number of influenza cases, as the number of deaths in the province from COVID-19 also continues to climb.

Over the two-week reporting period from Oct. 23 to Nov. 5, Saskatchewan recorded 39 confirmed COVID-19 deaths.

There have now been 699 confirmed COVID-19 deaths in 2022, according to a CBCcalculation based onprovincial data.

The province no longer provides the total numberof COVID-19 deaths in itsreports.

The 699 COVID-19 deaths recorded so far this year is lower than the 710 reported during the same time period in 2021.

The latest report also indicates a week-over-week drop inCOVID-19 test positivity rates.

Between Oct. 23 and Oct. 29, the province reported 800 confirmed cases, with an 11.8 per cent test positivity rate. The following week saw600 COVID-19 cases with a test positivity of 9.9 per cent, according to the report.

However, experts have said the test positivity rates and case totals are not a significant indicator of the ongoing pandemic, since thegeneral public no longer hasaccess toPCR testing, which is the source of the provincial data.

Weekly COVID-19 hospitalization totalsalso dropped, from 194 during the week ofOct. 23-29to 164 for Oct. 30-Nov. 5.

However, thenumber of COVID-19 admissionsto intensive care unitsincreased, from 10 during the Oct. 23-29 periodto 15 for Oct. 30-Nov. 5.

Vaccinations stalled

Vaccination ratesremain unchanged, according to the latest data from the province.

Just 46 per cent of the province's residents age five and uphavetwo COVID-19 vaccination doses anda booster dose.

That figurehas remained unchanged since the week of Sept. 25 to Oct. 1.

The province no longer provides granular, age-specific COVID-19 vaccination data to the public.

However, the data does draw comparisons to data on a national scale.

Arecent CBC reportfound as of Oct. 9, only 6.5per cent of kids five and underyounger had received at least oneCOVID-19 vaccine dose.

Flu season arrives

The latest provincial data also shows the number of influenza cases in the province is taking off.

During the week of Oct. 9 to Oct. 15, the province recorded just three confirmed influenza cases, with a test positivity rate of 0.5 per cent.

For theweek of Oct. 30 to Nov. 5, theprovince recorded 192 influenza cases, with a test positivity rate of 21.8 per cent.

So far, the province has reported 278 confirmed cases of influenza this season.

That's a stark contrast to the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic:Saskatchewan reported zero influenza cases in 2020.

Statistics for the entire2021 flu season were not immediately available, but between Aug. 24, 2021, and May 21, 2022,the province recorded 590 confirmed cases.

The latestdata dump also shows that Saskatchewan is beginning to hospitalize some patients for influenza.

Three people were admitted to hospital forflu during the week of Oct. 23 to Oct. 29, with oneeventually moved to the ICU. From Oct. 30 to Nov. 5, there were 16 people admitted tohospital forinfluenza, four of whomwereeventually moved to the ICU.

So far, there have been no confirmedinfluenzadeaths in Saskatchewan this season.