COVID-19 in Sask: 2nd death among 19-and-under age group reported

Health officials are reporting the second death of a Saskatchewan resident aged 19 or younger due to COVID-19.

According to the Ministry of Health, the person was from the province's northwest zone and died in February. The death was not reported until this week because officials were awaiting confirmation that it was caused by COVID-19.

It's the second death in the same Saskatchewan region and age group to be recorded since the pandemic began more than a year ago. 

One other COVID-19 death was reported on Tuesday, a person in their 70s in the far northwest.

Saskatchewan doctors have been warning for weeks that COVID-19 variants of concern are affecting a growing proportion of younger ICU patients, resulting in longer hospital stays and, in some cases, grave outcomes. 

There are 174 COVID-19 patients in hospital provincewide, including 41 people under intensive care.

Two weeks ago, there were 195 infected people in hospital and 51 people in ICU. 

Lowest new daily case number in weeks 

Officials also announced 189 new cases of COVID-19 Tuesday, based on 2,515 tests performed on Monday. That's the lowest number of new cases, and the first to dip below 200, since April 14, when 192 cases were announced.

The new cases were found in the following regions: far northwest (seven), northwest (27), north central (six), northeast (two), Saskatoon (81), central west (10), Regina (24), southwest (eight), south central (seven) and southeast (eight). 

Saskatoon has the most new cases for the first time in a week.

Saskatchewan's seven-day new-case average stands at 226, or 18.4 new cases per 100,000 people. 

Starting Wednesday, eligible truck drivers and essential energy workers can receive a COVID-19 vaccine at Kenmare, North Dakota, the health ministry also announced.