COVID-19 in Sask: 243 new cases, 50% of residents age 40+ have received 1st vaccine dose

Fifty per cent of Saskatchewan residents age 40 and olderhave received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, according to the province.

There were 7,043COVID-19 vaccine doses administered Sundayin Saskatchewan.To date, atotal of 352,169 shots have been administered.

The Ministry of Health says it has been informed that there will be a reduction in the expected April 26 shipment of the Moderna vaccine.The province says Sask.'s allocation has been reduced by 47 per cent, from 35,800 doses to 18,800 doses.

The province says the ministry is working with the Saskatchewan Health Authority and Indigenous Services Canada to determine the potential impact thisreduction could have on booked appointments, as well as thepharmacy vaccination pilot project.

There will be an update on the situationin the coming days.

Meanwhile, Canada has purchased eight million additional Pfizer doses for delivery between May and July. Saskatchewan's allocationhas not yet been determined, according to the province.

Vaccine eligibility lowered to 48

The eligible age for booking vaccination appointments online or by telephone has been lowered to 48 years old.

Meanwhile, all drive-thru and walk-in COVID-19 vaccination clinics are available to residents aged48 to 54. However, the Regina and Saskatoon drive-thru clinics have been temporarily closed until the province gets more vaccine supply.

Daily statistics for Monday

Saskatchewan reported 243 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday. There were no new deaths to report.

There are 200 people in hospital in the province due to COVID-19, including 43in intensive care.

Regina has the bulk of the patients with 74, 31 of whom are in the ICU.

There were 3,098 COVID-19 tests processed in the province Sunday, according to the province's latest COVID-19 update.

The province had no newcases involving the more contagious coronavirus variantsof concernto report Monday.

As of Sunday, 4,833cases of variants of concern have been identified by screening in Saskatchewan.

Of the 38,401 known COVID-19cases to date in the province, 2,626casesare considered active.

The seven-day average of daily new cases in Saskatchewanis253 20.6 new cases per 100,000 population.

The new cases Monday are in the following provincial zones:

• Far northwest: four.
• Northwest: 27.
• North central: three.
• Saskatoon: 47.
• Central west: 12.
• Central east: 10.
• Regina: 82.
• Southwest: nine.
• South central: 17.
• Southeast: 22.

Residence information is pending for 10 othernew cases.

The province also reported 357 new recoveries on Monday.