Flu, COVID-19 claim lives as Saskatchewan hospitalizations rise

EAGLE STAFF

Two Saskatchewan residents died from influenza during two recent weeks and two others died from the effects of Covid-19 during a three-week span.

A total of 935 Saskatchewan residents tested positive for influenza between Dec. 21 and 27, down from 1,210 during the previous week, a provincial Health Department chart showed.

“Nearly 40 per cent of reported influenza cases occurred in individuals less than 20 years old,” the report said. “Severe influenza outcomes (hospitalizations, ICU admissions and outbreaks) have increased, with two deaths reported over the past two weeks.”

Ten flu outbreaks were reported in places such as nursing homes during the latest week, after 17 during Dec. 14-20.

Five outbreaks of Covid-19 occurred during the most recent week after only one the week before.

A total of 130 people recently tested positive for the virus that causes Covid-19 after 162 the week earlier. The numbers rose after 122 and 107 residents tested positive for that coronavirus during Dec. 7-13 and Nov. 30 to Dec. 6, respectively.

During Dec. 21-28, physicians considered 123 people sick with covid. The ill included 52 each in the 65 and older and 20-64 age groups plus 10 under five and nine from five to 19.

That week, flu had sickened 325 people from 20 to 64, 207 residents aged 65 and older, 176 from five to 19 and 161 toddlers.

Fifteen of the 179 people admitted to hospitals with the flu that week required intensive care after 22 of 189 admitted the week before needed advanced care.

Only one of the 11 admitted with Covid-19 in the latest week needed intensive care after five of the 27 who went into hospitals the week before did.

Thirty-five toddlers had contracted respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) during that week, along with 10 residents aged five to 19, seven seniors and six people aged 20 to 64.

Fourteen of the people who tested positive for the flu that week lived in the department’s west-central region. Two people in the region tested positive for the coronavirus and two had RSV.