In the January 5 COVID-19 update from The Saskatchewan Health Authority, they are reporting a total of 153 new cases of the virus in the province.

Of those 153 new cases there are 8 in the Far North West zone, 6 in the Far North East zone, 13 in the North West zone, 14 in the North Central zone, 5 in the North East zone, 33 in the Saskatoon zone, 1 in the Central West zone, 13 in the Central East zone, 39 in the Regina zone, 1 in the South Central zone, and 6 in the South East zone.

Fourteen new cases have pending residence information.

Fifteen previously reported cases with pending residence information have been assigned as follows: 11 to the North Central zone, 2  to the North East zone, 1 to the South Central zone, and 1 to the Saskatoon zone.

This brings the provincial total number of cases in Saskatchewan to 16,520, of which 3,057 are considered active.

There are currently 12 active cases in the South West zone.

The seven day average of daily new cases is 214 (17.7 new cases per 100,000 population).

There have been five more deaths reported today, bringing that provincial total to 165. 

Those five Saskatchewan residents were all the 80+ age group - 1 from the North Central zone, 1 from the North East zone, 1 from the South Central zone, and 2 from the Regina zone.

There were 120 recoveries reported, bringing that provincial total to 13,298.

There are 166 people in hospital. One hundred and thirty five are receiving inpatient care - 1 in the Far North West zone, 1 in the Far North East zone,  6 in the North West zone, 25 in the North Central zone, 3 in the North East zone, 40 in the Saskatoon zone, 5 in the Central East zone, and 42 in the Regina zone.

There are currently 2 people in the South West zone receiving inpatient care, 2 in the South Central zone, and 8 in the South East zone.

There are 31 people in intensive care - 2 in the North West zone, 4 in the North Central zone, 10 in the Saskatoon zone, 1 in the Central East zone, and 14 in the Regina zone.

As of January 5, a total of 4,254 doses of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine have been provided in Saskatchewan. The majority of those first doses have been administered to health care workers as part of the pilot project, which is complete in Regina and hearing 90 per cent completion in Saskatoon. Those same health care workers will begin receiving their second doses soon, at which point they will be fully immunized.

The province expects a shipment of vaccines to be received in Prince Albert this week to allow vaccinations for eligible health care staff, long term and personal care home residents in the area to begin.

Vaccination of long term care residents and health providers began this morning Saskatchewan's Far North.

To date, there has been 437,421 COVID-19 tests processed in Saskatchewan.

And yesterday there were 1,779 COVID-19 tests processed.