Public health officials advise five additional deaths due to COVID-19 have been reported today including:
· a male in his 70s from the Winnipeg health region;
· a male in his 70s from the Southern Health–Santé Sud health region;
· a female in her 80s from the Winnipeg health region and linked to the outbreak at the Seine River Retirement Residence;
· a female in her 80s from the Winnipeg health region and linked to the outbreak at Maples Long Term Care Home outbreak, and
· a female in her 90s from the Winnipeg health region and linked to the outbreak at Victoria General Hospital outbreak.
The current five-day COVID-19 test positivity rate is 10.6 per cent provincially and 10 per cent in Winnipeg, and 384 new cases of the virus have been identified as of 9:30 a.m. However, one case was removed due to being out of province, which brings the net new cases to 383 and brings the total lab-confirmed cases in Manitoba to 8,878.
Today’s data shows:
· 26 cases in the Interlake–Eastern health region;
· 41 cases in the Northern health region;
· 18 cases in the Prairie Mountain Health region;
· 83 cases in the Southern Health–Santé Sud health region; and
· 216 cases in the Winnipeg health region.
The data also shows:
· 5,390 active cases and 3,374 individuals who have recovered from COVID-19;
· there are 207 people in hospital with 30 people in intensive care; and
· the number of deaths due to COVID-19 is 114.
Laboratory testing numbers show 1,762 tests were completed yesterday, bringing the total number of lab tests completed since early February to 290,560. Case investigations continue and if a public health risk is identified, the public will be notified.
Public health officials advise that in order to maintain the capacity for testing symptomatic people, testing appointments for people who are asymptomatic will not be booked unless directed by public health. At this time, individuals who are not experiencing symptoms may be turned away from testing sites. Employers are asked to only send employees for testing if they have symptoms or if testing has been recommended by public health officials.
Public health officials have advised that outbreaks have been declared at Bethania Mennonite personal care home in Winnipeg, Riverview Health Centre in Winnipeg, St. Amant Health and Transition Services in Winnipeg, Extendicare Tuxedo Villa personal care home in Winnipeg and Brightwater Senior Living of Tuxedo in Winnipeg. The sites have been moved to Critical (red) on the #RestartMB Pandemic Response System.
Officials advise the COIVD-19 outbreaks on the B5 unit at St. Boniface Hospital and at Birds’ Hill School have been declared over. The unit and school will return to regular operations.
Other possible exposure locations are listed online by region at the province’s #RestartMB Pandemic Response System webpage. For up-to-date information on possible public exposures to COVID-19 in regions, visit www.gov.mb.ca/covid19/updates/flights.html#event and click on your region.
The chief provincial public health officer urges Manitobans to not socialize with people from outside their household, to significantly reduce the number of close contacts and avoid closed-in or crowded spaces. In addition, they should focus on these fundamentals to help stop the spread of COVID-19:
· Stay home if you are sick, or when any member of your family is sick.
· Physically distance when you are with people outside your household.
· If you cannot physically distance, wear a mask to help reduce the risk to others or as required by public health orders.
Public health officials are also advising that anyone who is symptomatic, or has a household member who is symptomatic, the entire household needs to self-isolate pending COVID-19 test results.
The symptomatic individual needs to stay in their own room and, if possible, use their own bathroom and not use common areas. Exemptions are in place for asymptomatic household members if they are an essential worker required to wear PPE while at work such as health-care workers or first responders. For information on self-isolation, visit:
The online assessment tool can be found at https://sharedhealthmb.ca/covid19/screening-tool/and COVID-19 symptoms can be found at www.gov.mb.ca/covid19/updates/about.html#collapse4.
For up-to-date information on COVID-19 in Manitoba, visit www.manitoba.ca/COVID19.
For up-to-date information on the #RestartMB Pandemic Response System, visit:
