Public health officials advise eight new deaths in people with COVID-19 have been reported today:
• a female in her 30s from the Prairie Mountain Health region, linked to the B.1.1.7 variant of concern;
• a male in his 60s from the Prairie Mountain Health region, linked to an unspecified variant of concern;
• a male in his 60s from the Winnipeg health region;
• a male in his 60s from the Winnipeg health region;
• a female in her 60s from the Winnipeg health region, linked to the B.1.1.7 variant of concern;
• a male in his 60s from the Winnipeg health region, linked to the B.1.1.7 variant of concern;
• a female in her 80s from the Winnipeg health region, linked to the B.1.1.7 variant of concern; and
• a male in his 80s from the Southern Health–Santé Sud health region.
The current five-day COVID-19 test positivity rate is 12.6 per cent provincially and 14 per cent in Winnipeg. As of 9:30 a.m. today, 297 new cases of the virus have been identified. However, two cases have been removed due to data correction. This brings the net-new number of cases today to 295 and the total number of lab-confirmed cases in Manitoba to 49,651.
Today’s COVID-19 data shows:
• 19 cases in the Interlake–Eastern health region;
• 25 cases in the Northern health region.
• 19 cases in the Prairie Mountain Health region;
• 65 cases in the Southern Health–Santé Sud health region; and
• 169 cases in the Winnipeg health region.
The dashboard for COVID-19 in Manitoba can be found here.
The data also shows:
• 4,639 active cases and 43,970 individuals who have recovered from COVID-19;
• 251 people in hospital with active COVID-19 as well as 73 people in hospital with COVID-19 who are no longer infectious but continue to require care, for a total of 324 hospitalizations;
• 51 people in intensive care units with active COVID-19 as well as 22 people with COVID-19 who are no longer infectious but continue to require critical care, for a total of 73 ICU patients;
• 3,171 laboratory tests were completed yesterday, bringing the total number of lab tests completed since early February 2020 to 757,719; and
• due to a data correction, one death that had been reported earlier has been removed so the total number of deaths in people with COVID-19 is 1,042; the death was a female in her 90s from the Winnipeg health region and reported May 26.
Public health officials are reminding Manitobans that in most cases, they should only seek testing at a provincial test site if they are symptomatic or have been advised by public health that they are a close contact. This will help ensure that those who need to be tested can continue to access testing as easily as possible. Manitobans have several options available to access testing, including drive-thru and walk-in sites, or by booking an appointment by calling 1-855-268-4318 or online at select sites at www.gov.mb.ca/covid19/testing/locations.html#appointment.
Additional data on variants of concern is updated from Tuesday to Saturday at https://geoportal.gov.mb.ca/. Data related to COVID-19, outbreaks and some downloadable and historic data can also be found at this site.
An outbreak has been declared at the Tabor Home Personal Care Home in Morden. The facility has been moved to the Critical (Red) level on the #RestartMB Pandemic Response System.
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.
A new walk-in testing site at 1125 Empress St. in Winnipeg will open May 29. The site will operate seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and will offer testing by appointments that can be booked starting May 28 by calling (toll-free) 1-855-268-4318. More information on COVID-19 testing is available at www.gov.mb.ca/covid19/testing/index.html.
In collaboration with public health, Manitoba Education has provided direction and guidance to school divisions and independent schools planning modified graduation ceremonies. The information includes:
• schools could consider postponing graduation celebrations until the fall;
• schools hosting modified graduation ceremonies must adhere to all public health orders and guidelines;
• consider virtual ceremonies, ‘drive-up’ or ‘drive-in’ vehicle ceremonies; and
• minimize interactions between school staff and graduates and plan for a zero-contact event by:
pre-recording messages;
placing diplomas on a table for graduates to retrieve;
minimize the number of school employees required to host the event;
ensuring photographers and videographers adhere to public health orders; and
ensure there is no mingling in groups or waiting in lines.
Updated enforcement statistics are posted online weekly. For more information, go to Cross-Departmental Reports at https://manitoba.ca/openmb/infomb/departments/index.html.
For up-to-date information on COVID-19 in Manitoba, including the online screening tool, testing criteria and locations, self-isolation requirements, public health fundamentals and the provincial response level on the #RestartMB Pandemic Response System, visit www.manitoba.ca/covid19/.