Public health officials advise 14 additional deaths due to COVID-19 have been reported today including:

• a female in her 40s from the Winnipeg health region;

• a male in his 60s from the Southern Health–Santé Sud health region;

• a male in his 60s from the Winnipeg health region;

• 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, linked to the outbreak at the St. Norbert Personal Care Home;

• a female in her 80s from the Winnipeg health region, linked to the outbreak at the Golden Links Lodge;

• a female in her 80s from the Winnipeg health region, linked to the outbreak at the St. Norbert Personal Care Home;

• a female in her 80s from the Southern Health–Santé Sud health region;

• a female in her 80s from the Winnipeg health region;

• a female in her 80s from the Southern Health–Santé Sud health region, linked to the outbreak at Rest Haven Nursing Home;

• a female in her 90s from the Southern Health–Santé Sud health region, linked to the outbreak at Rest Haven Nursing Home;

• a female in her 90s from the Winnipeg health region, linked to the outbreak at the Bethania Mennonite Personal Care Home; and

• a female in her 90s from the Winnipeg health region and linked to the outbreak at the  Charleswood Care Centre.

The current five-day COVID-19 test positivity rate is 13.2 per cent provincially and 14.5 per cent in Winnipeg. As of 9:30 a.m. today, 277 new cases of the virus have been identified bringing the total number of lab-confirmed cases in Manitoba to 17,384.

Today’s COVID-19 data shows:

• 15 cases in the Interlake–Eastern health region;

• 28 cases in the Northern health region;

• 10 cases in the Prairie Mountain Health region;

• 24 cases in the Southern Health–Santé Sud health region; and

• 200 cases in the Winnipeg health region.

The data also shows:

• 8,970 active cases and 8,072 individuals who have recovered from COVID-19;

• there are 351 people in hospital with 51 people in intensive care due to COVID-19; and

• the number of deaths due to COVID-19 is 342.

Laboratory testing numbers show 2,182 tests were completed yesterday, bringing the total number of lab tests completed since early February to 360,039. Case investigations continue and if a public health risk is identified, the public will be notified.

Public health officials advise COVID-19 outbreaks have been declared at the Morris General Hospital in Morris, the Rosewood Lodge Personal Care Home in Stonewall and the Carpathia Children’s Centre Inc. in Winnipeg. The sites have been moved to Critical (red) on the #RestartMB Pandemic Response System.

The outbreaks declared at St. Paul’s Personal Care Home in Dauphin and the Kekinan Centre Inc. in Winnipeg have been declared over.

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.

Public health officials advise that an outbound automated calling system has been implemented to expand on the current methods for case and contact monitoring. The calls will be used to determine if active cases can now be marked as recovered. For more information, visit www.gov.mb.ca/covid19/testing/monitoring/index.html.

The chief provincial public health officer urges Manitobans to only leave their homes for essential purposes. When leaving the house to obtain essentials, be sure to physically distance, wear a mask in indoor public places and avoid crowded spaces. Do not leave the home if you are sick, or when any member of your family is sick. Further, do not socialize with anyone from outside your household.

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.  For health-care workers, exceptions may apply and staff may be able/required to report to work.