WINNIPEG – COVID-19: It was not a good day in Manitoba in terms of the impact of COVID-19 as the deadly second wave sweeps across the province.
There were ten more deaths in Manitoba. Across Manitoba, 234 people are in hospital and 42 people are in intensive care.
Dr. Brent Roussin sounded frustrated in reporting the latest information to the media today.
Manitoba’s Chief Public Health Officer stated, “We see in Steinbach, where that hospital is under a lot of strain and health care workers are working as hard as they can to keep up with demand, and yet on the same day we have a protest, a gathering. We are announcing double digit deaths every day and then we are protesting things to try to reduce the impact of the virus? How can we reconcile that? This is the time we need to have a united front against this virus.”
Hundreds of people gathered in Steinbach to protest COVID-19 restrictions in Manitoba.
Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister continued the obvious anger and frustration. “You don’t have to believe in COVID for it to be real,” stated the Premier. “It is real — 100 yards away are people waiting in a parking lot to get treatment in hospital. A third of a mile away from where you were rallying , there are people dying in a nursing home. COVID is real. COVID kills people… COVID will find you if you aren’t careful.”
Public health officials advise 10 additional deaths due to COVID-19 have been reported today that include:
• a male in his 80s, a female in her 80s and a female in her 90s from the Winnipeg health region and linked to the outbreak at Maples Long Term Care Home;
• a male in his 90s from the Southern Health–Santé Sud health region and linked to the outbreak at Bethesda Place;
• a male in his 90s from the Winnipeg health region and linked to the outbreak at Victoria Hospital;
• a male in his 80s from the Winnipeg health region and linked to the Seine River Retirement Home cluster;
• a male in his 70s from the Winnipeg health region;
• a male in his 80s from the Southern Health–Santé Sud health region and linked to the outbreak at Carman Memorial Hospital;
• a male in his 90s from the Southern Health–Santé Sud health region and linked to the outbreak at Brooklyn Terrace; and
• a male in his 70s from the Southern Health–Santé Sud health region and linked to the outbreak at Bethesda Regional Health Centre.
The current five-day COVID-19 test positivity rate is 13 per cent provincially and 12.8 per cent in Winnipeg, and 392 new cases of the virus have been identified as of 9:30 a.m., bringing the total lab-confirmed cases in Manitoba to 11,339.
Today’s data shows:
• 21 cases in the Interlake-Eastern health region;
• 25 cases in the Northern health region;
• 19 cases in the Prairie Mountain Health region;
• 72 cases in the Southern Health-Santé Sud health region; and
• 255 cases in the Winnipeg health region.
The data also shows:
• 7,011 active cases and 4,156 individuals who have recovered from COVID-19;
• there are 234 people in hospital with 42 people in intensive care; and
• the number of deaths due to COVID-19 is 172.
Laboratory testing numbers show 2,391 tests were completed yesterday, bringing the total number of lab tests completed since early February to 312,238. Case investigations continue and if a public health risk is identified, the public will be notified.
Public health officials have advised that an outbreak has been declared at St. Paul’s Residence (personal care home) in The Pas and at Oakview Place personal care home in Winnipeg. The sites have been moved to Critical (red) 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.
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 information on self-isolation, visit
www.gov.mb.ca/covid19/updates/resources.html#collapse2.
