In Brandon, Rideau Park Personal Care Home is taking extra precautions today and is classified as Red or critical regarding pandemic guidelines. A staff member there has tested positive for COVID-19, but due to precautions the staff member may not have infected others.
Meanwhile, cases in Prairie Mountain Health area decline, and case numbers around the province stay steady, but a lady in her 90s has passed away since contracting COVID-19. This is related to the outbreak at Bethesda Place in Steinbach and brings the total number of deaths since March in Manitoba to 14.
Public health officials say the current five-day COVID-19 test positivity rate is also holding steay at three per cent. The trend in the current five-day test positive rate is affected by positive results related to targeted testing in known clusters.
Thursday, Aug. 27 there are 22 new cases of the virus have been identified, however a case previously reported on Aug. 15 was removed from the case totals leaving the total net new cases at 21.
The data shows:
• 3 new cases in the Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority;
• 9 new cases in the Prairie Mountain Health region;
• 6 new cases in Southern Health-Santé Sud; and
• 4 cases in the Winnipeg health region.
• 6 current hospitalizations, 1 individual in intensive care;
• 407 active cases and 643 individuals have recovered from COVID-19; and
• 14 Manitobans have died due to COVID-19
Preliminary investigations show that seven of the cases announced today are close contacts of a previously-announced case. Additional case investigations continue.
An additional 1,429 laboratory tests were completed on Wednesday, bringing the total number of tests completed since early February to 130,835.
Preliminary investigations indicate that a case previously identified in the Prairie Mountain Health region is a health care worker from the Rideau Park Personal Care Home in Brandon. The individual wore personal protective equipment and is self-isolating. Close contacts have been identified and the case investigation is continuing.
This information has been shared with the families, staff and close contacts. While no other cases have been identified as linked to this case and the risk is assessed to be low, in an abundance of caution, the site has initiated outbreak protocols.
The site is moving to Critical (red) on the #RestartMB Pandemic Response System. This means the site is putting additional measures in place to further reduce the risk to residents and staff, and is restricting visitation at the facility.
Effective Aug. 28, public health orders will require Manitobans to self-isolate for 14 days if:
• they have tested positive for COVID-19; or
• they have been exposed to COVID-19 by a close contact.
Individuals will be notified by a public health official if self-isolation is required. Once notified, the person must go to their residence or an approved self-isolation location and remain there for 14 days, or until they are directed otherwise by a public health official.
Exceptions will be made for in-person appointments with health care providers. However, if an individual leaves their home, they must wear a mask, maintain physical distancing and minimize the time away from their self-isolation location.
Failure to self-isolate in accordance with public health advice is a violation of the order and is enforceable under The Public Health Act. Individuals could be subject to fines for non-compliance.
Manitobans are strongly encouraged to return to the fundamentals to help stop the spread of COVID-19:
- Don’t leave home while you feel ill,
- practicing proper hand hygiene,
- cover your cough
- physical distance when you are with people outside your household
- if you can’t physical distance, wear a mask.
Unless recommended by public health, only individuals experiencing COVID-19 symptoms should go for testing. Individuals with symptoms are asked to seek testing as soon as possible once symptoms are present.
Employers are asked to only send employees for testing if they have symptoms or if testing has been recommended by public health. 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 the latest information on COVID-19 visit www.manitoba.ca/COVID19.
