COVID-19 is coming closer to home as today, Dec. 11, public health officials advise a COVID-19 outbreak has been declared at the Hamiota Health Centre acute care unit.
The site in the town of Hamiota has been moved to Critical (red) on the #RestartMB Pandemic Response System. Hamiota Municipality with about 1,300 people has a trading area radius of 40 kms, home to some 10,000 people.
Prairie Mountain Health new cases spiked today with 35 new cases confirmed in the region, much higher than has been regularly seen.
There is a new Respiratory Clinic open at Russell, a clinic in Brandon and several others within the health district. These are to provide diagnosis and care for people with respiratory illness including COVID-19, and testing is available there as well. Go here for information: https://www.empireadvance.ca/news/local-news/respiratory-clinic-to-open-in-russell-1.24254005.
A theme that ran throughout today’s news conference was that our province has issued health orders that can cover many varied possible scenarios. Some of the scenarios that are forbidden by the restrictions may seem reasonable, but the orders must be enforced.Dr. Brent Roussin said, “We are not in a position to decide each possible scenario on a case by case basis.”
More from the COVID-19# 282 bulletin:
Throughout the province, additional deaths due to COVID-19 today include:
• a male in his 50s from the Winnipeg health region;
• a male in his 50s from the Winnipeg health region;
• a male in his 70s from the Interlake-Eastern health region;
• a female in her 70s from the Winnipeg health region and linked to outbreak at the Health Science Centre GD4;
• a female in her 80s from the Winnipeg health region;
• a female in her 80s from the Winnipeg health region and linked to the outbreak at the Holy Family Personal Care Home;
• a female in her 80s from the Winnipeg health region and linked to the outbreak at the Holy Family Personal Care Home;
• a male in his 80s from the Winnipeg health region;
• a female in her 80s from the Winnipeg health region and linked to the outbreak at the Charleswood Care Centre;
• a female in her 90s from the Winnipeg health region and linked to the outbreak at the Saul & Claribel Simkin Centre;
• a female in her 90s from the Winnipeg health region and linked to the outbreak at the Bethania Mennonite Personal Care Home;
• a male in his 90s from the Southern Health-Santé Sud health region and linked to the outbreak at Rest Haven Nursing Home;
• a male in his 90s from the Winnipeg health region; and
• a female in her 100s from the Southern Health-Santé Sud health region and linked to the outbreak at Villa Youville Personal Care Home.
The current five-day COVID-19 test positivity rate is 13.8 per cent provincially and 13.2 per cent in Winnipeg. As of 9:30 a.m. today, 447 new cases of the virus have been identified. However, two cases were removed due to a data correction bringing the new total to 445. The total number of lab-confirmed cases in Manitoba is 20,392.
Today’s COVID-19 data shows:
43 cases in the Interlake-Eastern health region;
136 cases in the Northern health region;
35 cases in the Prairie Mountain Health region;
40 cases in the Southern Health-Santé Sud health region; and
193 cases in the Winnipeg health region.
Data also shows:
· 5,517 active cases and 14,410 individuals who have recovered from COVID-19;
· there are 297 people in hospital with 40 people in intensive care due to COVID-19; and
· the total number of deaths due to COVID-19 is 465.
Yesterday 2,723 tests were completed, bringing the total number of lab tests completed since early February to 383,404. Case investigations continue and if a public health risk is identified, the public will be notified.
An outbreak has also been declared at Seven Oaks General Hospital 3U4-7, which has 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.
Public health is advising that starting Jan. 4, 2021, Hanover School Division will move to the Restricted (orange) level, joining other school divisions across the province. Between Jan. 4 and 15, students in Gr. K to 6 may return to in-class instruction or choose remote learning and students in Gr. 7 to 12 will be in remote learning. Hanover School Division remains at the Critical (red) level until the holiday break.
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. Contact your workplace Occupational Health Services or designate. For information on self-isolation, including exceptions, visit www.gov.mb.ca/covid19/fundamentals/self-isolation.html.
The online assessment tool can be found at https://sharedhealthmb.ca/covid19/screening-tool/ and COVID-19 symptoms can be found at https://manitoba.ca/covid19/fundamentals/symptoms.html.
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:https://manitoba.ca/covid19/restartmb/prs/index.html.
