On Jan. 22, two deaths due to COVID-19 were recorded in Manitoba. With 3,261 active COVID-19 cases in Manitoba and 24,204 individuals who have recovered and the five-day positivity dropping, much of Manitoba appears to be heading out of a crisis.
COVID spread is persistent within the Prairie Mountain Health region with 11 new cases today, Jan. 22.
However, in Northern Manitoba a concerning 64 new cases were recorded today. Trained teams have been deployed to some northern communities such as Lynn Lake to assist citizens there.
For those who become seriously ill and are hospitalized, recovery is slow. Although the number of new cases has dropped to between 100 and today’s 171, the number of people in ICU remains high with 24 people in ICU with active COVID-19 as well as 15 people who are no longer infectious but continue to require critical care for a total of 39 ICU patients.
Two who died were a woman in her 80s from the Southern Health–Santé Sud health region and a man in his 80s from the Winnipeg health region. Both cases were linked to care home outbreaks.
The current five-day COVID-19 test positivity rate is 9.3 per cent provincially and 6.2 per cent in Winnipeg.
Today’s COVID-19 data shows:
• 33 cases in the Interlake-Eastern health region;
• 64 cases in the Northern health region;
• 11 cases in the Prairie Mountain Health region;
• nine cases in the Southern Health–Santé Sud health region; and
• 56 cases in the Winnipeg health region.
The data also shows:
• there are 133 people in hospital with active COVID-19 as well as 141 people in hospital with COVID-19 who are no longer infectious but continue to require care, for a total of 274 hospitalizations;
• there are 24 people in intensive care units with active COVID-19 as well as 15 people with COVID-19 who are no longer infectious but continue to require critical care for a total of 39 ICU patients; and
• the total number of deaths due to COVID-19 is 795.
An outbreak has been declared at Pembina Manitou Health Centre and Personal Care Home in Manitou. The site has been moved to Critical (red) on the #RestartMB Pandemic Response System.
Outbreaks have been declared over at Tabor Home in Morden, Tudor House Personal Care Home in Selkirk, Deer Lodge Centre on Lodge 4 East, West Park Manor Personal Care Home, St. Amant Health and Transition, and the Carpathia Children’s Centre Inc., all in Winnipeg.
Pilot program
All Manitoba teachers, educational support staff and other staff working in schools and directly with students will soon be able to access an appointment for COVID-19 testing at the Fast Pass site at 1066 Nairn Ave. in Winnipeg. Appointments for the pilot site will open to eligible staff working in all schools and school divisions effective Jan. 23.
Eligible clients must be symptomatic, identified as a close contact because of an exposure at school or have a symptomatic household member. Clients will be required to show identification and proof of employer at the time of appointment.
Fast Pass appointments must be made ahead of time by phoning the general appointment line, available at www.gov.mb.ca/covid19/testing/locations.html#appointment, which will triage eligible clients to the Fast Pass site.
The chief provincial public health officer reminds Manitobans to self-isolate immediately at the onset of possible COVID-19 symptoms, no matter how mild. This means staying home from work, school or other daily activities. Testing should be done as soon as possible once symptoms appear. For information on COVID-19 symptoms and guidance on when you should be tested, visit https://manitoba.ca/covid19/fundamentals/symptoms.html.
Manitobans should 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 if anyone 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 after contacting their 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 COVID-19 self-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.
