In Friday’s news briefing a provincial health authority, Dr. Jas Atwal, explained that while the number and identity of the new variants are being screened for and traced, there’s no cause for deeper shutdowns. The “messaging” continues to encourage people to limit the number of contacts daily. He advised Manitobans to pick their top priorities among the activities now allowed, and not to strive to do ALL that is legal.
He would not go into detail about where the variant cases are. The variants of concern appear to be up to 50 per cent more contagious, but not more lethal, just different. There’s no assurance the vaccines available will be as effective with the variants, but Dr. Atwal said he has received the vaccine and encourages Manitobans to do the same.
Within Prairie Mountain Health, on Saturday, five new cases were reported. The North region continues to lead in the numbers with 46 new cases.
There are some 1500 active cases throughout the province and over 30,000 Manitobans have recovered. There are 133 people hospitalized due to COVID-19 and 21 in ICU.
Public health officials advise a male in his 80s from the Winnipeg Health Region has passed away due to COVID-19.
The current five-day COVID-19 test positivity rate is five per cent provincially and 3.2 per cent in Winnipeg. As of 9:30 a.m. today, 89 new cases of the virus have been identified. However, two cases have been removed due to data correction. This brings the net-new number of cases today to 87 and the total number of lab-confirmed cases in Manitoba to 33,263.
Today’s COVID-19 data shows:
• two cases in the Interlake–Eastern health region;
• 46 cases in the Northern health region;
• five cases in the Prairie Mountain Health region;
• six cases in the Southern Health–Santé Sud health region; and
• 30 cases in the Winnipeg health region.
The data also shows:
• 1,155 active cases and 31,188 individuals who have recovered from COVID-19;
• 56 people in hospital with active COVID-19 as well as 77 people in hospital with COVID-19 who are no longer infectious but continue to require care, for a total of 133 hospitalizations;
• 10 people in intensive care units with active COVID-19 as well as 11 people with COVID-19 who are no longer infectious but continue to require critical care, for a total of 21 ICU patients;
• the total number of deaths in people with COVID-19 is 920; and
• the total number of confirmed variant of concern cases of B.1.1.7 is 63 and B.1.351 is 13, bringing the total number of confirmed variant of concern cases to 76.
