News Releases

Media Bulletin - Manitoba

March 20, 2020

COVID-19 Bulletin #23



Public health officials advise the number of lab-confirmed positive and presumptive positive cases in Manitoba remains at 17 at this time.

Surgery programs across Manitoba will begin suspending elective (non-urgent) surgical procedures starting Monday, March 23.  This will help ensure staff, beds, equipment and supplies remain available and flexible for COVID-19 response.

Hospitals across the province will continue with scheduled surgeries for cancer, trauma and other surgeries that cannot be delayed.  Time-sensitive orthopedic, obstetrical, gynecology and ophthalmology surgeries will also continue.a  Surgery slates will be examined to ensure proper patient care continues and any affected patients will be contacted about changes to their care.

Prescription renewals will now be limited to a 30-day supply.  In times where supplies of some medication may be limited, this strategy is designed to ensure people do not stockpile medicine and all patients have access to their medication.

For the next four weeks, CancerCare Manitoba will consolidate two cancer clinics to offer services out of one location.  Cancer clinic services currently offered at Seven Oaks General Hospital will now be delivered out of the Victoria General Hospital Cancer Clinic and affected patients will be contacted by their clinical team.  Visits that can be completed virtually or by phone will continue to be managed in that way and patients requiring treatment will be seen at CancerCare Manitoba’s various cancer clinics.

As demand increases, additional resources continue to be added to Health Links–Info Santé.  More phone lines have been added and additional staff have been deployed to assist with the higher call volume.  Work is nearly complete and an interactive voice recording (IVR) will launch soon to prescreen callers before they speak to a clinician.

A new community testing site opened in Steinbach this morning.  Located at 365 Reimer Ave., the site will operate as a drive-thru, with daily hours of 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.  These locations are not walk-in clinics.  Patients must receive a referral prior to arriving at these sites.  Other locations throughout the province include:
•    Winnipeg – Access Winnipeg West (280 Booth Dr.), Access Fort Garry (135 Plaza Dr.), Access Transcona (845 Regent Ave. West) and the Mount Carmel Clinic (886 Main St.).  Hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. during the week and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
•    Brandon – The Nurses Residence Gymnasium at the Brandon Regional Health Centre
(150 McTavish Ave. East).  Hours are daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
•    Selkirk –  622 Superior Ave.  The drive-thru site will be open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
•    Thompson – Thompson Clinic in the Plaza Mall (50 Selkirk Ave.).  Hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday to Friday.
•    The Pas – Guy Hall, 28 First St. West. Hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday to Friday.
•    Flin Flon – Channing Auditorium in the Flin Flon Community Hall, 2 North Ave.  Hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday to Friday.

More locations are expected to open in the coming days including a new drive-thru location in south Winnipeg.  

The pre-screening tool is now also available in French.  For more information, visit https://covid19.soinscommunsmb.ca/covid19/outil-de-depistage/.

Any person concerned about their exposure to or risk of having COVID-19 should call Health Links–Info Santé at 204-788-8200 or toll-free at 1-888-315-9257 before arriving at a testing site.

For more information and to access the online screening tool for COVID-19, visit:
www.manitoba.ca/covid19.

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BACKGROUND INFORMATION ATTACHED




Backgrounder
Background Information - https://www.gov.mb.ca/asset_library/en/newslinks/2020/03/BG-COVID-19_Bulletin_23_.doc