News Releases

Media Bulletin - Manitoba

October 28, 2020

COVID-19 Bulletin #235



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Public health officials advise three additional deaths due to COVID-19 have been reported, a male in his 80s from Winnipeg linked to the Victoria Hospital outbreak, a female in her 80s from the Interlake–Eastern health region linked to the Misericordia Place outbreak and male in his 40s also from the Interlake–Eastern health region.
 
The current five-day COVID-19 test positivity rate is 7.3 per cent and 170 new cases of the virus have been identified as of 9:30 a.m. However, one case was removed due to a data error. This means the net new number of cases is 169, which brings the total number of lab-confirmed cases in Manitoba to 4,701. 
 
Today’s data shows:
26 cases in the Interlake–Eastern health region;
six cases in the Northern health region;
three cases in the Prairie Mountain Health region;
18 cases in the Southern Health–Santé Sud health region; and
117 cases in the Winnipeg health region.
 
The data also shows:
2,334 active cases and 2,306 individuals who have recovered from COVID-19;
there are 89 people in hospital and 19 people in intensive care; and
the number of deaths due to COVID-19 is 61.
 
Laboratory testing numbers show 3,437 tests were completed yesterday, bringing the total number of lab tests completed since early February to 248,077. Case investigations continue and if a public health risk is identified, the public will be notified.
 
Public health officials advise the outbreak at St. Norbert personal care home has been declared over. 
 
All other 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.
 
In partnership with the chief and council from Cross Lake First Nation and the mayor and council of the Incorporated Community of Cross Lake, provincial public health officials are advising that multiple individuals in the community have tested positive for COVID-19. These cases are related to previously announced public exposures and have led to a high number of close contacts. 
 
Provincial public health officials are working with the community and other partners to address the situation. The community has been moved to Critical (red) on the #RestartMB Pandemic Response System. The chief and council have directed that public gatherings are not permitted and community residents are required to stay at home. People should only leave their residence to seek testing or medical care, or to send one person from a household for essential supplies. People who work in essential services are able to leave their residence for work. Non-medical masks must be worn outside the home.
 
The chief provincial public health officer urges Manitobans to not socialize with people from outside their household, to cut down the number of close contacts, and avoid closed-in or crowded spaces. In addition, they should focus on these fundamentals to help stop the spread of COVID-19:
Stay home if you are sick.
Wash/sanitize your hands and cover your cough.
Physically distance when you are with people outside your household.
If you cannot physically distance, wear a mask to help reduce the risk to others or as required by public health orders.
 
Public health guidance for Halloween trick or treating has been developed. If people do choose to participate in trick or treating this year, information is available on how to do it safely at https://manitoba.ca/covid19/halloween.html
 
Unless recommended by public health officials, 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 officials.
 
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 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.
 
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