COVID-19 Bulletin #541

Public health officials advise four new deaths in people with COVID-19 are being reported today:

• a male in his 50s from the Winnipeg health region (reported Tuesday);
• a male in his 60s from the Interlake-Eastern health region (reported Tuesday);
• a male in his 60s from the Prairie Mountain Health region (reported Wednesday); and
• a male in his 70s from the Interlake-Eastern health region (reported Wednesday). 

Today's five-day COVID-19 test positivity rate is 6.2 per cent provincially and 4.4 per cent in Winnipeg. As of 9:30 a.m. today, 370 new cases of the virus have been identified since Monday: 164 cases on Tuesday, Dec. 14 and 206 cases today. This includes: 

Nine cases have been removed due to data correction. The total number of lab-confirmed cases in Manitoba is 70,340.

There were 206 new cases identified in Manitoba today. Of these, 110 are in individuals who were not fully vaccinated. This includes:

Today’s data also shows:

• 1,779 active cases and 67,204 individuals who have recovered from COVID-19;
• 139 Manitobans hospitalized with COVID-19 including 88 people with active COVID-19 as well as 51 people who are no longer infectious; 
• a total of 34 Manitoba patients receiving intensive care for COVID-19 including 26 people in intensive care units with active COVID-19 as well as eight people who are no longer infectious but continue to require critical care;
• one new case of B.1.1.529 (omicron) variant has been confirmed in Manitoba for a total of six;
• 3,171 laboratory tests were completed yesterday bringing the total number of lab tests completed since early February 2020 to 1,217,584; and
• the total number of deaths in people with COVID-19 is 1,357.

Outbreaks have been declared over at:

• Country Meadows Personal Care Home;
• Ecole Assiniboine, Grade 5 class; and
• Portage District General Hospital Dialysis Unit.

Vaccine

To have the fullest protection possible against COVID-19 going into the holiday season, Manitobans are encourages to get their second and third dose as quickly as possible.  While COVID-19 vaccine appointments continue to be available at regional or provincial vaccine clinics, for many people the fastest way to be immunized is at a nearby medical clinic, pharmacy or urban Indigenous clinic. Check the online vaccine finder or with a medical clinic or pharmacy near you that provides the COVID-19 vaccine to find the next available opportunity to be immunized. 

The timeline between second and third doses is being shortened for some individuals.  Anyone ages 60 or older or those ages 18 or older who live in a First Nations community who received their second dose on or before July 10 are now strongly encourages to receive their third dose. A six-month timeframe between second and third doses continues to be recommended for most other eligible Manitobans. More information is available at https://manitoba.ca/covid19/vaccine/eligibility-criteria.html#third. 

Eligibility for first and second doses of the COVID-19 vaccine continues to include anyone ages five or older. Second-dose appointments can be made for children ages five to 11.  The interval between first and second doses must be a minimum of eight weeks, or a minimum of 21 days for children living in First Nations communities.