COVID-19

The five-day test positivity rate in Manitoba is now less than five per cent.

Out of Wednesday's 128 new COVID-19 cases in Manitoba, 75 people are not vaccinated and 48 are fully vaccinated. The remaining people are partially vaccinated.  

Cases by health region include:

• 40 cases in Winnipeg
• 33 in Northern
• 29 cases in Southern
• 17 cases in Prairie Mountain
• nine in Interlake-Eastern

Manitoba's test rate is 4.9 per cent.

There are now 63,931 cases with 1,345 of those active.

Dr. Jazz Atwal is cautioning Manitobans against comparing test rates across the province once rural test rates become public knowledge.

The Deputy Chief Public Health Officer was not able to share test rates for areas in Manitoba during a Wednesday press conference but is expecting to be able to share that data by Friday on a bi-weekly basis. This will also include how many PCR tests were taken.

More Ontario residents will soon be eligible for a third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine as of November 6.

“For some groups, two doses may not be enough to achieve a high enough level of protection, or immunity can decrease gradually over time, leaving them at a higher-risk for serious outcomes,” explained Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Kieran Moore.

Manitoba is expanding its third-dose eligibility criteria for the COVID-19 vaccine.

All Indigenous people, including First Nations living on and off reserves, Metis, and Inuit are now able to get a third shot if they are 18-years-old or older.

Dr. Marcia Anderson, the public health lead of the Manitoba First Nations Pandemic Response and Coordination Team says COVID-19 cases in First Nations communities are 4.2 times higher than the national average. 

One new COVID-19 case has been reported by the Northwestern Health Unit in their daily case update. 

The newly found case was discovered in the Dryden/Red Lake Health Region.

Follow up with the person involved and their contacts has started according to protocol. Anyone who is identified as a contact for this case will be contacted directly.

There are four active cases connected to the NWHU catchment area. 

In an effort to help those in need, a Winnipegger also ended up helping his own businesses during a province-wide lockdown.

On Sunday, November 1, 2020, Jay Kilgour was facing the knowledge the restaurants he owned would be closing their doors to the public once again that week.

"With the second lockdown looming on us the Sunday before the closure, I wasn't sure what we would be able to do," Kilgour says about his Fionn MacCool Regent and Grant Park locations. 

As Canada waits for the expected approval of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 5-11, the Northwestern Health Unit wants to remind parents and children to prepare for when that time comes.

“Parents who have questions or would like to discuss the vaccine with their health care provider can book a consultation with a medical professional at Sick Kids, or they can contact their health care provider,” said Dr. Kit Young Hoon, Medical Officer of Health for the NWHU.

Alberta is reporting 315 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours. Of those new cases, over sixty per cent are unvaccinated. 

There are 669 fewer active cases in the province with a total of 6,911.

The positivity rate is at 4.2 per cent. 

Hospitalizations have increased by two for a total of 691.

ICU admissions also increased by two for a total of 159.

Sadly, another eight deaths have been reported for a total of 3,119 in the province. 

Cochrane has 63 active COVID-19 cases and Rocky View County has 67.

Alberta has hit another vaccination milestone.

As of Nov. 1, over 80 per cent of eligible Albertans are now fully vaccinated.

That's over 3.2 million people.

Over 87 per cent of eligible Albertans have received at least one dose.

It should be noted that the milestone only refers to Albertans aged 12 and older, with the full vaccination rate for the province's total population sitting at 67.9 per cent (as of Oct. 28).

The Northwestern Health Unit has reported one new COVID-19 case in the region. 

The newly found case was discovered in the Rainy River Health Region. 

Follow up with the person involved and their contacts has started according to protocol. Anyone who is identified as a contact for this case will be contacted directly.

Currently, there are three active cases connected to the NWHU catchment area.