Public Health is providing more details on Manitoba's first identified case of the B.1.1.529 (omicron) variant.
A statement from the Province of Manitoba says they have detected one case of the omicron variant. They say it comes from someone travelling from one of the 10 federally advised countries.
"The new variants spread the same way as the original COVID-19 virus. Manitobans should continue following public health orders, limit contact with others, focus on the fundamentals to limit the spread of COVID-19 (including variants) and protect themselves and those around them," the province says in the statement.
They say aggressive case and contact management is underway. The province says positive COVID-19 specimens will be tested for variant mutations.
They are reminding Manitobans to:
- get vaccinated
- check yourself for symptoms every day
- stay home when you are sick, even if symptoms are only mild
- get tested if you have symptoms of COVID-19
- maintain social (physical) distancing
- wear a mask when social (physical) distancing is not possible
- wash your hands when social (physical) distancing is not possible
- follow all public health advice and direction if you have returned from travel or have been identified as close contact to a case with a variant of concern
New cases
There are 93 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, bringing the total number of cases to 68,938. Out of Tuesday's new cases, 48 people are not vaccinated, 40 people are fully vaccinated, and five people are partially vaccinated.
New cases by health region include:
- 38 cases in Southern
- 34 cases in Winnipeg
- 11 cases in Northern
- six cases in Interlake-Eastern
- four cases in Prairie Mountain
There are 1,565 active cases and 66,035 recoveries. Manitoba's five-day COVID-19 test positivity rate is 6.4 per cent.
Hospitalizations and deaths
The province says four more people have died, bringing the total number of deaths to 1,338.
There are 152 people in the hospital, with 95 of those people having active cases.
In intensive care, there are 32 people, 24 of which have active cases.
This article has been corrected to say the omicron infection comes from someone travelling from one of the 10 federally advised countries.