Shared Health says COVID-19 cases in hospital staff is seven times higher than it was the week before.
Many hospitalized Manitobas are vaccinated and are not needing intensive care beds.
"We are focussed on building what we call red capacity across the province," Shared Health CEO Adam Topp says in a Thursday press conference. "We have plans in place to expand (capacity)."
Shared Health does not know what they could see with hospitalizations rates in the coming weeks, with Topp saying they will have to see what omicron brings. He says indications are that ICU rates may be less with this variant, but they are planning for the worst-case scenario. The province has 113 intensive care beds, with plans to increase.
Topp is confident that "we have plans in place to deal with what we will see" in hospitals. This could include delaying services. Topp does not expect other provinces to be able to help with hospital care, as they are experiencing case surges of their own.
"We are going to have to meet that need ourselves and that is what we are planning for."
He and Chief Nursing Officer Lanette Siragusa say they are seeing increased hospitalizations, but intensive care needs remain steady.
"We are just watching, it is an emerging situation snd we are planning for more capacity to come," Siragusa says.
The province is expanding its virtual COVID care program to discharge patients to their homes for distanced care.
The CEO says 174 patients have been transferred out of Winnipeg across the province, including 40 this past week. Seven of the recent people were COVID red patients going to Brandon.
"We know these transfers are challenging and difficult, especially over the holiday season.," he says, thanking families for their patience.
Siragusa says they are seeing an increase of 32 per cent of patients in the hospital, including young people. She says 34 hospital patients are under the age of 40, with three of those patients in intensive care.
"The unvaccinated continue to drive the numbers in our care," Siragusa says.
She says there is work underway to increase hospital capacity.
Unvaccinated people are nine times more likely to be hospitalized, and 23 times more likely to be admitted to intensive care.
Along with COVID increasing in the province as a whole, cases are rising in healthcare.
Between December 19-25, 418 healthcare workers tested positive for COVID, including 96 nurses and nursing students, and 49 physicians and student physicians. This is seven times the number of cases the previous week.
Six Red Cross nurses have been brought into Manitoba. Federal government discussions continue.
Allied health, emergency medical system staff, and support staff make up the other cases. She says this is a "very powerful reminder" to get a third vaccine, as many of these healthcare staff cases are in people who have not gotten their third dose.
Urgent care and emergency departments are being visited by people looking for tests, but Siragusa says these facilities cannot do this.