Manitoba's Chief Public Health Officer says they will be updating the public health orders in the coming days.
Dr. Brent Roussin, the chief provincial public health officer says during a Wednesday press conference that updated health order will be coming. The current orders expire on Tuesday.
Roussin would not say if there would be changes to gatherings, entertainment venues, or business. He says the province will need to give people time to prepare before the new orders come out.
Roussin says that the reportable COVID-19 test numbers are significantly lower, saying PCR test positives are "a fraction of the rapid tests."
"Everyone should be monitoring for symptoms and taking action even if mild symptoms show up," he says.
The doctor is strongly recommending vaccinations, saying it is a tool during this wave. Looking at wastewater data, Roussin says they saw what could be a peek in early January, but there is large fluctuation, making wastewater data difficult to use as a COVID-19 case determiner. Hospitalizations, which are facing further strain, us what the doctor is watching closest.
Dr. Joss Reimer, the medical lead of the Vaccine Implementation Task Force is joining Roussin at the conference. She says the five to 11 age group is lagging behind in COVID-19 vaccinations, saying second doses are slow.
Roussin says individual COVID-19 close contact exposure notices at child care facilities will not be sent. Roussin says this aligns with regulations at schools and early learning child-care centres.
"Children or staff exposed to COVID-19 in the child care and school settings may continue to attend child care and school if they are asymptomatic," the province says in a statement. "Attendance of children and staff will be based on symptom screening."
Overall cases in child care centres will be monitored by public health. If increased COVID-19 activities are suspected, the facility will be contacted by public health.
Hospitalizations
There are 720 people who are hospitalized with COVID-19. This includes 655 active COVID cases.
"There is no doubt that there is a significant strain on the healthcare system," Roussin says.
The provincial COVID-19 dashboard says 49 people are in intensive care, and 44 of those people have active cases.
The doctor says they will be updating information to clarify if a COVID-19 patient admitted is there because of COVID-19 symptoms or if they have other issues and test positive.
There are 1,524 deaths, an increase of three people.
Deaths include:
- a male in his 70s from Southern Health-Santé Sud (reported Tuesday)
- a male in his 80s from Southern Health- Santé Sud (reported Tuesday)
- a female in her 70s from Southern Health- Santé Sud (reported Tuesday)
- a male in his 60 from the Winnipeg health region (reported Tuesday)
- a male in his 70s from Southern Health-Santé Sud (reported Tuesday)
- a male in his 50 from the Winnipeg health region (reported Tuesday)
- a male in his 80s from Southern Health- Santé Sud (reported Tuesday)
- a female in her 90s from the Winnipeg health region (reported Wednesday)
- a male in his 70 from the Winnipeg health region (reported Wednesday)
- a female in her 90s from the Interlake-Eastern health region and linked to outbreak at the Betel Home personal care home (reported Wednesday)
Outbreaks
Outbreaks have been declared at:
- Misericordia Place, Winnipeg;
- Health Sciences Centre, GB3, Winnipeg;
- Eriksdale personal care home, Erikdale; and
- Swan Valley Health Centre, extended treatment unit, Swan Valley.
Outbreak declared over at:
- Children’s Hospital, CK5 oncology unit, Winnipeg;
- Seven Oaks General Hospital, units 4U4-7 and 4U8-12, Winnipeg;
- Brandon Regional Health Centre, 400 medical unit, Brandon; and
- Thompson General Hospital, obstetrics and neonatal unit, Thompson.
New cases
Roussin says the province is seeing very few COVID-19 reinfections despite high COVID-19 cases. As of one month ago, there were less than one dozen COVID-19 reinfections.
There are 637 new COVID-19 cases being recorded Wednesday.
There are 39,933 recorded active cases and 75,938 recoveries.
With files from Taylor Brock