Manitoba announced five new deaths due to COVID-19 on Saturday with all but one linked to a variant of concern. As well, the province reported 294 new cases, the highest single-day tally since last Friday when there were 329 new cases.
The deaths of a man in his 60s from Southern Health, a woman in her 60s and man in his 60s from Winnipeg were all linked to the B.1.1.7 variant of concern first identified in the United Kingdom while the death of another women in her 60s from Winnipeg was linked to an unspecified variant of concern. As well, a woman in her 70s from Winnipeg passed away.
That brings the total number of deaths from COVID-19 in Manitoba to 1,093, of which 104 were from variants of concern including 90 from B.1.1.7 and 10 from unspecified variants.
The current five-day COVID-19 test positivity rate is 11.2% both provincially and in Winnipeg, both up from Friday’s numbers of 10.6% provincially and 11% in Winnipeg. Of the 294 new cases, 163 were from Winnipeg, 53 from Southern, 32 from Northern, and 23 23 each from Interlake-Eastern and Prairie Mountain. The total number of lab-confirmed cases in Manitoba is now 54,163.
There are 3,437 active cases while 49,633 individuals have recovered. Three hundred and 11 Manitobans are currently hospitalized with COVID-19 in Manitoba and neighbouring provinces including a total of 285 patients in hospital in Manitoba and 82 receiving intensive care in Manitoba and other provinces. Twenty-five of the ICU patients are receiving care in Ontario and one in Alberta while 26 patients previously receiving care in an out-of-province ICU have now been returned to Manitoba hospitals for further care including three who were repatriated Friday.
No COVID-19 patients were transported out of province for care Friday.
A total of 2,225 laboratory tests were completed Friday, bringing the number of lab tests completed since early February 2020 to 799,662.
A COVID-19 outbreak has been declared at the Dauphin Regional Health Centre (medicine unit) in Dauphin. The facility has been moved to the Critical (Red) level on the #RestartMB Pandemic Response System.
Saturday marked the first day of somewhat relaxed provincial public health orders allowing for outdoor gatherings with up to five people on private and public property. The new public health orders were announced Wednesday.
The new orders will remain in effect until Saturday, June 26, at 12:01 a.m.
