Manitoba health officials say the number of people infected with the novel Coronavirus in the province remains at 15 confirmed and presumptive cases.
“Public health investigations are continuing on the seven additional positive cases identified yesterday,” said Dr. Brent Roussin, the province’s chief public health officer in a statement sent to media.
“It appears that six of the seven cases are related to travel. Further information about travel is pending for the seventh case.”
Dr. Roussin said no one has needed to be hospitalized at any point during their illness.
Roussin said he wanted to stress social distancing techniques for people at their homes.
“But social distancing is not social isolation,” he said.
More than 2,100 people have been screened for COVID-19 across the seven screening sites in Manitoba over the last six days, said Roussin.
Roussin said he knows people are afraid, but once again urged Manitobans to be calm and to not stockpile.
“Canada’s supply chain is very robust,” he said. “There is no need for panicked buying and stockpiling.”
He also warned against misinformation and urged people to check the local government websites to get credible information.
“Now is the time to implement those social distancing strategies,” Roussin added, thanking businesses that have already implemented strategies.
Lanette Siragusa of Shared Health said blood donations were up yesterday – way up.
The newly launched online screening tool has been updated to handle more traffic and has received about 90,000 hits since being launched, said Siragusa.
Each regional health authority is looking at ways to deliver meals safely to vulnerable seniors, she said.
The turnaround time for processing tests is still 24 hours, said Roussin.
Liquor stores are not being ordered to close at this time.
On Tuesday, the province announced that daycares would close at the end of the day Friday, and casinos would close at midnight that evening.
Here’s the latest bulletin from the province.
Have a COVID-19 question for the provincial government? Send it to elisha.dacey@globalnews.ca and we may ask it at the press briefing.