Manitoba reports 3 new cases of COVID-19, bringing total to 253

Health officials in Manitoba are announcing 3 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the province’s total to 253. No new deaths are being reported.

This comes after zero cases of the novel coronavirus were reported in Manitoba on Friday.

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As of 9:30 a.m. Saturday, seven people were in hospital, four in the intensive care unit. There are 108 active cases and 140 people have recovered. Five people have died.

On Friday, for the first time ever, the province saw more recovered cases than active cases, something Roussin says is significant.

“This is thanks to the efforts of Manitobans for staying home, for practising social distancing.” Roussin said at the province’s Friday COVID-19 update. “We’ve seen likely some benefits from our collective work.

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“Again, we need to remain cautious that our risk is not reduced, the virus is still in Manitoba (and) we need to continue our efforts at social distancing and continue to follow these numbers closely.”

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Questions about COVID-19? Here are some things you need to know:

Health officials caution against all international travel. Returning travellers are legally obligated to self-isolate for 14 days, beginning March 26, in case they develop symptoms and to prevent spreading the virus to others. Some provinces and territories have also implemented additional recommendations or enforcement measures to ensure those returning to the area self-isolate.

Symptoms can include fever, cough and difficulty breathing — very similar to a cold or flu. Some people can develop a more severe illness. People most at risk of this include older adults and people with severe chronic medical conditions like heart, lung or kidney disease. If you develop symptoms, contact public health authorities.

To prevent the virus from spreading, experts recommend frequent handwashing and coughing into your sleeve. They also recommend minimizing contact with others, staying home as much as possible and maintaining a distance of two metres from other people if you go out.

For full COVID-19 coverage from Global News, click here.