Two more cases of novel coronavirus in Manitoba

Manitoba health officials say there are two new cases of the novel coronavirus in the province, bringing our total to 275.

As of yesterday, 424 more laboratory tests were performed, bringing the total number of tests performed since early February to 24,723.

A new public health order will take effect Friday, said Lanette Siragusa of Shared Health.

Personal care homes have been getting ready for the order, which requires staff that usually works in one of the homes to only work at a single site.

“This has been a monumental task to plan over the past few weeks,” said Sirgausa.

Of the 127 personal care homes in Manitoba, 121 are ready for the new orders Friday and the remaining six are still working towards to being ready.

Personal care homes across the country have accounted for a large proportion of sickness and death from the novel coronavirus.

“Manitobans still must take precautions, this virus is still circulating,” Dr. Brent Roussin, the province’s chief public health officer said.

Businesses that reopen will have strict guidelines to make sure social distancing continues, he said, and he reiterated the advice we’ve been hearing for weeks: don’t go anywhere if you’re sick, and call Health Links if you have questions. 

On Wednesday, modelling numbers were released that showed, on the high end, that Manitoba could see 6,250 cases of COVID-19 over the next year.

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.