Manitoba has started testing asymptomatic people for coronavirus as just two new cases were announced on Friday.
The total number of probable and confirmed cases in the province now sits at 292.
One person is in hospital and no one is in ICU. There are 18 active cases, with 267 now considered recovered. The number of deaths in the province remains at seven.
According to provincial data, the two new cases include a male child under ten, and a woman in her 30s, both in Winnipeg.
As of yesterday, an additional 873 laboratory tests were performed. This brings the total number of tests performed since early February to 37,272.
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Roussin confirmed Friday to 680 CJOB that the province has begun screening asymptomatic people. Those without symptoms can present themselves to testing sites to be screened for the virus, but said that could be cut back if sites become overwhelmed.
“It’s way more important to test symptomatic people,” he said.
“We didn’t want to see have a run on asymptomatic testing at the detriment of being able to test symptomatic people.”
The province hopes instead to test asymptomatic people in certain groups, Roussin added.
“For instance, certain groups of people who say are required to leave Manitoba frequently safe for work. We might look at the offering asymptomatic testing to them.”
As of Friday, public health restrictions relaxed to allow more people to gather in one space, including a maximum of 25 people indoors and 50 people outdoors, providing social distancing guidelines are being followed.
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