Coronavirus: Record number of tests forces Winnipeg site to redirect patients

A record number of coronavirus tests done in Winnipeg this week forced a testing site to redirect patients who wished to be tested to other locations.

A spokesperson for the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority (WRHA) confirmed that some people at the drive-thru testing site at 1284 Main St. were asked to go to other sites that had more capacity on Tuesday.

“We have seen a significant increase in demand at Winnipeg community COVID-19 testing sites in the last week,” the WRHA spokesperson said in a statement sent to Global News.

“Today, July 21st, they performed the highest number of tests yet in a single day (568). Monday, July 20, had seen a previous high of 523.”

The spokesperson said the sites in Winnipeg have been managing the demand “to the best of their ability” but that long lineups at the Main Street site forced them to turn people away.

“An unanticipated surge in demand at the Main Street drive-thru site (Tuesday) pushed them to full capacity for a period of time, and as such some people arriving for testing were redirected to other testing sites in Winnipeg that had capacity.”

While the WRHA is “in the process of implementing short-term plans to manage this surge,” the spokesperson didn’t say whether previously closed testing sites would reopen.

There are currently three testing sites open in Winnipeg, including the MPI drive-thru testing site at 1284 Main St., St. James Assiniboia Centennial Pool at 644 Parkdale St. and Thunderbird House at 715 Main St.

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Health Links/Info-Santé has also dealt with higher call volumes recently, the spokesperson added.

Manitoba is currently seeing a small spike in cases, most of them linked to a funeral in Alberta that local Hutterite community members attended.

Several Manitoba Hutterite colonies have closed their borders to help contain the spread.

However, there have also been cases in Winnipeg recently, mostly linked to travel.

As of Tuesday, there were 12 new probable and confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus reported in Manitoba.

The new cases bring the total to 366, with 41 active cases and one person in hospital in intensive care.

Manitoba is also considering implementing Phase 4 of reopening as early as this weekend.