Manitoba’s already grim COVID-19 outlook grew even dimmer Thursday as health officials announced 427 new cases and four additional deaths from the virus.
The cases bring the province’s total reported since March to 7,177 and includes 4,166 that health officials say remain active.
The latest deaths include a woman in her 50s from the Southern Health region, a woman in her 80s from the Winnipeg health region connected to an outbreak at St. Boniface Hospital, and two people — a man and woman in their 70s both from Winnipeg — linked to an outbreak a Victoria Hospital.
They bring Manitoba’s death toll from COVID-19 to 91.
On Wednesday health officials confirmed an outbreak has also been declared at Health Sciences Centre, leaving only one of Winnipeg’s four hospitals without an outbreak.
Provincial data shows there are currently 153 people in hospital with COVID-19 and 16 who are in intensive care.
Of the 427 new cases reported Thursday, 265 are in the Winnipeg health region, 55 are in the Southern Health region, 60 are in the Northern health region, 32 are in the Interlake-Eastern health region, and 15 are in the Prairie Mountain Health region.
The province’s five-day COVID-19 test positivity rate is 8.9 per cent, according to the province.
New outbreaks, lockdown for Peguis
The list of personal care homes with outbreaks across the province also grew Thursday and health officials increased restrictions in another First Nation community.
The province said new outbreaks have been declared at Rest Haven Care Home, Cedarwood Supportive Housing, and Bethesda Place in Steinbach, as well as Park Manor Care Home in Winnipeg.
The facilities have been moved to red, or critical, on the province’s pandemic response system.
The province says outbreaks have been declared over at Meadowood Manor in Winnipeg and the YWCA in Thompson.
Manitoba’s chief public officer of health has signed new orders requiring personal care home staff and replacement agencies to comply with the restrictions on working in more than one personal care home, and exempt additional staff from the orders.
The province says previous orders placed the obligation only on personal care home operators.
Meanwhile health officials said Thursday Peguis First Nation has been moved to red, or critical, on the province’s COVID-19 response system.
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In a release the province said they’re working with the First Nation’s chief and council in an effort to curb “a trend of concerning case numbers” in the community.
The orders mean public gatherings are no longer permitted and residents are required to stay at home with the exception of seeking testing or medical care, or to send one person from a household for essential supplies.
People who work in essential services will be able to leave their residence for work under the orders, and mon-medical masks must be worn outside the home.
Provincial data shows 4,055 tests for COVID-19 were completed Wednesday, bringing the total number of lab tests completed since early February to 272,901.
Questions about COVID-19? Here are some things you need to know:
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. In situations where you can’t keep a safe distance from others, public health officials recommend the use of a non-medical face mask or covering to prevent spreading the respiratory droplets that can carry the virus. In some provinces and municipalities across the country, masks or face coverings are now mandatory in indoor public spaces.
For full COVID-19 coverage from Global News, click here.
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