Nine more COVID-19 deaths in Manitoba, outbreak prompts hospital ER to close

Manitoba public health officials confirm nine additional deaths in people with COVID-19 have been reported Saturday.

Those deaths are:

• A woman in her 70s from the Interlake-Eastern health region
• A woman in her 60s from the Northern health region
• A woman in her 70s from the Southern Health-Santé Sud region, linked to an outbreak at Morris General Hospital
• A woman in her 50s from the Winnipeg health region
• A woman in her 70s from the Winnipeg health region linked to an outbreak at Fred Douglas Lodge
• A woman in her 80s from the Winnipeg health region
• A woman in her 80s from the Winnipeg health region linked to an outbreak at Fred Douglas Lodge
• A man in his 80s from the Winnipeg health region
• A woman in her 90s from the Winnipeg health region linked to an outbreak at Park Manor Care

The current five-day COVID-19 test positivity rate is 13.2 per cent provincially and 12 per cent in Winnipeg.

As of 9:30 a.m. Saturday, 238 new cases of the virus have been identified, which brings the total number of lab-confirmed cases in Manitoba to 22,630. The new infections are in the following regions:

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• 33 cases in the Interlake-Eastern health region
• 55 cases in the Northern health region
• 16 cases in the Prairie Mountain Health region
• 30 cases in the Southern Health-Santé Sud health region
• 104 cases in the Winnipeg health region

The data also shows there are 5,668 active cases and 16,406 individuals who have recovered from COVID-19.

There are 298 people in hospital, with 44 people in intensive care and the total number of deaths due to COVID-19 is 556.

Laboratory testing numbers show 2,502 tests were completed Friday, bringing the total number of lab tests completed since early February to 401,475.

A new drive-thru testing site, located at 323 Sunset Blvd. in Arborg, opens on Monday.

2:25 Health Sciences Centre staff stretched thin and coping with high stress, uncertainty as pandemic rages

Outbreaks have been declared at Seven Oaks General Hospital units 4U4-7 and 4U8-12, Health Sciences Centre unit GH4, and Deer Lodge Centre on Lodge 4 West in Winnipeg, as well as at Lions Prairie Manor in Portage la Prairie and Northern Spirit Manor in Thompson.

In addition, an outbreak has been declared at the Beausejour Hospital. Due to this outbreak, the emergency department is closed until further notice. The health region asks residents to always call 9-1-1 for emergency care.

These sites have been moved to Critical (red) on the #RestartMB Pandemic Response System.