Health officials say another six Manitobans have died from COVID-19 and 59 more have been infected with the virus.
The latest cases announced on the province’s online COVID-19 portal Wednesday bring the province’s total number of cases reported since March to 30,417.
Since March of last year, 859 Manitobans have died from COVID-19.
The latest cases include 21 cases in the Winnipeg Health region, four cases in the Southern Health region, two cases in the Prairie Mountain Health region, 31 cases in the Northern Health region, and one cases in the Interlake-Eastern Health region.
The latest deaths include:
- a man in his 70s from the Northern health region, linked to outbreaks at St. Paul’s Personal Care Home and St. Anthony’s General Hospital, dialysis unit;
- a woman in her 70s from the Southern Health–Santé Sud health region, linked to the outbreak at Heritage Life Personal Care Home;
- a woman in her 80s from the Winnipeg health region, linked to the outbreak at Bethania Mennonite Personal Care Home;
- a woman in her 80s from the Winnipeg health region, linked to the outbreak at Parkview Place Personal Care Home;
- a woman in her 80s from the Winnipeg health region; and
- a man in his 80s from the Winnipeg health region.
There are now 255 people in hospital as a result of novel coronavirus and 34 patients in ICU connected to the virus, according to provincial data.
The five-day COVID-19 test positivity rate is 5.2 per cent provincially and 4.1 per cent in Winnipeg.
Health officials say 1,610 tests for novel coronavirus were done Tuesday, bringing the total number of tests done across the province since February to 493,825.
There were 1,573 active cases of COVID-19 across Manitoba on Wednesday, according to provincial data.
Health officials reported three additional deaths and 75 new cases of the virus Tuesday.
Earlier that day, Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister announced his government is easing some of its COVID-19 restrictions starting Friday.
Under the changes, restaurants will be allowed to open for in-person dining for the first time since November, at 25 per cent capacity. Customers will only be allowed to sit with members of their household.
Gyms, indoor rinks, museums, libraries, tattoo parlours will also be free to open at 25 per cent capacity.
Indoor religious services will be allowed to resume at 10 per cent capacity or 50 people, whichever is lower.
But as Manitoba moves to loosen restrictions, health officials also said Tuesday the province has recorded its first case of the B.1.1.7. variant, which was first discovered in the U.K.
Chief public health officer, Dr. Brent Roussin said the case was linked directly to travel and the patient has recovered since first testing positive on Jan. 22.
The province said there is no evidence that the variant is spreading in Manitoba.
–With files from The Canadian Press
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.