For the first time in months, Manitoba health officials are reporting no new deaths connected to COVID-19.
The last time Manitoba went a day without reporting at least one COVID-19-related death was Oct. 20, according to data kept by Global News.
But the province also announced 76 new cases of the virus across the province Tuesday and said another case of the B.1.1.7 COVID-19 variant, which was first discovered in the U.K., has been identified in the province.
A release from the province didn’t say what part of the province the latest case of the B.1.1.7 variant was identified, whether or not the person has recovered, or where the person acquired the virus.
Manitoba has now recorded five lab-confirmed cases of the variant of concern, which is thought to be up to 70 per cent more contagious than other variants.
The previous four cases have all been linked to travel, and health officials have said all four people have since recovered.
Tuesday’s new infections include 47 cases in the Winnipeg Health region, one case in the Prairie Mountain Health region, 21 cases in the Northern Health region and seven cases in the Interlake-Eastern Health region. There were no new cases reported in the Southern Health region Tuesday.
The new cases bring the province’s total number of cases reported since last March to 31,551 after health officials say eight previously announced cases were removed due to data corrections.
The province’s COVID-19 death toll remains at 886.
There are now 216 people in hospital as a result of novel coronavirus and 33 patients in ICU connected to the virus, according to provincial data.
New outbreaks have been declared at St. Boniface Hospital unit A5 and Poseidon Care Centre, both in Winnipeg. Previously declared outbreaks at River East Personal Care Home and Deer Lodge Centre, both in Winnipeg, have ended, the province says.
Public health is also warning about a possible exposure to the virus on Perimeter Airlines flight JV639 on Feb. 17 from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m, from Garden Hill to St. Theresa’s Point to Winnipeg.
The current five-day COVID-19 test positivity rate is 5.0 per cent provincially and 4.3 per cent in Winnipeg.
Provincial data also shows there are 1,212 active cases and 29,453 individuals who have recovered from COVID-19.
Laboratory testing numbers show 1,390 tests were completed 515,792, bringing the total number of lab tests completed since early February 2020 to 515,792.
Manitoba announced 97 new cases and two additional deaths connected to the virus on Monday.
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, visit our coronavirus page.