Manitoba’s chief public health officer says another Manitoban with COVID-19 has died and 35 new cases of the virus have been identified across the province.
The latest victim, a man in his 60s from the Winnipeg area, is the province’s 896th reported death linked to COVID-19.
The latest cases include 16 cases in the Winnipeg Health region, one case in the Southern Health region, 16 cases in the Northern Health region, and two cases in the Interlake-Eastern Health region. No new cases were reported in the Prairie Mountain Health region.
There are now 184 people in hospital as a result of novel coronavirus and 25 patients in ICU connected to the virus, according to provincial data.
Since the first infections of COVID-19 were reported in Manitoba last March, the province has now recorded 31,894 cases.
Laboratory testing numbers show 1,220 tests were completed Sunday, bringing the total number of lab tests completed since early February 2020 to 526,593.
Over the weekend Manitoba reported 140 new cases of COVID-19 and attributed the deaths of another six Manitobans to the virus.
On Monday Manitoba released new data that shows COVID-19 infections have disproportionately impacted Indigenous and Black people, as well as other people of colour in the province.
Between May and January, 51 per cent of people who tested positive in Manitoba self-identified as Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour, according to the report.
However, public health points out only 35 per cent of Manitobans belong to a BIPOC group.
The data shows the greatest disparity between population and COVID cases belongs to Filipino and South Asian people.
Dr. Brent Roussin, chief provincial public health officer, said it’s largely linked to pre-existing inequities like housing and employment.
“It’s important to note this is not about the people in these communities making bad choices or people not following public health guidance, we need to look at this data in the context of many factors such as occupation, income, housing adequacy,” Roussin said.
The full report, which includes data from May 1, 2020 to Dec. 31, 2020, can be found on the province’s website.
Vaccine update
On Monday health officials again increased the age eligibility for the general public able to get the COVID-19 vaccine and said appointments for first dose immunizations are now being made for a new large-scale vaccination clinic in Selkirk.
The province’s latest supersite — the fourth such site to open in Manitoba — will begin immunizations at the former Selkirk and District General Hospital March 8.
In a release Monday the province said eligibility for vaccinations has been expanded to include all Manitobans born on or before Dec. 31, 1930 and all First Nations people born on or before Dec. 31, 1950. Up to date eligibility information is available on the province’s website.
The province says appointments will soon be able to be made at another new site set to open at the Access Event Centre in Morden.
There are similar sites already in Winnipeg, Brandon and Thompson.
Meanwhile the province says several northern communities will start using a clinic set up at the airport in Thompson this week.
The first communities participating in this pilot phase at the clinic, known as Vaxport, include Wabowden, Herb Lake Landing, Snow Lake, Grand Rapids and Misipawistik. Communities were selected based on their readiness and ability to travel for the vaccine, the province says.
Efforts are also continuing to vaccinate those living in congregate living facilities, with mobile vaccination teams scheduled to visit some 120 sites across the province this week. Health officials say an estimated 4,800 residents will receive shots this week.
The teams were expected to wrap up an ambitious plan to see all residents of person care homes who wanted a shot vaccinated by the end of last week.
Health officials say more details of that effort will be provided as the data becomes available.
To date, 76,670 doses of vaccine have been administered across Manitoba, including 47,780 first doses and 28,890 second doses, according to provincial data.
The province says so far it’s received a total of 108,460 doses of vaccine, including 79,560 doses of Pfizer vaccine and 28,900 doses of the Moderna vaccine.
Another 16,380 doses of Pfizer vaccine are expected to arrive in Manitoba this week, the province said Monday.
–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, visit our coronavirus page.