COVID-19: 183 new Manitoba cases Saturday, vaccine eligibility expands

Manitoba public health officials announced 183 new cases of COVID-19 and three new deaths Saturday, one of which is related to a current outbreak.

Of the new cases, six are variants of concern (VOC). The total number of VOC cases is now 710.

The three deaths include a man in his 60s from the Northern health region and two men in their 80s from Winnipeg, one of which is linked to the outbreak at Health Sciences Centre GD4. The total number of deaths in the province is now 958.

New cases include:

• 7 cases in the Interlake-Eastern health region
• 24 cases in the Northern health region
• 12 cases in the Prairie Mountain health region
• 13 cases in the Southern Health-Santé Sud health region
• 127 cases in the Winnipeg health region

As of Saturday morning, there are 58 people in hospital with active COVID-19 infections and 70 who remain in hospital but are no longer infectious totaling 128 hospitalizations.

There are also 15 people in intensive care units (ICUs) with active COVID-19 infections and 17 who are no longer infectious totaling 32 ICU patients.

After 2,828 Manitobans went for a COVID-19 test Friday, the five-day test positivity rate for the province is 5.3 per cent and 5.4 per cent in Winnipeg.

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Public health is also declaring an outbreak at Russell Health Centre in Russell and Lions Prairie Manor Personal Care Home in Portage la Prairie. Both locations have moved into the Critical (Red) level on the pandemic response system.

The outbreak at Grace Hospital 3 South in Winnipeg and St. Anthony’s Hospital Psychiatric Unit in The Pas have been declared over.

Vaccine eligibility has expanded Saturday to include anyone 56 years of age or older and First Nations people aged 36 or older.

If you are eligible, you can book your appointment online or call 1-844-626-8222.