Manitoba public health officials reported 488 new COVID-19 cases in the province Saturday and three more deaths.
A woman in her 20s from Winnipeg, a man in his 70s from Winnipeg and a man in his 80s from the Prairie Mountain Health region bring the total number of deaths in the province to 990.
The two male victims are also linked to the B.1.1.7 variant of concern (VOC).
The new cases include:
- 17 in the Interlake Eastern health region
- nine in the Northern health region
- 30 in the Prairie Mountain Health region
- 43 in the Southern Health-Santé Sud health region
- 389 in the Winnipeg health region.
Public health officials also announced Saturday that vaccine eligibility has expanded at supersites and pop-up clinics to include anyone aged 35 or older.
First Nations people who are 18 or older are also eligible.
As of Saturday morning, 200 Manitobans remain in hospital, including 139 with active COVID-19 infections and 61 people who are no longer infectious but still require care.
There are 54 patients in intensive care units (ICUs) including 44 with active COVID-19 infections and 10 people who are no longer infectious but still require care.
The province continues seeing high test numbers with 4,462 completed Friday. It brings the five-day test positivity rate to 10.5 per cent provincially and 12.6 per cent in Winnipeg.
There are currently 3,237 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.
As previously announced, the Manitoba government has increased the amount people will pay if fined for a public health order violation.
Fines for people who have received two or more tickets for not wearing a mask have increased from $298 to $486.
Anyone who has received two or more tickets for other penalties under the orders will also pay $2,542 — an increase from $1,296.
The penalty for not paying your ticket in the required timeframe has also increased from $50 to $100.
Fines for businesses are unchanged.