65 new cases, 1 COVID-19 death announced in Manitoba Monday

Manitoba health officials provide COVID-19 update Dr. Brent Roussin and Dr. Marcia Anderson update the current COVID-19 situation in Manitoba.

WINNIPEG — Manitoba health officials are reporting 65 new cases of COVID-19 and one new death on Monday.

Announced in a news conference Monday, Dr. Brent Roussin, the chief provincial public health officer also gave details on three other deaths, which occurred over the weekend.

Three of the deaths are from the Winnipeg health region and are linked to the B.1.1.7 (Alpha) Variant of Concern. One of the deaths was a man in his 40s, one was a man in his 60s and one was a man in his 80s.

The third death is a man in his 70s from the Southern Health–Santé Sud health region, also linked to the alpha variant of concern.

The COVID-19 death toll now sits at 1,151 in Manitoba.

Along with the deaths, the province saw 65 new cases and removed one due to a data error, bringing the total to 56,482.

The Winnipeg Health Region had the highest number of new cases, with 35. The five-day test positivity rate in the city is now 6.3 per cent.

Of the remaining cases, five came from the Southern Health Region, five cases were in the Northern Health Region, nine cases were in the Interlake-Eastern Health Region, and 11 were in the Prairie Mountain Health Region.

Manitoba currently has 1,022 active cases and 54,309 people have recovered.

Since July 2, 177 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Manitoba.

There are currently 156 Manitobans being treated in hospitals with COVID-19 in Manitoba and in neighbouring provinces.

According to Monday’s update, 63 patients are in Manitoba hospitals with active cases of COVID-19, including 16 people in ICU. Another 87 people are no longer infectious but still require care, including 24 in intensive care.

Six patients are also being treated in intensive care units outside of the province, all of them in Ontario.

On Saturday, 1,126 tests were completed, bringing the total to 837,004 tests given since February 2020.

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

In the news conference, Dr. Roussin hinted at what Manitobans can expect in the coming months.

"So looking at other jurisdictions that have had high vaccine rates, we can see that perhaps this pandemic's days are numbered. (There is) Certainly reason to be hopeful considering Manitoba's vaccine uptake," he said.

Roussin said as cases continue to drop, the province won't be reporting daily on case numbers and other data. He also mentioned that a post-pandemic Manitoba wouldn't have any public health restrictions.

"Our ability to reopen businesses, services, facilities, to gather with each other once again relies on Manitobans getting those two vaccines," said Roussin. "Immunization is key to a post-pandemic Manitoba."

Roussin said he is confident the province will keep meeting its reopening targets.

"It definitely ahead of schedule for our targets," said Roussin. "I think it's quite hopeful to see how quickly we can come close to these targets. Given the dates we had set forth, we are looking at continuing to be ahead of schedule."