'COVID-19 is not done with us:' Manitoba reports 30 new cases on Thursday

WINNIPEG — Provincial health officials announced there are 30 news cases of COVID-19 in Manitoba.

Dr. Brent Roussin, the province's chief public health officer, made the announcement on Thursday afternoon.

Of the new cases, 18 are in the Prairie Mountain Health Region, 11 are in the Southern Health Region, and there is one case in the Winnipeg Health Region.

The total case number since early March is now at 474.

Roussin issued a reminder to Manitobans that COVID-19 still remains a concern.

"Today's case numbers is a reminder that COVID-19 is not done with us – that we still need to take those fundamental precautions that we have learned to do so well up until now," he said.

"We've been here before, and we've gotten ourselves out of this by those fundamentals and so this is that reminder that Manitobans need to stick with those fundamentals and we'll again flatten this curve."

The current test positivity rate is 0.90 per cent.

There are 10 people in hospital, five of which are in intensive care. Roussin said there are 118 active cases and 348 people have recovered from the virus.

The death toll remains at eight.

On Wednesday, 564 tests were performed bringing the total to 95,547 since early February.

Roussin also mentioned there was potential exposure of COVID-19 on an Air Canada flight from Montreal to Winnipeg.

Flight AC 8595 happened on July 29 and the affected rows are 16 to 22.

Those in the affected rows are told to self-isolate for 14 days and monitor for symptoms and passengers on the flight and not in the affected seats are told to self-monitor for symptoms and then isolate if symptoms develop.

Roussin added they don't want to add more restrictions for Manitobans and if the fundamentals are followed they won't have to.

He did note, however, that despite seeing high numbers, the majority are already linked to known cases and community transmission continues to be low in Manitoba.

Roussin also touched on breaking down the data more for Manitobans about cases saying they are looking at having more sub-regions of where cases have been identified. On Thursday, the province reported a cluster of 28 COVID-19 cases in Brandon.

"I really caution Manitobans though, about how they use that data. We want Manitobans to feel informed. I work for Manitobans, so we want to hear their concerns," he said, "But again we listed a cluster in Brandon right now, so if you live in Brandon you should practice hand hygiene at all times, physically distance whenever possible, stay home when you are ill. If you don't live in Brandon, you should practice hand hygiene as much as possible, you should physically distance whenever possible, and you should stay home when you are ill."

Roussin added, “This information shouldn't really change the way Manitobans act, because no matter where you are, you should be sticking to those fundamentals."