Manitoba adds another 12 COVID-19 deaths, passes 400 death mark

WINNIPEG — Manitoba is reporting another 12 deaths due to COVID-19, bringing the province's total above 400 since the pandemic began in March.

On Monday, Dr. Brent Roussin, the chief provincial public health officer, and Lanette Siragusa, the chief nursing officer for Shared Health, made the announcement.

The death toll is 407.

Half of the new deaths come from the Winnipeg region, including a woman in her 70s, two men in their 80s, one which is linked to the Golden Links Lodge outbreak, two women in their 80s, and a man in his 90s from the St. Norbert Personal Care Home outbreak.

Two women are from the Southern Health Region, one in her 60s from the Health Science Centre outbreak in unit GA3, and the other was in her 70s.

The Northern Health Region had two deaths including a woman in her 80s from the Acute Care Inpatient Unit of The Pas Health Complex at St. Anthony's General Hospital. The other death was a man in his 90s.

One death was a woman in her 70s from the Interlake-Eastern Health Region, and the other was a man in his 70s from the Prairie Mountain Health Region connected to the Grandview Personal Care Home outbreak.

Manitoba also added 325 new cases, bringing the total to 19,131.

Winnipeg saw 191 new cases, 39 are from the Southern Health Region, 38 from the Interlake-Eastern Health Region, 37 from the Northern Health Region, and 20 from the Prairie Mountain Health Region.

The five-day test positivity rate is 13.7 per cent in Manitoba and 14.6 per cent in Winnipeg.

Officials said there are 5,462 active cases and 13,262 people have recovered.

Roussin mentioned the active cases could be even lower as they continue to deal with the backlog of cases.

There are 310 people in hospital and 39 of those are in intensive care.

On Sunday, the province performed 1,736 tests bringing the total to 373,260 since early February.

FOUR MORE DEATHS REPORTED AMONG FIRST NATIONS

Since Friday, 317 Manitoba First Nation members have tested positive for COVID-19. During this time, the Manitoba First Nations COVID-19 Pandemic Response Coordination Team said four more Indigenous people have died related to COVID-19.

These people include a woman in her 60s from The Pas/OCN/Kelsey, a woman in her 60s and a man in his 50s from Winnipeg, and a woman in her 70s from Eriksdale/Ashern.

It said 52 First Nations people living in Manitoba have died of COVID-19.

The total five-day test positivity rate for Indigenous people in the province is 21 per cent.

INFECTIOUS PERSON AT FUNERAL

Roussin warned Manitobans that a person who tested positive for COVID-19 attended a funeral on Nov. 27.

The funeral was held in the Sapotaweyak Cree Nation and the person was in the infectious period when they attended.

Anyone who was at the funeral is being told to self-isolate and contact health officials for further instructions.

STAYING HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS

Roussin once again reiterated that Manitobans should stay home this holiday season and avoid gatherings outside your home, as Hanukah starts this week and Christmas is just a few weeks away.

"We want people to connect with family and friends by phone or other virtual means," said Roussin. "This also extends to snowbirds or those who annually leave to the United States for winter. Canadian citizens and permanent residence are advised to avoid all non-essential travel outside of Canada."

He said the best way to keep friends and family safe this holiday season is to stay home.