MB Government: COVID-19 Bulletin #526

Press Release

November 4, 2021

Public health officials advise five new deaths in people with COVID-19 are being reported today:

• a male in his 80s from Southern Health-Santé Sud (reported Tuesday) linked to an unspecified variant of concern;
• a female in her 70s from Southern Health-Santé Sud (reported Wednesday) linked to an unspecified variant of concern;
• a male in his 80s from Prairie Mountain Health (reported Wednesday) linked to an unspecified variant of concern;
• a male in his 40s from Southern Health-Santé Sud (reported Thursday) linked to an unspecified variant of concern; and
• a male in his 80s from Southern Health-Santé Sud (reported Thursday) linked to an unspecified variant of concern.

Today’s five-day COVID-19 test positivity rate is 4.9 per cent provincially and two per cent in Winnipeg. As of 9:30 a.m. today, 409 new cases of the virus have been identified since Monday: 127 cases on Tuesday, Nov. 2; 128 cases on Wednesday, Nov. 3; and 154 cases today. This includes:

• 31 cases in the Interlake-Eastern health region;
• 80 cases in the Northern health region;
• 49 cases in the Prairie Mountain Health region;
• 149 cases in the Southern Health-Santé Sud health region; and
• 100 cases in the Winnipeg health region.

Six cases have been removed due to data correction. The total number of lab-confirmed cases in Manitoba is 64,083.

There were 154 new cases identified in Manitoba today. Of these, 102 are in individuals who were not fully vaccinated. This includes:

• 15 new cases, with seven not fully vaccinated, in the Interlake-Eastern health region;
• 21 new cases, with nine not fully vaccinated, in the Northern health region;
• 15 new cases, with 11 not fully vaccinated, in the Prairie Mountain Health region;
• 70 new cases, with 59 not fully vaccinated, in the Southern Health-Santé Sud health region; and
• 33 new cases, with 16 not fully vaccinated, in the Winnipeg health region.

Today’s data also shows:

• 1,145 active cases and 61,685 individuals who have recovered from COVID-19;
• 115 Manitobans hospitalized with COVID-19, including 86 people with active COVID-19 as well as 29 people who are no longer infectious;
• a total of 24 Manitoba patients receiving intensive care for COVID-19, including 19 people in intensive care units with active COVID-19 as well as five people who are no longer infectious but continue to require critical care;
• 3,644 laboratory tests were completed yesterday, bringing the total number of lab tests completed since early February 2020 to 1,101,265 and
• the total number of deaths in people with COVID-19 is 1,253.

Outbreaks have been declared at:

• Health Sciences Centre, unit GD2, surgery, in Winnipeg;
• Portage District General Hospital, medicine unit, in Portage la Prairie; and
• Fernwood Place in Steinbach.

These three facilities have been moved to Critical (Red) level on the #RestartMB Pandemic Response System.

An outbreak has also been declared at Stony Mountain School, grade 5 and 6 class in Stony Mountain. The class has been moved to remote learning and the school moved to the Restricted (Orange) level on the #RestartMB Pandemic Response System.

Possible exposure locations are listed online by region at the province’s #RestartMB Pandemic Response System webpage. For up-to-date information on possible public exposures to COVID-19 in regions, visit www.gov.mb.ca/covid19/updates/flights.html#event and click on your region.

Remembrance Day ceremonies can proceed following the gathering limits outlined in public health order 2:

• at ceremonies where proof of vaccination is not required, indoor gatherings are limited to 25 people or 25 per cent capacity, whichever is lower, and outdoor gatherings are limited to 50 persons;
• ceremonies in locations that are specifically addressed in the orders (such as licensed premises) must follow the orders specific to those locations; and
• for ceremonies where proof of vaccination is required, there are no limits on gatherings.

For more information, visit https://manitoba.ca/covid19/resources/general_guidance.html for guidance on limiting COVID-19 transmission risk and for guidelines for vocalists and instrumentalists visit www.gov.mb.ca/asset_library/en/covid/restoring-vocalists-instrumentalists.pdf.

Manitobans are reminded that they must follow public health orders and respect the businesses that are doing their part to protect Manitobans by implementing and following those rules and policies. The Manitoba government appreciates the partnership of our business community to help keep Manitobans safe and protected from COVID-19 and while the province reopen.

The Manitoba government is also providing an update on ongoing enforcement efforts to protect Manitobans from the spread of COVID-19. A total of 40 warnings and nine tickets were issued for the week of Oct. 25 to 31, including:

• one $1,296 ticket to an individual; and
• eight $298 tickets to individuals for failure to wear a mask in an indoor public place.

Manitobans are urged to continue reporting compliance and enforcement issues by visiting www.manitoba.ca/COVID19 and completing the reporting form, or by calling 204-945-3744 or (toll-free) 1-866-626-4862 and pressing option three on the call menu. Updated enforcement statistics are posted online weekly at https://manitoba.ca/openmb/infomb/departments/index.html#cdr.

Additional data is available at https://geoportal.gov.mb.ca/. Data related to COVID-19, variants of concern, outbreaks and some downloadable and historic data can also be found at this site.

For up-to-date information on COVID-19 in Manitoba, including the online screening tool, testing criteria and locations, self-isolation requirements, public health fundamentals and the provincial response level on the #RestartMB Pandemic Response System, visit www.manitoba.ca/COVID19.

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For more information:

• Public information, contact Manitoba Government Inquiry: 1-866-626-4862 or 204-945-3744.
• Media requests for general information, contact Communications and Engagement: newsroom@gov.mb.ca.
• Media requests for ministerial comment, contact Communications and Stakeholder Relations: 204-290-5374.

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