WINNIPEG -- Manitoba has crossed 50,000 total cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic was declared in March 2020.

On Friday, the province announced 497 new infections, bringing the total to 50,144. Four cases were removed due to a data correction.

Of the new cases, Winnipeg had the highest number with 324, the Prairie Mountain Health Region had 80 cases, 36 cases are from Southern Health, 32 cases are in the Interlake-Eastern Health Region and 25 are from the Northern Health Region.

No new deaths were reported in Manitoba on Friday. There have been 1,042 deaths in Manitoba since the pandemic started. The province said one previously announced death was removed.

There are 4,676 active cases and 44,426 have recovered.

A total of 312 Manitobans are currently hospitalized. Of the hospitalizations, 238 people have active COVID-19 cases, while 74 people are no longer infectious, but still need the care.

There are 69 ICU patients currently in Manitoba hospitals. Of those patients, 49 people have active COVID-19 cases, while 29 people are no longer infectious, but still need care.

Shared Health announced two new ICU patients have been transferred out of Manitoba, one to London, Ont. and the other to Saskatchewan.

"At the requests of our partners in Saskatchewan and to ensure the privacy of patients being transferred to facilities in that province, we will not indicate the specific receiving facility," a spokesperson for Shared Health said in an email to CTV News.

A total of 28 patients have been transferred from Manitoba ICUs, 27 to Ontario and one to Saskatchewan.

One patient has been returned to Manitoba as their health improved.

Shared Health said more patients are scheduled to be transferred on Friday.

Manitoba’s five-day test-positivity rate is 12.5 per cent, while it is at 14 per cent in Winnipeg.

On Thursday, 3,480 tests were completed, bringing the total to 761,479 since February 2020.

COVID-19 variants have climbed over the 10,000 mark as Manitoba has 10,176 variant cases.

There are 2,687 active cases and 7,429 have recovered. Sixty people have died due to variants.

There has been 5,461 unspecified variant cases, 4,555 B.1.1.7 cases, 108 P.1 cases, 34 B.1.351 variant cases, eight B.1.617.1, seven B.1.617.2, and three B.1.617 cases.