WINNIPEG -- The number of cases of the B.1.1.7 variant continues to grow in Manitoba, according to the latest data released by health officials on Wednesday.

The province announced nine additional cases of the variant, which was first discovered in the United Kingdom, during its daily COVID-19 bulletin. All nine cases were in the Winnipeg region.

Manitoba has reported 52 cases of the B.1.1.7 variant and 12 cases of the B.1.3.5.1 variant first found in South Africa.

Manitoba also announced 96 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, bringing the total to 32,996 cases since March 2020. Three previous cases were removed due to a data correction.

No deaths were reported for the third consecutive day. There have been 917 deaths in Manitoba since the pandemic started.

The majority of new cases were in the Northern Health Region, with 51, followed by 40 cases in the Winnipeg Health Region.

The Interlake-Eastern Health Region and the Southern Health Region each had two cases, while the Prairie Mountain Health Region reported one new case.

Manitoba has 1,035 active COVID-19 cases, while 31,044 people have recovered.

There are 61 people in hospital with active cases of COVID-19, including 10 people in intensive care.

The province is also reporting 88 people with COVID-19 in hospital who are no longer infectious, but still require care; 11 of those patients are in intensive care.