WINNIPEG -- The number of Manitobans who have died of COVID-19 has now surpassed 250, after Manitoba's top doctor reported nine more deaths on Wednesday.

Dr. Brent Roussin, the chief provincial public health officer, said Manitoba's most recent deaths include two men, one in their 40s and one in their 60s, and a woman in her 80s from the Winnipeg health region.

A woman in her 50s and a man in his 80s from the Southern Health–Santé Sud health region were also among the reported deaths.

The province also reported several deaths on Wednesday linked to personal care homes.

The death of a woman in her 70s was linked to the outbreak at the St. Norbert Personal Care Home, and the death of a woman in her 90s was linked to the outbreak at Saul and Claribel Simkin Centre, both of which are in Winnipeg.

The death of a man in his 80s was linked to the outbreak at the Buhler Active Living Centre, and the death of a woman in her 90s was linked to the outbreak at the Rest Haven Nursing Home, both of which are in the Southern Health region.

Roussin said a previously reported death, a man in his 20s from Winnipeg, is incorrect. He said due to a data entry error, the man was mistakenly included in the number of reported COVID-19 deaths. Roussin said this man does have COVID-19 and is currently in isolation.

"These are dealing with a lot of data entry and an error was made in this case," Roussin said, apologizing for any confusion. "We have a lot of safeguards on the data and reviewing of the data, so I remain confident in the numbers that we receive, and we have a process to review and correct when needed."

This brings the total number of deaths in Manitoba to 256.

Along with the deaths, the province reported 349 new cases of COVID-19, which has pushed Manitoba's total number of cases to 14,907. The current five-day test-positivity rate in Manitoba is now 14 per cent.

The majority of these cases were once again in the Winnipeg Health Region, which reported 213 cases of COVID-19 as of Wednesday, bringing the test positivity rate in the region to 14 per cent.

The other cases reported on Wednesday include:

  • 22 cases in the Interlake-Eastern Health Region;
  • 30 cases in the Northern Health Region;
  • 11 cases in the Prairie Mountain Health Region; and
  • 73 cases in the Southern Health–Santé Sud health region.

The province also reported 260 more recoveries, bringing the total number of Manitobans listed as recovered to 5,893.

Roussin said the daily caseloads continue to put a strain on the health care system. He said as of Wednesday, 303 people are in hospital, including 50 people in Intensive care.

Along with these hospitalizations, the province also reported COVID-19 outbreaks had been declared at the Woodhaven Manor in Steinbach and the Lions Manor in Winnipeg.

"Our health-care providers on those front lines are overwhelmed – these number of cases and number of deaths reported can't become the norm," Roussin said.

"The message is quite clear – it is to stay home and leave only for essential reasons. That is the best way that we can quickly reduce the amount of contacts we have and thus bring down the number of cases."