COVID-19 hospitalizations drop in Manitoba, three more deaths reported Wednesday
Manitoba's top doctor says hospitalization rates remain high but are stable – though it is too early to tell where the province is in the pandemic's current wave.
The total number of COVID-19 hospitalizations dropped on Wednesday. According to the provincial COVID-19 dashboard, there were 720 people hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Wednesday – down from 729 hospitalizations on Tuesday.
Of the total hospitalizations, 655 people have active cases. The province is reporting 49 COVID-19 patients are in the intensive care unit, including 44 who have active cases.
"At this point, we do see that hospitalization rates are high, although stable. The same goes for ICU admissions at this point," said Dr. Brent Roussin, the chief provincial public health officer.
"It is still early to describe where definitively we are in this wave. We do know for sure that the virus is very much present in our communities and circulating."
As of Wednesday, the province said 85.5 per cent of eligible Manitobans had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 79.0 per cent have two doses and 39.0 per cent have three doses.
"Currently, children in the five to 11 age group are lagging a bit behind in their uptake of the vaccine so far and are only beginning to get their second doses," said Dr. Joss Reimer, the medical lead of Manitoba's vaccine implementation task force.
As of Wednesday, the province said 55.2 per cent of that age group has received their first dose.
Reimer said children aged five to 11 are eligible for a second dose eight weeks after the first dose unless they live in a First Nation community, in which case they must wait three weeks after the first dose.
THREE MORE COVID-19 DEATHS REPORTED IN MANITOBA
Three more COVID-19 deaths were added on Wednesday, including the deaths of a woman in her 90s and a man in his 70s from Winnipeg, and a woman in her 90s from the Interlake-Eastern health region linked to an outbreak at the Betel Home personal care home.
The deaths reported on Tuesday include two men and a woman in their 70s and two men in their 80s, all from Southern Health-Santé Sud, and two men in their 50s and 60s from Winnipeg.
These most recent deaths bring the total to 1,524.
The province completed 2,194 laboratory tests on Tuesday, with the five-day test positivity rate now at 32.4 per cent.
The province reported 637 new COVID-19 cases, though health officials said the number of daily reported cases is an undercount as many positive results from rapid antigen tests taken at home are not included.
"We are continuing to see a significant amount of spread of COVID-19 in the community," Roussin said.
The total number of reported COVID-19 cases in Manitoba is 117,395, which includes 39,933 active cases and 75,938 recoveries.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.