WINNIPEG -- A deadly trend of COVID-19 continued in Manitoba on Friday, as health officials announced a near record-breaking number of deaths.

On Friday, Dr. Brent Roussin, the chief provincial public health officer announced 14 more people have died of COVID-19. This is among Manitoba's highest number of COVID-19 deaths in a single day.

"We continue to announce these deaths every day, we continue to announce higher numbers than what we can sustain," Roussin said, adding in total, 280 people have died due to COVID-19 in Manitoba.

Along with these deaths, the province reported 344 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of cases in Manitoba since March to 15,632. These cases push the five-day test positivity rate in the province to 14.5 per cent.

The majority of the cases announced were in the Winnipeg region, which had 178 cases, and a test positivity rate of 14.2 per cent.

The other cases announced on Friday include:

  • 15 cases in the Interlake-Eastern health region;
  • 73 cases in the Northern health region;
  • 13 cases in the Prairie Mountain Health region; and
  • 65 cases in the Southern Health–Santé Sud health region.

INTENSIVE CARE NOW OPERATING AT 152 PER CENT CAPACITY

The province reported 310 more people have been listed as recovered, which brings the total number of recoveries to 6,487. Hospitalizations jumped by 15 on Friday, with a total of 322 people in hospital.

Lanette Siragusa, the chief nursing officer for Shared Health, said as of midnight, the province's intensive care units were operating at 152 per cent of its normal pre-COVID capacity. She said 46 people out of the 110 patients in ICU have COVID-19.

To free up inpatient beds, as well as redeploy staff to help with the surge of COVID-19 patients, the province has postponed 1,136 surgeries in the past month, Siragusa said.

While daily case numbers are no longer dramatically climbing, Roussin said they are staying at a level the province cannot maintain much longer.

ROUSSIN URGES MANITOBANS TO STAY HOME THIS WEEKEND

"The message has been clear and it's been unwavering – it's to stay home," Roussin, asking Manitobans to stay home as much as possible this weekend.

He said there should not be any gatherings this weekend – including faith-based gatherings.

READ MORE: Defiance of church near Steinbach, Man., coming at a cost to neighbouring church

"The weekend is coming up, and so there is always those urges to get together with others, or to run non-essential errands," Roussin said. "My ask to you is to stay home – stay home this weekend. Connect with people virtually, only out for essential reasons, don't leave the province to go shopping, don't do any non-essential activities."

The deaths reported on Friday include:

  • A man in his 50s and a man in his 70s from the Winnipeg health region;
  • A man in his 50s and a man in his 70s from the Interlake-Eastern health region;
  • A man in his 70s from the Southern Health region;
  • Two women in their 80s, and a woman in her 100s from Winnipeg, whose deaths are linked to the outbreak at the Saul and Claribel Simkin Centre;
  • Two men in their 90s from Winnipeg, whose deaths are linked to the outbreak at Golden Links Lodge;
  • A woman in her 90s from the Prairie Mountain Health region, whose death is linked to the outbreak at Fairview Home;
  • A man in his 90s from the Southern Health region, whose death is linked to the outbreak at the Rest Haven Nursing Home;
  • A woman in her 70s from Winnipeg whose death is linked to the outbreak at Parkview Place; and
  • A man in his 90s from Winnipeg whose death is linked to the outbreak at the St. Norbert Personal Care Home.

This is a developing story. More to come.