Five new COVID-19 deaths recorded in Manitoba; hospital and ICU cases drop

Manitoba health officials reported five new deaths linked to COVID-19 on Thursday, pushing the total to 1,739.

The deaths include a man in his 70s from the Prairie Mountain Health Region and a woman in her 60s from the Interlake-Eastern Health Region.

The other three deaths are all linked to outbreaks in Winnipeg. They include a man in his 50s who is from the Northern Health Region and the outbreak was at the Health Sciences Centre, a woman in her 80s from Winnipeg connected to the Calvary Place Personal Care Home outbreak and a woman in her 80s also from Winnipeg linked to the outbreak at River Park Garden Personal Care Home.

The province also provided more details about deaths from the past week.

 There were 10 deaths and they include:

-A woman in her 100s from the Southern Health Region on Friday;

-Four people from Winnipeg on Saturday – two women in their 70s, a man in his 80s and a man in his 90s;

-A woman in her 70s from the Southern Health Region on Saturday linked to an outbreak at Eastview Place;

-A man in his 90s from Winnipeg on Wednesday;

-Two people from the Interlake-Eastern Health Region on Wednesday – a woman in her 50s and a man in his 70s; and

-A woman in her 90s from the Prairie Mountain Health Region linked to an outbreak at the Dr. Gendreau Personal Care Home on Wednesday.

COVID-19 hospital and ICU patients dropped on Thursday as there are 369 people requiring care, 18 of which in the ICU.

Despite the positive numbers, the province said as of March 23 there have been 128 new hospitalizations which is a 4.9 per cent increase compared to the previous week. The ICU also added 11 new patients which was a 57.1 per cent increase from the previous week.

Manitoba added 209 new cases, bringing the active case count to 3,689. However, health officials have said it is likely numbers are higher as at-home rapid tests are not counted toward the daily total.

Looking at vaccine, 86.4 per cent of eligible Manitobans have received at least one dose, 82.7 per cent are fully vaccinated and 44.6 per cent have received a booster.

According to the province's latest numbers people who are not fully vaccinated are five times as likely to be hospitalized with COVID, seven times more likely to be admitted to ICU and 10 times as likely to die with COVID-19.