WINNIPEG -- Manitoba has recorded the single deadliest day since the start of the pandemic, as health officials announced 16 new deaths on Tuesday.
Dr. Brent Roussin, Manitoba's chief provincial public health officer, made the announcement on Tuesday.
The death toll now sits at 328 since COVID-19 hit the province.
Of the deaths, 10 are in the Winnipeg area and include:
- A man in his 70s;
- Two women in their 70s;
- Three women in their 80s, one of which is linked to the outbreak at Fred Douglas Lodge;
- A man in his 80s, a woman in her 90s, and a woman in her 100s, all connected to the Holy Family Personal Care Home; and
- A man in his 90s linked to the outbreak at Golden Links Lodge.
Four of the deaths are from the Southern Health Region. Three of them are men, two in their 70s and one in their 80s. The fourth death is a woman in her 90s who came from the Buhler Active Living Centre in Winkler, which had a reported outbreak.
The other two deaths are in the Prairie Mountain Health Region; a man in his 80s linked to the Fairview Home outbreak and a woman in her 100s connected to the Gilbert Plains Personal Care Home.
Roussin said reading a list like this is saddening and it is something that can't continue.
"This is a tragedy for all Manitobans and so we know that these are much more than numbers. These are people who are missed right now. We know that we can't continue to read lists such as this daily," said Roussin.
Officials also announced 283 new cases, bringing the total to 17,107. One previous case was removed due to a data error.
The cases include 178 from the Winnipeg Health Region, 54 from the Southern Health Region, 22 in the Northern Health Region, 17 in the Interlake-Eastern Health Region, and 12 in the Prairie Mountain Health Region.
The five-day test positivity rate in the province is 13.1 per cent and it is 13.8 per cent in Winnipeg.
Manitoba has 9,066 active cases and 7,713 people have recovered. There are currently 338 people in hospital and 48 of them are in intensive care.
Roussin noted since the start of the pandemic 1,092 people have been hospitalized with COVID-19 and there have been 204 in intensive care
On Monday, 2,253 tests were performed, bringing the total to 357,707 since early February.
Roussin once again tried to hammer home the message that Manitobans must adhere to the current public health orders.
"We just need to continue to get that message out that this is a vital time for Manitobans and we need adherence to the restrictions because we know they work. They have demonstrated time and time again to be effective."
The current round of restrictions is scheduled to come to an end on Dec. 11 and Roussin said they are currently looking at what will come next. He was specifically asked if drive-in religious gatherings might be allowed to occur.
"We will continue to review all these types of issues, including (religious services)," he said.
