Manitoba reports one death, slight drop in COVID-19 hospitalizations on Tuesday

Specimens to be tested for COVID-19 are seen at LifeLabs after being logged upon receipt at the company's lab, in Surrey, B.C., Thursday, March 26, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

On the day Manitoba is dropping its remaining COVID-19 public health orders, the province is reporting one new death related to COVID-19, along with a slight drop in hospitalization numbers.

The death, reported in the province’s official dashboard Tuesday afternoon, brings the death toll during the pandemic to 1,717. Information about the death was not available.

The province saw a drop of four hospitalizations on Tuesday, bringing the total to 410 patients dealing with COVID-19. Of the hospitalizations, 186 have active cases.

There are 18 Manitobans receiving intensive care for COVID-19; twelve have active cases.

There were 180 cases reported in Manitoba, though the province has noted the case numbers are likely an undercount due to rapid tests not being included in the total.

The province’s five-day test positivity rate is 15.5 per cent.

Tuesday saw the province remove the last of its public health orders. Masks are no longer required for most indoor settings, including schools and child-care facilities. However, masks are still required for those attending health-care facilities. The province has also said there will no longer be individual case investigations for COVID-19, and Manitoba will no longer generate key codes for the federal COVID Alert app. People who test positive for COVID no longer need to self-isolate, but if a person is showing symptoms, it is recommended that they self-isolate for five days.