Manitoba's test-positivity rate lowest since October, 39 new COVID-19 cases on Friday

WINNIPEG -

Manitoba's test-positivity rate has dipped below three per cent for the first time since October, as public health identifies 39 new cases of COVID-19.

While there were no deaths reported on Friday, the province reported a five-day test positivity rate of 2.9 per cent along with the 39 cases.

This is Manitoba's lowest reported test positivity rate since October 7, 2020, when Manitoba saw a five-day test positivity rate of 2.4 per cent.

 

Five-day test positivity rate in Manitoba and Winnipeg
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Winnipeg reported 15 new cases, with a test positivity rate of 2.7 per cent as of Friday.

The other cases reported include:

• 10 new cases in the Interlake–Eastern health region;
• two new cases in the Northern health region;
• three new cases in the Prairie Mountain Health region; and
• nine new cases in the Southern Health region.

These cases bring Manitoba's total number of cases to 57,065, including 958 active cases and 54,943 recoveries. Two cases were removed from the total due to a data correction.

The number of deaths of people with COVID-19 remains at 1,164.

COVID-19 HOSPITALIZATIONS, ICU NUMBERS DROP 

The number of COVID-19 hospitalizations and intensive care admissions dropped as of Friday, with a total of 119 people with COVID-19 in hospital.

 

COVID-19 hospital and ICU admissions in Manitoba
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Of the patients, 26 are in intensive care including nine who have active cases and 17 who are no longer infectious but still require critical care.

Shared Health told CTV News another COVID-19 patient that had been receiving care in Ontario has been returned to Manitoba. Currently only one COVID-19 patient is receiving out-of-province care in Ontario.

Shared Health said a total of 44 people who had previously been receiving out-of-province care have been returned to Manitoba hospitals.

24 MORE VARIANT OF CONCERN CASES IDENTIFIED FRIDAY

The province identified 24 variant of concern cases as of Friday, bringing the total number of variant of concern cases in Manitoba to 16,202. This includes 630 active cases and 15,403 recoveries. There have been 169 deaths linked to variants of concern.

 

Total Variant of Concern cases in Manitoba
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Of the new cases, one was identified as the Delta variant (B.1.617.2) which has a total of 449 cases in the province. Of these cases, 37 are considered active.

Four of the cases identified as of Friday at the Alpha variant (B.1.1.7.), which has a total of 7,060 cases in the province. Of these cases 401 are considered active.

Nineteen of the cases identified on Friday were listed as unspecified.