One death linked to Alpha variant, Manitoba's test positivity rate falls to lowest level since April
The province has reported another death linked to the Alpha variant, as Manitoba's test positivity rate dipped below six per cent for the first time since April.
The death reported on Friday was a man in his 70s from the Southern Health Region, linked to the Alpha variant (B.1.1.7).
This brings the total number of deaths of people with COVID-19 in Manitoba to 1,135.
Along with this, the province reported 85 new cases and a five-day test positivity rate of 5.9 per cent.
This is the lowest test positivity rate since April 19, when the province reported a rate of 5.7 per cent.
The majority of cases were in Winnipeg, which reported 53 new cases on Friday and a five-day test positivity rate of 6.5 per cent. The region has 803 active cases.
The other cases reported on Friday include:
- 10 cases in the Interlake-Eastern health region, which has 231 active cases;
- eight cases in the Northern health region; which has 285 active cases;
- five cases in the Prairie Mountain Health region; which has 112 active cases; and
- nine cases in the Southern Health region, which has 204 active cases.
The new cases bring Manitoba's total to 55,777, including 1,635 active cases and 53,007 recoveries. One case was removed from the total due to a data correction.
Hospitalizations dropped on Friday, with a total of 185 COVID-19 patients in hospital. This is compared to 200 COVID-19 hospitalizations on Thursday.
However, the total number of COVID-19 patients in intensive care in Manitoba increased by two on Friday, with 54 patients in ICU. Of these people, 28 have active cases and 26 are no longer infectious but still require critical care.
The number of Manitoba ICU patients receiving care in other provinces remained at 12 on Friday, with 11 in Ontario and one in Alberta. No other COVID-19 patients were taken out of the province for care on Thursday.
The province said so far, 35 patients who were receiving out-of-province care have been returned to Manitoba hospitals.
The province said 1,625 laboratory tests were completed on Thursday, bringing the total since early February 2020 to 823,640.
This is a developing story. More to come.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.