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Today health officials announced a confirmed case of the B.117 COVID-19 variant in Manitoba – the variant that was first identified in the U.K.
Dr. Brent Roussin says the confirmed case is related to international travel and the person has since recovered. Five household contacts are self-isolating but none of them have tested positive.
In today’s daily COVID-19 update, 75 new cases and 3 more deaths were reported.
A man from Prairie Mountain Health and two women from Winnipeg are the most recent deaths in Manitoba due to COVID-19.
Today’s new COVID-19 cases are in the following health regions:
• three cases in Interlake–Eastern health region
• 16 cases in the Northern health region
• zero cases in the Prairie Mountain Health region
• five cases in the Southern Health–Santé Sud health region
• 51 cases in the Winnipeg health region
The current five-day COVID-19 test positivity rate is 5.4 percent provincially and 4.3 percent in Winnipeg.
There have been a total of 30,360 cases identified in Manitoba since the start of the pandemic.
There are 1,597 active cases and 27,910 recoveries.
There are 104 people in hospital with active COVID-19 and 162 people in hospital who are no longer infectious but continue to require care, for a total of 266 hospitalizations.
There are 15 people in intensive care units with active COVID-and 18 people with COVID-19 who are no longer infectious but continue to require critical care, for a total of 33 ICU patients.
The total number of deaths die to COVID-19 is 853.
According to the province’s data, there are active cases in the following Parkland health districts: Dauphin (4, down from 6 yesterday), Riding Mountain (1), Porcupine Mountain (6), Duck Mountain (0), Asessippi (8), Little Saskatchewan (0), Whitemud (2), and Agassiz Mountain (1). Brandon has 18 active cases.
In the Interlake, the Eriksdale/Ashern health district has 16 active cases, while Fisher/Peguis has 26.
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- Contributed by Tess Kovach
A total of 39 tickets were issued to Manitobans last week for breaking COVID-19 rules.
One ticket was issued for breaking the Federal Quarantine Act, which carries a maximum fine of $750,000. The individual received a $1,750 fine.
One ticket was issued to a Manitoba business, 31 to individuals, and six for not wearing a mask in an indoor public place.
Officials say 25 of the 31 tickets handed out to individuals were in relation to private gatherings.
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- Contributed by Tess Kovach
Manitoba officials have confirmed which restrictions will be relaxed under the new public health orders taking effect this Friday.
Premier Brian Pallister provided the update on Tuesday morning alongside Manitoba's top doctor, Dr. Brent Roussin.
“With fewer restrictions, we must remain cautious, in fact, even more cautious. In the absence of COVID-19 vaccines from the federal government, following the fundamentals is how we continue to protect each other and save lives.”
Which Restrictions Are Being Relaxed
As of 12:01 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 12 — the following health order will go into effect and last for three weeks:
• allowing restaurants and licensed premises to reopen at 25 per cent capacity with patron groups limited to members of the same household only
• allowing outdoor sports facilities to reopen for casual sports as well as organized practices and games, with multi-team tournaments not permitted
• allowing gyms, fitness centres and yoga studios to reopen at 25 per cent capacity
• allowing indoor sporting facilities such as rinks, gymnastic clubs and martial arts studios to reopen at 25 per cent capacity for individual instruction only
• allowing places of worship to hold regular religious services if a service does not exceed 10 per cent of usual capacity or 50 people, whichever is lower• allowing self-help groups for persons dealing with addictions or other behaviours to hold meetings at 25 per cent capacity of the premise where meetings take place
• allowing museums, art galleries and libraries to operate at 25 per cent capacity
• allowing personal service businesses, such as those providing pedicures, electrolysis, cosmetic application, tanning, tattooing or massage services to reopen at 25 per cent capacity
• allowing photographers and videographers to offer services to individual clients or those residing in the same household in addition to providing services at weddings, with the exception of visiting client homes
• allowing the film industry to operate fully with physical distancing and other safety measures in place
Click here for more details on the changes to the health orders.
Dr. Roussin says the new orders will allow for more of the activities and services Manitobans enjoy, but he added "we cannot let our guard down yet. Manitobans need to continue to follow the fundamentals at all times including staying home when sick, frequent handwashing and wearing masks."
The new measures will also bring the entire province under the same restrictions, where the northern region had previously been under separate orders to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the region.
Which Restrictions Are Staying The Same?
Under the new orders, some previously announced measures will remain in place, including:
• household visitor restrictions of up to two designated people,
• visits of five people plus members of a household on an outdoor private property,
• retail stores open at 25 per cent capacity or 250 people maximum with adequate physical distancing, and
• non-regulated health services, hair salons and barbershops open with 25 per cent capacity and adequate physical distancing
Feedback From Manitobans
The province says there were over 33,000 responses since Feb. 4 on EgageMB regarding the possible changes to the health orders.
• 65 per cent of respondents felt somewhat or very comfortable going to restaurants
• 57 per cent of respondents felt somewhat or very comfortable going to the gym or to a yoga studio
• opening food services was ranked the highest priority for respondents, followed by opening personal services like nail salons and tattoo parlors, allowing gyms to reopen for individual training and allowing outdoor organized outdoor sports to resume for games or practices.
Final survey results will be posted on the EngageMB website once compiled.
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- Contributed by Matt Hamel
The community lockdown on Pine Creek First Nation has been lifted by Chief and Council.
The lockdown was first introduced on Pine Creek First Nation on Thursday, Jan. 21 in response to a self-confirmed case in the community. A second case in the community was announced a day later.
A letter sent by Pine Creek leadership on Monday, Feb. 8 credits "the stability of COVID-19 cases in the community” as the reason for lifting the lockdown measures.
Chief and Council are asking community members to continue adhering to the fundamentals to limit the spread of the virus — by wearing masks in indoor public places, social distancing, limiting social contacts, washing hands, and staying home if not feeling well.
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- Contributed by 730 CKDM
Environment Canada says the extreme cold we’ve been experiencing will continue for a few days.
An Arctic ridge of high pressure has allowed for a very cold air mass to settle over the southern prairies.
To go along with winds of 10-20 km/h, extreme wind chill values of -40 and -50 are expected over most of southern Manitoba and Saskatchewan again today.
According to the forecast, daily highs warmer than -20 and overnight lows around -20 aren’t coming until the weekend.
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- Contributed by Isaac Wihak
Just before 2 a.m. this morning, the Dauphin Fire Department was dispatched for a report of a fire inside a business on Whitmore Ave. E.
When crews arrived, they found a sprinkler had been activated and there was a possible fire in the stairwell.
The DFD didn’t find a fire, then isolated the sprinkler head to prevent further water damage.
DFD says it appears the cold weather may have affected the sprinkler head in the stairwell causing water in the pipes to freeze and activate the sprinkler head.
Firefighters stayed at the scene to help with the salvage work, moving boxes off of the floor and removing water from the area affected by the flooding.
There aren’t any damage estimates at this time.
In addition, there was a firefighter injury from slipping on the icy parking lot as they were getting equipment from the trucks.
The individual was transported to hospital by EMS and later released with minor injuries.
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- Contributed by Isaac Wihak
Manitoba added the lowest number of new COVID-19 cases in months — with 53 announced on Monday.
Four deaths are also being reported, including two women over the age of 60 from the Northern health region, a woman in her 80s from the Southern health region, and a man in his 70s from the Winnipeg health region.
Health officials are declaring the outbreak over at Dauphin’s St. Paul’s Personal Care Home. Only one case — a staff member — was recorded at the facility since the outbreak was declared on January 12th.
The current five-day COVID-19 test positivity rate is 5.9% provincially and 4.2% in Winnipeg. The total number of lab-confirmed cases in Manitoba is 30,289.
There are 1,622 active cases (down from 3,256 reported yesterday) and 27,817 individuals who have recovered from COVID-19.
There are 105 people in hospital with active COVID-19 as well as 166 people in hospital who are no longer infectious but continue to require care (271 hospitalizations total).
There are 15 people in intensive care units with active COVID-19 as well as 19 people who are no longer infectious but continue to require critical care (34 ICU patients total).
The total number of deaths in people with COVID-19 is 850.
Today’s new COVID-19 cases are from the following health regions:
• three cases in Interlake–Eastern health region
• 12 cases in the Northern health region
• three cases in the Prairie Mountain Health region
• four cases in the Southern Health–Santé Sud health region
• 31 cases in the Winnipeg health region
Province Improving The Accuracy Of Data
Dr. Brent Roussin says Manitobans will notice a significant decrease in active cases in today’s data, which he says reflects the province working to clear old cases from “active” over to the “recovered” category.
According to the province’s data, there are active cases in the following Parkland health districts: Dauphin (6), Riding Mountain (1), Porcupine Mountain (7, down from 43), Duck Mountain (0), Asessippi (8), Little Saskatchewan (1), Whitemud (2), and Agassiz Mountain (2). Brandon has 20 active cases.
In the Interlake, the Eriksdale/Ashern health district has 17 active cases, while Fisher/Peguis has 26.
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- Contributed by Matt Hamel
The Dauphin Fire Department (DFD) says smoking was the cause of a Monday morning fire at the Parkview Lodge apartment building on 2nd Avenue NE.
The fire department received the call around 6 a.m. Monday morning, and were notified on arrival the tenant was safely out.
A couch and cushions in the apartment were on fire with heavy smoke, but firefighters quickly extinguished the blaze.
Crews remained on scene for about an hour to remove the smoke from the building.
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- Contributed by Matt Hamel
It may be at least a few more days before Manitoba shakes off the extreme cold that broke records in parts of the province over the weekend.
Wind chill values in southern Manitoba and Saskatchewan are once again expected to be between -40 and -50 on Monday.
The bitterly cold air is expected to remain over the prairies for the bulk of this coming week.
Bitter Cold Sets Records In Manitoba
On Sunday morning, several southern Manitoba municipalities set some new daily records. Roblin reached -42.0°C, breaking the previous record of -40.6°C set in 1969.
A new daily record was also hit in Wasagaming — with -41.6°C reached on Sunday morning, out-chilling the previous record of -40.6°C set in 1966.
In Saskatchewan's far north, Uranium City set an all-time low of -49.9°C.
Cold Causes Closures
The Park West School Division announced the closing of all schools on Monday “due to the forecast for extreme cold and windchill".
Environment Canada is warning of the dangers of extreme cold, and say risks are greater for young children, older adults, people with chronic illnesses, people working or exercising outdoors, and those without proper shelter.
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- Contributed by 730 CKDM
The provincial government announced some funding for health regions in Manitoba on Friday.
The five health regions in the province will get $60 million to cover costs related to COVID-19 from the first two quarters of 2020-21.
Prairie Mountain Health has received $3,250,000 as part of the announcement.
PMH CEO Penny Gilson explains how the health region will use the money.
“Incremental costs incurred in that period of time are mainly for salaries to support replacement of staff that are off sick or required to self-isolate due to having symptoms, as well as for staff resources dedicated to screening staff and visitors coming into our facilities, COVID-19 testing and contact tracing. There were also some incremental costs incurred for supplies and equipment related to additional cleaning requirements, physical distancing measures, starting up testing sites and preparing for surge capacity and potential outbreaks.”
Gilson says PMH has tracked costs related to COVID since the beginning of the pandemic and submitted reports on a monthly basis to Manitoba Health and Seniors Care.
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- Contributed by Isaac Wihak
There were 80 new cases and four deaths due to COVID-19 reported in Manitoba on Sunday.
All four deaths announced are individuals over the age of 70 from the Winnipeg health region.
With the Super Bowl on Sunday, health officials have issued a reminder to enjoy the NFL title game while adhering to public health guidelines regarding gatherings.
The current five-day COVID-19 test positivity rate is 6.1% provincially and 3.8% in Winnipeg. The total number of lab-confirmed cases in Manitoba is 30,237.
Today’s new cases are from the following health regions:
• four cases in Interlake–Eastern health region
• 28 cases in the Northern health region
• nine cases in the Prairie Mountain Health region
• eight cases in the Southern Health–Santé Sud health region
• 31 cases in the Winnipeg health region
There are 3,256 active cases and 26,135 individuals who have recovered from COVID-19 in Manitoba.
There are 105 people in hospital with active COVID-19 as well as 158 people in hospital who are no longer infectious but continue to require care (263 hospitalizations total).
There are 21 people in intensive care units with active COVID-19 as well as 17 people who are no longer infectious but continue to require critical care (38 ICU patients total).
The total number of deaths in people with COVID-19 is 846.
According to the province’s data, there are active cases in the following Parkland health districts: Dauphin (5, up from 3), Riding Mountain (1), Porcupine Mountain (43), Duck Mountain (1), Asessippi (12), Little Saskatchewan (4), Whitemud (2), and Agassiz Mountain (4). Brandon has 21 active cases.
In the Interlake, the Eriksdale/Ashern health district has 70 active cases, while Fisher/Peguis has 69.
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- Contributed by Matt Hamel
