Over a dozen more Manitobans have recovered from COVID-19 as of Friday morning.

34 new cases of COVID-19 were announced Friday in Manitoba, bringing the province's lab-confirmed total to 830. Manitoba's current test positivity rate is 2 per cent.

According to public health data, 5 of the new cases are in the Prairie Mountain Health region; 19 in Southern Health-Santé Sud; 9 in the Winnipeg health region; and 1 in the Interlake-Eastern regional health authority. Preliminary investigations indicate the majority of the new cases in Southern Health-Sante Sud are linked to a known cluster. Case investigations are ongoing.

Additionally, public health officials are advising of two potential exposures to COVID-19 that may have occurred.

The first exposure was Aug. 18, at the Canadian Tire store in Portage la Prairie, approximately from 1:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. The second exposure was Aug. 19 at the Olive Garden restaurant at 51 Reenders Drive in Winnipeg from 12:00 to 12:45 p.m. While the risk of transmission is considered low, information is being provided to help people assess their risk and seek testing if symptoms appear.

James Teitsma for Radisson august 21

Meantime, the Prairie Mountain Health region remains elevated to the restricted level according to the #RestartMB Pandemic Response System. As of Monday, Aug. 24, masks will be mandatory in all public indoor places and at all indoor and outdoor public gatherings in the region. Public gatherings will also be restricted to 10 people, both indoors and outdoors.

As of Aug. 20, there were 235 COVID-19 cases in the Prairie Mountain Health region. When considered in combination with a number of other indicators announced as part of the #RestartMB Pandemic Response System, public health officials believe an increased response level is required to help slow the spread of COVID-19.

There are 265 active cases of COVID-19 currently in Manitoba. 5 people remain in hospital, 1 in intensive care. 553 have recovered from COVID-19, with 16 of those recoveries newly announced. The number of related deaths remains at 12.

2,331 laboratory tests were completed on Thursday, bringing the total number of tests completed in Manitoba since early February to 122,291.