The province is announcing less than a dozen new cases of COVID-19 in Manitoba on Tuesday, including no new cases of the virus in the Prairie Mountain Health Region.

Eleven new cases of COVID-19 in Manitoba are being announced, bringing the current five-day COVID-19 test positivity rate to 1.3 per cent. In Winnipeg, eight new cases are being shares, two in the Southern Health–Santé Sud health region, and one in the Interlake–Eastern health region.

"Certainly the trend is in the right direction, but it is really early on," Roussin says about the drop in new Prairie Mountain Health Region cases. Roussin says that the decrease is due in part to the increased public health regulations in the area. 

The total number of COVID-19 cases in Manitoba is 1,349 with 393 active cases and 940 recoveries. The number of COVID-19 deaths remains at 16. Public Health officials say that one in five cases of COVID-19 in Winnipeg comes from previously-known cases.

Since February, 148,537 COVID-19 tests have been completed with 1,219 on Monday.

With the beginning of the school year this week, the province says that students must stick to the fundamentals of distancing and practicing good hygiene.

"From the beginning, we have said mask use is an additional step," Roussin says. "We know that especially with children, as well with adults, adherence to proper mask use is challenging."

Roussin says that with the flu season approaching, following those fundamentals will be important to stay safe.