There are 2,740 COVID-19 recoveries and 3,455 active cases in Manitoba.

Public health officials advise five additional deaths due to COVID-19 have been reported today including:
• a female in her 50s from the Winnipeg health region;
• a female in her 60s from the Winnipeg health region, related to an outbreak at St. Boniface Hospital;
• a female in her 70s from the Winnipeg health region, related to an outbreak at Parkview Place;
• a female in her 80s from the Winnipeg health region, related to an outbreak at Simkin Centre; and
• a female in her 90s from the Winnipeg health region related to an outbreak at Maples personal care home.

The current five-day COVID-19 test positivity rate is nine per cent and 241 new cases of the virus have been identified as of 9:30 a.m., which brings the total number of lab-confirmed cases in Manitoba to 6,275.

The test positivity rate in Winnipeg is 9.8 per cent. Officials advise this number is less reliable due to the smaller sample size. In addition, it does not reflect the situation in other parts of the province, as cases continue to be identified outside Winnipeg.

Today’s data shows:
• 35 cases in the Interlake–Eastern health region;
• 29 cases in the Northern health region;
• 11 cases in the Prairie Mountain Health region;
• 44 cases in the Southern Health–Santé Sud health region; and
• 122 cases in the Winnipeg health region.

The data also shows:
• 3,455 active cases and 2,740 individuals who have recovered from COVID-19;
• there are 124 people in hospital and 18 people in intensive care; and
• the number of deaths due to COVID-19 is 80.

"It does not matter how old you are, we are going to find the space and treat you equally well," Lanette Siragusa, Manitoba's chief nursing officer, says.

She says there are people of all ages in the hospital with COVID-19, from teenagers to the elderly. There are five empty intensive care beds after the province added three more beds for a new total of 74 intensive care beds. 

"We have the ability to keep expanding."

Laboratory testing numbers show 2,458 tests were completed yesterday, bringing the total number of lab tests completed since early February to 262,571. Case investigations continue and if a public health risk is identified, the public will be notified.

Public health officials are advising the Winnipeg Metropolitan Region that anyone who is symptomatic, or has a household member who is symptomatic, the entire household needs to self-isolate. The symptomatic individual needs to stay in their own room and, if possible, use their own bathroom and not use common areas. Exemptions are in place for asymptomatic household members if they are a health-care worker or first responder.

"They should be self-isolating from all others at that time," Dr. Brent Roussin says.

Roussin says they are finding households contracting the virus when one person is not isolating appropriately. He says if a child has symptoms, only one parent is to care for the child.

Roussin is anticipating a spike in absenteeism.

Effective today, the Winnipeg Metropolitan Region moved to the Critical level (red) on the #RestartMB Pandemic Response System. The Southern Health–Santé Sud, Prairie Mountain Health and Interlake–Eastern health regions moved to the Restricted level (orange) on the #RestartMB Pandemic Response System. The Northern health region moved to the Restricted level (orange) on Oct. 26.

"Our numbers are trending in the wrong direction. They are trending in at a rate we cannot sustain."

Roussin says Manitobans need to "step up."

Public health officials have advised outbreaks have been declared at the Convalescent Home of Winnipeg and Poseidon Care Centre in Winnipeg. The sites have been moved to Critical (red) on the #RestartMB Pandemic Response System. In addition, an outbreak at Calvary Place Personal Care Home in Winnipeg has been declared over. The site has been taken off the #RestartMB Pandemic Response System.

"This is not the time to panic." Roussin says Manitobans needs to change their behaviour "right now" in the short term to see results.  

Other possible exposure locations are listed online by region at the province’s #RestartMB Pandemic Response System webpage. For up-to-date information on possible public exposures to COVID-19 in regions, visit the provincial website and click on your region.

The chief provincial public health officer urges Manitobans to not socialize with people from outside their household, to cut down the number of close contacts and avoid closed-in or crowded spaces. In addition, they should focus on these fundamentals to help stop the spread of COVID-19:
• Stay home if you are sick.
• Wash/sanitize your hands and cover your cough.
• Physically distance when you are with people outside your household.
• If you cannot physically distance, wear a mask to help reduce the risk to others or as required by public health orders.

Unless recommended by public health officials, only individuals experiencing COVID-19 symptoms should go for testing. Individuals with symptoms are asked to seek testing as soon as possible once symptoms are present. Employers are asked to only send employees for testing if they have symptoms or if public health officials have recommended testing.