Manitoba’s top doctor isn’t starting off testing updates by giving the number of new cases the province has detected. Instead he cited the percentage of positive tests over the past five days on July 20. Manitoba’s rate has increased from 0.15 per cent to 0.83 per cent, as a result of detecting 18 new cases over the weekend.
Manitoba’s chief health officer, Dr. Brent Roussin, said none of the cases were from the Northern Health Region, and the majority were related to clusters of cases on three different Hutterite colonies.
“We know that it's been a trying time for Manitobans. We know that our work has allowed us to reopen to this point, and we're going to continue to do so as the data indicates, but this is a big change in our behavior,” he said.
“We need to be staying home when we're ill. We need to maintain that physical distancing. We need to realize that this virus is not done with us yet.”
For the first time since June 6, a Manitoban is in hospital battling COVID-19 symptoms. The person is in intensive care. The province has recorded only seven COVID-19 related deaths.
A relative spike in cases isn’t deterring the province from putting forward a plan to host the CFL as a hub city. The province is committing $2.5 million dollars to help make it a possibility. Roussin said public health officials have reviewed the CFL’s plans, and will work with them to make it safe.
“If there’s evidence of inter-bubble spread, then this is going to be a challenge,” he said.
“Public Health would have that authority to stop [the season]. Even indirectly by the amount of self isolation that would have to take place.”
Mantioba processed over 2,000 tests over the past three days, including 1,390 on Saturday. Photos of long lines at testing sites are spreading over social media.
In Saskatchewan, the province announced it had detected 19 new cases on July 20, none in the Far North region. One case is in the North region, eight are in the Central, and five are in Saskatoon and the South.
Saskatchewan is tracking 145 active cases of COVID-19, with 10 people in hospital battling the virus.
Over 1,300 COVID-19 tests were performed in Saskatchewan on July 19, with nearly 4,000 total tests processed over the weekend. The province has conducted over 82,000 tests since the pandemic began.
Both provinces are dealing with outbreaks in Hutterite colonies.
Roussin warned against stigmatizing any group that has an outbreak in their community.
“[We’re] really cautioning people because [stigmatizing] just doesn't work,” he said.
“It's going to make people less likely to want to get tested, less likely to be cooperative with public health... most times it actually backfires. It's gonna assist this virus spread.”
Health officials continued to stress the importance of hand hygiene, physical distancing and staying home if sick. If people are unable to physically distance, they are recommended to wear a mask.
