Manitoba hit the 400 case mark during COVID-19 with a spate of new recent positive tests, including 16 new cases of COVID-19 reported over the weekend and Monday morning.
The new cases were reported July 27. Four cases were found each in Winnipeg, Prairie Mountain Health, Southern Health-Sante Sud and in the Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority.
A possible exposure was reported by the province in southern Manitoba cottage country - a person who was at the Sherwood grocery store in Gull Lake July 19-21 has tested positive for the disease.
The new cases bring Manitoba’s active caseload up to 74 active cases as of July 27, up from only one active case July 13. Seventy-three cases have been found in Manitoba in the past two weeks.
Manitoba chief provincial public health officer Dr. Brent Roussin said July 27 that the uptick in cases was not unexpected, adding that no province or health authority should assume they are in the clear during COVID-19.
“We had quite a stretch there with zero cases and we’re seeing cases emerge again. We know we’re not done with this virus. We need to continue the precautions that got us where we are now and we’re going to need to continue those moving forward. We need to reiterate staying home when you’re ill,” said Roussin.
Roussin also discussed how the disease has spread through community events. Some recent outbreaks in Manitoba and Saskatchewan have been tied to large events, including a funeral in Alberta.
“A number of our recent cases are linked to such things as funerals. We know that this is where this virus can thrive, in events like this - it’s close, prolonged contact, the nature of events like this makes social distancing very difficult, and if we’re not cautious, this is how we see this virus spread,” Roussin said.
With the fall cold and flu season around the corner, Roussin said all people with flu-like symptoms should stay home. Many common symptoms of COVID-19 are similar to symptoms of cold and flu.
“Businesses and families need to really start making plans for this respiratory virus season coming this fall. People staying home when they’re ill, we know that’s plenty of people when respiratory virus season comes in. Businesses should have plans for increased absenteeism come this fall.”
Meanwhile, none of the new cases have been reported in northern Manitoba. The Northern Health Region (NHR) has not reported a new case of COVID-19 since April 8, making it nearly four months and well over 100 days in total since the last case was found in the region. Travel restrictions to northern Manitoba from southern Manitoba or other regions have been lifted.
Manitoba provincial press briefings on COVID-19 will be cut back from twice a week to once a week as of this week.
Rules on public gathering sizes, both indoors and outdoors, will remain the same with the provincial government aiming to move into the next phase of a provincial reopening, along with a 14-day self-isolation requirement for anyone travelling into Manitoba from eastern Canada, including much of Ontario, Quebec and the maritime provinces.
