Good news and bad news came on the COVID-19 front this weekend. The good news: there were no new cases reported in Manitoba April 19. The bad news: more new cases have been reported in far north Saskatchewan.
The cases are tied to an outbreak at a care home in La Loche which health officials mentioned for the first time April 17. During that day's provincial COVID-19 briefing, a staff member at the home was reported to have tested positive with three more possible cases tied to the initial person's case, including one positive test in a resident of the home.
"We have just been informed this afternoon of three additional cases - two are from household contacts and one, unfortunately, is a resident of the long-term care facility," Shahab said, referring to the situation as an outbreak.
"We have an outbreak situation in the north, which is being actively managed by the medical health officers and the staff at the assisted living facility."
In Saskatchewan, three confirmed and three presumptive cases of COVID-19 were reported April 18, with another two cases announced April 19. The province's total case load is now at 315 since the outbreak began, with 77 active cases. Two hundred and thirty-four people have recovered from the disease province-wide.
Manitoba reported no positive cases of the disease April 19, one day after announcing three new positive cases. Eight people province-wide are currently in hospital with COVID-19, including five people in intensive care. Two hundred and fifty-three positive tests have been reported in Manitoba during the outbreak - 105 cases remain active, with 143 people who had been diagnosed as positive now recovered.
