With no new cases of COVID-19 reported in Manitoba May 7, officials gave tips on how to best celebrate Mother’s Day while avoiding spreading the disease.
“If you’re getting together with family, it’s ideal to do outside,” said Dr. Brent Roussin, Manitoba chief provincial officer during a briefing May 7.
“It’s also ideal to do whatever you can to maintain physical distancing. Anyone with mild respiratory symptoms shouldn’t be attending. If you can meet virtually, even better.”
Over 500 Manitobans were tested May 6 and no cases were detected, including from a cluster at a trucking company in Brandon where seven confirmed cases were reported.
Roussin praised the company for taking early actions that helped limit the disease's spread.
“The number could have been higher,” he said.
“This business took it upon themselves to cohort or group employees in smaller groups and contain them in those groups while they worked. This limits the amount of contacts and no employees outside of that cohort have tested positive.”
As part of the investigation into the cluster of cases, the province began tested asymptomatic people for the first time since the outbreak began. All 14 tests came up negative.
All symptomatic people in Manitoba are eligible to be tested.
Roussin said the province was continuing to work with Indigenous health organizations to share data. He said the province had secured an agreement with First Nations groups and was working to get agreements with Inuit and Metis organizations.
The economy isn’t the only thing opening up this week, as health care services begin a return to normal. Roussin encouraged Manitobans to not neglect their health issues that were not COVID-19 related.
“Our healthcare facilities have taken a lot of precautions,” he said.
“Call your family physician. There’s a lot of opportunity for virtual care, but sometimes virtual care isn’t sufficient… [Facilities are] safe. we need to take care of all of our health.”
Roussin also answered some concerns about the province’s shutdown, discouraging anyone from attending a May 9 rally planned in Winnipeg.
“I’d advise against large groups, but certainly people should voice their concerns, and that’s what we’re here for,” he said.
“Jurisdictions that were able to act quickly and implement [heavy] restrictions, you can see evidence in their numbers - fewer cases and fewer deaths. Manitoba is one of those jurisdictions.”
Roussin cautioned against anyone advocating for "herd immunity," noting it would take 60 per cent of a population group to be infected with COVID-19 before any kind of benefits would be seen.
Earlier in the day, Premier Brian Pallister announced $500 million in additional infrastructure funding aimed at kickstarting the provincial economy after the outbreak.
