New record of 6 deaths reported in a day in Manitoba, as COVID-19 tally rises by 312
Manitoba reported six deaths on Sunday, along with a record-high test positivity rate for province
Manitoba announced 312 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday, along with six more related deaths — the most it's ever reported in a single day.
That brings the total number of COVID-19-related deaths in the province to 75.
The province's current five-day test positivity rate — a rolling average of the number of COVID-19 tests that come back positive — is 8.9 per cent. That's a new high for the province, and the fourth consecutive day that Manitoba has set a record for test positivity.
Of the six deaths reported Sunday and two additional ones announced late Saturday, four are connected to an outbreak at Maples Long Term Care home, including two women in their 80s, a man in his 80s and a woman in her 90s, according to a provincial news release.
There are two deaths — a man in his 70s and another in his 80s — linked to an outbreak at St. Boniface Hospital.
A man in his 50s from the Steinbach district in the Southern Health region also died.
There is no information about the man in his 60s from Winnipeg whose death was reported Saturday.
WATCH | Manitoba doctors warn of dire situation in hospitals ahead of new COVID-19 restrictions:
Meanwhile, the Saul and Claribel Simkin Centre, a Jewish care home, announced another death in a statement posted on its website Saturday.
"Our hearts are heavy and our sincere condolences go out to the family and friends of our resident," the statement reads in part.
It's the second recorded death of a resident at Saul and Claribel Simkin Centre. The first was announced on Oct. 24, after an outbreak had been declared there on Oct. 23.
No details were released about the latest death at the home.
It's currently not known if the death is one of four announced by the Manitoba government on Saturday.
In addition, the union that represents poultry workers at a plant in Blumenort, Man. announced the death of one of its members.
The Exceldor Co-operative worker had previously contracted COVID-19 and went home to self-isolate. It's not known when this person died, or in which health region.
As of Friday, there are 52 positive cases, including 35 active. Two people have died.
"We want to offer our sincerest condolences to family, friends and fellow union-members working at Exceldor. When someone loses a family member or a close friend, it's a stark reminder about how devastating this virus can be," said Jeff Traeger, the president of UFCW Local 832.
238 cases in Winnipeg
Of the new cases, 238 are in the Winnipeg health region, 26 are in the Southern Health Region, 25 are in the Interlake-Eastern health region, 16 are in the Northern health region and seven are in the Prairie Mountain Health region.
There are 3,255 active cases, and 2,704 people have recovered.
On Saturday, 3,697 tests were completed — the most tests recorded for a single day.
The current five-day test positivity rate in Winnipeg is 9.9 per cent, one percentage point higher than the provincial rate. But the province cautioned that number may be less reliable due to the smaller sample size.
The province says there is still capacity in Manitoba's intensive care units, as it reported 120 people in hospital, including 18 in intensive care on Sunday. That is the highest number of hospitalizations related to COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic.
Officials are working to introduce more ICU and surgical capacity if needed, according to the release.
The province reported a new outbreak on Sunday at the Women's Correctional Centre in Headingley.
The facility was moved to red, or critical, on the province's colour-coded pandemic response system.
Meanwhile, someone in a Grade 9 class at Elmwood High School tested positive for COVID-19, the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority said in a letter to parents and guardians on Sunday.
The person was at the school on Oct. 28 and 29 in the 3, 6 AM and 1, 4 PM cohort, the letter said, and while the risk to the overall school community is low, close contacts of the person are being contacted and told to self-isolate.
More possible exposures
Health officials reported more possible COVID-19 exposures around the province, including a number of schools:
Brandon
- Oct. 20-21, Oct. 24: Brandon Boxing Club (1417 Rosser Ave.)
- Oct. 23: Millers Pharmacy (624-18th St.)
Shilo
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Oct. 26: École La Source (C.P. 240, T-102, avenue St-Barbara.)
Alexander
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Oct. 22, Oct. 26-27: Alexander School (102 Argyle St.)
Winnipeg
- Oct. 13-23: Winnipeg Adult Education Centre (310 Vaughn St.)
- Oct. 14-16, Oct. 19-20, Oct. 22-23: École Roméo-Dallaire (81 Quail Ridge.)
- Oct. 20-21: Sisler High School (1360 Redwood Ave.)
- Oct. 20 and 22: Our Lady of Victory School (249 Arnold Ave.)
- Oct. 20-22: St. John's High School (401 Church Ave.)
- Oct. 20-22: Dalhousie School (262 Dalhousie Dr.)
- Oct. 20-23: St. Mary's Academy (550 Wellington Cres.)
- Oct. 21-22: École Laura Secord School (960 Wolseley St.)
- Oct. 21-22: Collège Jeanne-Sauvé (128 Dakota St.)
- Oct. 21-22, Oct. 26-29: St. John's-Ravenscourt (400 South Dr.)
- Oct. 22: Glenlawn Collegiate (770 St. Mary's Rd.)
- Oct. 23, Oct. 26-29: Grant Park School (450 Nathaniel St.)
- Oct. 27-29: Linden Christian School (877 Wilkes Ave.)
- Oct. 27 and 30: Minnetonka School (200 Minnetonka St.)
Starting on Monday, new restrictions are coming into effect across the province, including moving the Winnipeg metropolitan region to the highest level — red, or critical — on the province's pandemic response system.
Many businesses and facilities will close, including bars and restaurant dining rooms, movie theatres and concert halls. Most retail outlets will be reduced to 25 per cent capacity.
The rest of the province will be at the orange, or restricted, level as of Monday.
