90 COVID-19 cases reported in Manitoba plus 7 deaths from recent months

Manitoba reports 90 more COVID-19 cases on Sunday and seven deaths, including a woman in her 40s from the Winnipeg health region, a provincial news release says.

Three of the deaths took place in this month, and four happened between November and February, a spokesperson from the province said.

Of the deaths, most are in the Winnipeg health region, and include a man and woman in their 70s, a woman in her 80s and a woman in her 90s.

There are also two deaths in the Northern health region, including a woman in her 60s and a man in his 80s.

That brings the total number of deaths linked to COVID-19 to 927.

Of the new cases, 41 are in the Winnipeg health region, 32 are in the Northern health region, nine are in the Prairie Mountain Health region, eight are in the Southern Health region and no cases are being reported in the Interlake-Eastern health region.

Manitoba's five-day test positivity rate stayed steady at five per cent. In Winnipeg, that rate is up to 3.6 per cent, up from 3.2 per cent on Saturday.

There are now 135 COVID-19 patients hospitalized in Manitoba, up by two since Saturday. There is also one more person in intensive care for a total of 22.

There were 1,718 COVID-19 tests done in Manitoba on Saturday.

No additional cases of more contagious coronavirus variants of concern are being reported, the release says.

Possible exposures on buses

The province is also reporting a number of COVID-19 exposures on Winnipeg Transit routes from the last two weeks.

Route 18:

• March 15: 7:50-8:00 a.m. from River Avenue and Osborne Street to Graham Avenue and Fort Street.
• March 15: 10:30-10:40 a.m. from Graham Avenue and Fort Street to River Avenue and Osborne Street

Route 55:

• March 16: 6:40-7:00 p.m. from Dakota Street and Meadowood Drive to St. Anne's Road and Niakwa Road.
• March 16: 7:20-7:40 p.m. from St. Anne's Road and Niakwa Road to downtown.

Route 11:

• March 11: 11:00-11:15 a.m. from Hawthorne Avenue and Henderson Highway to Brazier Street and Mighton Avenue.
• March 11: 4:00-4:20 p.m. from Edison Avenue and Henderson Highway to Rothesay Street and Edison Avenue.
• March 11 and 12: 4:10-4:30 p.m. from Brazier Street and Mighton Avenue to Hawthorne Avenue and Henderson Highway.
• March 12: 8:30-8:50 a.m. from Hawthorne Avenue and Henderson Highway to Brazier Street and Mighton Avenue.

Route 77:

• March 8 and 9: 8:40-9:10 a.m. from McLeod Avenue and Rothesay Street to Leila Avenue and McPhillips Street
• March 8 and 9: 5:00-6:15 p.m. from Leila Avenue and McPhillips Street to McLeod Avenue and Rothesay Street.
• March 10: 11:25-11:55 a.m. from McLeod Avenue and Rothesay Street to Leila Avenue and McPhillips Street.

This update comes after Manitoba reported 89 more COVID-19 cases and one death on Saturday.

The day before, public health officials announced the first on-reserve case of a coronavirus variant of concern, and variant exposures at three schools.

Letters have gone out to affected students and staff at O.V. Jewitt Community School and École Taché in Winnipeg and Pine Ridge Elementary School in Winkler.

Both Winnipeg school exposures are linked to close contacts of a confirmed case of a variant of concern. The source of the exposure in Winkler is unknown.