Manitoba reports 5 COVID-19 deaths over last 3 days

Five people have died due to COVID-19 in Manitoba over three days and there are 39 fewer hospitalizations, the government's online dashboard says Monday.

A total of 1,680 people have died from COVID-19 in Manitoba since the start of the pandemic.

There are 474 people in hospital in Manitoba due to the coronavirus, including 30 in intensive care, one more than on Friday.

The total number of ICU patients in Manitoba, including non-COVID patients, is 94, six fewer than on Friday.

Manitoba's five-day test-positivity rate increased to 16.7 per cent from 14.8 per cent on Friday.

Lab tests confirmed 111 new cases of COVID-19 in the province on Monday, although this is an undercount of the true number of infections due to restricted access to polymerase chain reaction testing. Since Friday, 536 new cases were confirmed in Manitoba.

There are now 9,388 cases listed as active, which is similarly an undercount.

A total of 1,036 PCR tests were completed on Monday.

As of Monday, 86.2 per cent of eligible Manitobans have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, 82 per cent have two doses, and 43.8 per cent have received a booster shot.

The latest numbers come the day before the province lifts its proof-of-vaccination mandates.

On Feb. 11, Premier Heather Stefanson announced the province would remove all vaccine mandates March 1, although businesses and venues will still be able to require proof of vaccination, and vaccine cards and the verifier app will still be available.

All mask mandates are set to end March 15.