Manitoba reports 13 more COVID-19 deaths, 1st increase in over a month

Manitoba has recorded 13 more deaths from COVID-19, the first increase in more than a month, in the province's latest respiratory illness surveillance report. 

The report, which covers the week of April 9-15, shows there have now been 381 people who've died from COVID-19 since the beginning of 2023. That number hadn't changed since the March 5-11 report, when it stood at 368. 

Reporting delays can result in increases that include deaths that didn't happen in the reporting week, a provincial spokesperson said in an emailed response to a question about the increase. If an investigation later determines a patient's death should be attributed to COVID-19, it's added to the total for the year in the next report, even if it didn't happen in that reporting week.

Intensive care admissions from COVID-19 are also up, increasing to 12 from eight the week prior. There were 40 hospital admissions, down from 53 the week before.

The test positivity rate was 16.4 per cent, up from 16.1 per cent.

There were two COVID-19 outbreaks reported in long-term care facilities, the report says. The incidence rate in people 80 and older decreased, but older adults are still at higher risk of COVID-19 infection, hospital admission and death.

There were 149 COVID-19 cases reported last week, up from 132 the week before, but that's believed to be an undercount, because the province doesn't track the results of home tests.

Influenza activity continues to be low, with four cases of influenza A and five cases of influenza B reported in Manitoba last week and no new hospitalizations related to influenza, the report says. 

Meanwhile, the number of cases and weekly positivity rate for respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, were down compared to the previous week, the report says. 

There were 10 RSV cases, with a 0.9 per cent test positivity rate recorded the week of April 9-15, compared to 21 detections and a 1.7 per cent test positivity rate the week before.