The current five-day COVID-19 test positivity rate is 5.6 per cent and 147 new cases of the virus have been identified as of 9:30am on October 22, 2020, bringing the number of lab-confirmed cases in Manitoba to 3,773.

Public health officials advise the 44th, 45th, 46th and 47th deaths due to COVID-19 have been reported:

  • a male in his 80s and a male in his 70s from the Winnipeg health region and are linked to the outbreak at Parkview Place;
  • a male in his 80s from the Winnipeg health region; and
  • a male in his 80s from the Interlake-Eastern health region.

All the cases were previously announced.

Today’s data shows:

  • seven cases in Prairie Mountain Health region;
  • 10 cases in the Interlake-Eastern health region;
  • 10 cases in the Northern health region;
  • 33 cases in the Southern Health-Santé Sud health region; and
  • 87 cases in the Winnipeg health region.

The data also shows:

  • 1,806 active cases and 1,920 individuals who have recovered from COVID-19;
  • there are 42 people in hospital and eight people in intensive care; and
  • the number of deaths due to COVID-19 is 47.

Laboratory testing numbers show 2,220 tests were completed yesterday, bringing the total number of lab tests completed since early February to 233,222. Case investigations continue and if a public health risk is identified, the public will be notified.

New COVID-19 public health orders will be issued for the Northern health region and Churchill by the chief provincial public health officer. The orders will come into effect Monday, Oct. 26 and remain in effect for a minimum of two weeks.

The restrictions will be the same as those currently in place in the Winnipeg Metropolitan Region. This includes:

  • reducing gathering sizes;
  • closing of casinos, bingo halls and entertainment facilities with a license under the Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Control Act that requires the licensee to present live entertainment must close to members of the public, with the exception of providing food for take-out or delivery;
  • limiting the occupancy of other licensed businesses, retail businesses and restaurants of 50 per cent of their usual capacity;
  • limiting the occupancy of personal service businesses of 50 per cent of their usual occupancy or one person for each 10 square metres of the premises that is open to the public, whichever is less; and
  • requiring a restaurant or licensed premises, theatre, museum, gallery, library, personal service business, concert hall, or fitness facility to keep contact information for members of the public attending their premises and maintain those records for 21 days to support contract tracing.

In addition, the following measures will be put in place for schools in the Winnipeg Metropolitan Region and the Northern health regions under the Restricted Level (orange), effective Oct. 26:

  • Schools must ensure two metres of physical distancing to the greatest extent possible, and adjust classroom space as necessary; excess furniture must be removed from classrooms to create additional space; and other spaces within schools must be repurposed to accommodate more distancing (e.g., multipurpose rooms, empty rooms, shared spaces, common areas and libraries).
  • Extracurricular activities are only permitted if all learning and distancing requirements have been met. If these activities continue, established guidelines must be followed and, in the case of sports, participants should maintain distance when not active.
  • Teachers and staff who move across cohorts of students, including substitute teachers, are required to wear medical masks. Medical-grade disposable masks have been issued to all schools. N95 masks are not required.
  • Indoor choir and the use of wind instruments are not permitted.
  • All field trips must be postponed or cancelled.
  • Blended learning (in-class and online) for grades 9 to 12 where distancing cannot be achieved will continue as per status quo.
  • Kindergarten to Grade 8 students may be offered a temporary remote learning option for the duration of the Restricted level (orange).
  • All other public health measures will still in effect.

Public health officials also advise:

  • an outbreak has been declared at Arborgate School at 70 Normandeau Bay in La Broquerie, and the school has been elevated to orange on the province’s #RestartMB Pandemic Response System;
  • an outbreak has been declared at the Ochekwi Sipi Personal Care Home in the Fisher River Cree Nation due to a positive case in a health-care worker. The facility has been elevated to red on the province’s #RestartMB Pandemic Response System and additional protocols have been put into place; and
  • the outbreak at Bethesda Place personal care home has been declared over.

All other possible exposure locations are listed online by region at the province’s #RestartMB Pandemic Response System webpage. For up-to-date information on possible public exposures to COVID-19 in regions, visit gov.mb.ca and click on your region.

The chief provincial public health officer strongly encourages Manitobans to reduce the number of close contacts outside their household, and avoid closed-in or crowded spaces. In addition, they should focus on these fundamentals to help stop the spread of COVID-19:

  • Stay home if you are sick.
  • Wash/sanitize your hands and cover your cough.
  • Physically distance when you are with people outside your household.
  • If you cannot physically distance, wear a mask to help reduce the risk to others or as required by public health orders.

Unless recommended by public health officials, only individuals experiencing COVID-19 symptoms should go for testing. Individuals with symptoms are asked to seek testing as soon as possible once symptoms are present. Employers are asked to only send employees for testing if they have symptoms or if testing has been recommended by public health officials.

The online assessment tool can be found at sharedhealthmb.ca and COVID-19 symptoms can be found at gov.mb.ca.

For up-to-date information on COVID-19 in Manitoba, visit manitoba.ca.

For up-to-date information on the #RestartMB Pandemic Response System, visit manitoba.ca.