The current five-day COVID-19 test positivity rate is 8.5 per cent and 374 new cases of the virus have been identified as of 9:30am on November 4, 2020 and brings the total lab-confirmed cases in Manitoba to 6,751.

The test positivity rate in Winnipeg is nine per cent. Officials advise this number does not reflect the situation in other parts of the province, as cases continue to be identified outside Winnipeg.

Public health officials advise two additional deaths due to COVID-19 have been reported today including:

  • a female in her 80s from the Winnipeg health region and linked to the outbreak at the Maples personal care home; and
  • a female in her 90s from the Winnipeg health region and linked to the outbreak at St. Boniface hospital.

Today’s data shows:

  • 12 cases in the Interlake-Eastern health region;
  • 14 cases in the Northern health region;
  • five cases in the Prairie Mountain Health region;
  • 67 cases in the Southern Health-Santé Sud health region; and
  • 276 cases in the Winnipeg health region.

The data also shows:

  • 3,772 active cases and 2,892 individuals who have recovered from COVID-19;
  • there are 140 people in hospital and 21 people in intensive care; and
  • the number of deaths due to COVID-19 is 87.

Laboratory testing numbers show 3,163 tests were completed yesterday, bringing the total number of lab tests completed since early February to 268,504. Case investigations continue and if a public health risk is identified, the public will be notified.

Two new COVID-19 testing sites will open this week. The new sites are located in Winkler at 485 George Ave. and will open Thursday, Nov. 5 while a drive-up site at the University of Manitoba’s SmartPark at 1 Research Rd. in Winnipeg will open Sunday, Nov. 8. For hours of operation and more details, visit gov.mb.ca.

Public health officials have advised that outbreaks have been declared at the Keeyask Generating Station and Actionmarguerite. The sites have been moved to Critical (red) on the #RestartMB Pandemic Response System.

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 urges Manitobans to not socialize with people from outside their household, to cut down the number of close contacts 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.

Public health officials are also advising the Winnipeg Metropolitan Region that anyone who is symptomatic, or has a household member who is symptomatic, the entire household needs to self-isolate pending COVID-19 test results. The symptomatic individual needs to stay in their own room and, if possible, use their own bathroom and not use common areas. Exemptions are in place for asymptomatic household members if they are an essential worker required to wear PPE while at work such as health-care workers or first responders. For information on self-isolation, visit gov.mb.ca.

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.

Updated enforcement statistics are now posted online and updated weekly. For more information go to Cross-Departmental Reports at gov.mb.ca.

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.