The current five-day COVID-19 test positivity rate is 4.1 per cent provincially and three per cent in Winnipeg. As of 9:30am on March 12, 2021, 104 new cases of the virus have been identified. However, six cases have been removed due to data corrections. This brings the net-new number of cases today to 98 and the total number of lab-confirmed cases in Manitoba to 32,607.

Public health officials advise one additional death in a person with COVID-19 has been reported today:

  • a female in her 80s from the Winnipeg health region, linked to the outbreak at the Convalescent Home of Winnipeg.

Additionally, public health officials are announcing one confirmed case of the B.1.1.7 COVID-19 variant of concern has been detected. The case identified today is from the Winnipeg health region and is related to travel.

Today’s COVID-19 data shows:

  • six cases in Interlake-Eastern health region;
  • 51 cases in the Northern health region;
  • five cases in the Prairie Mountain Health region;
  • five cases in the Southern Health-Santé Sud health region; and
  • 37 cases in the Winnipeg health region.

The data also shows:

  • 872 active cases and 30,823 individuals who have recovered from COVID-19;
  • 54 people in hospital with active COVID-19 as well as 100 people in hospital with COVID-19 who are no longer infectious but continue to require care, for a total of 154 hospitalizations;
  • 10 people in intensive care units with active COVID-19 as well as 12 people with COVID-19 who are no longer infectious but continue to require critical care, for a total of 22 ICU patients;
  • the total number of deaths in people with COVID-19 is 912; and
  • the total number of confirmed variant of concern cases of B.1.1.7 is 12 and B.1.351 is 11, bringing the total number of confirmed variant of concern cases to 23.

Ongoing reviews of active case information has allowed for the removal of an additional 392 cases to ‘recovered’ from ‘active’ and provides a more accurate reporting of active cases.

Laboratory testing numbers show 2,195 tests were completed yesterday, bringing the total number of lab tests completed since early February 2020 to 546,239.

Additional data related to COVID-19, including data on outbreaks as well as some downloadable and historic data, can be found at geoportal.gov.mb.ca.

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.

An outbreak has been declared at St. Michael’s Ukrainian Catholic Church in Sarto. The site has been moved to the Critical (Red) level on the #RestartMB Pandemic Response System. Any members of the public that attended any events at, or in relationship to, the church on Feb. 21 should present for testing if they have any COVID-19 symptoms.

The outbreak has been declared over at Red River Place Personal Care Home in Selkirk.

Manitoba’s acute care facilities, including hospitals and health centres, as well as licensed personal care homes will soon begin providing all visitors and outpatients with a medical mask at the point of entry or screening. Date of implementation may vary by region and/or facility but will occur provincewide over the week of March 15.

Visitors and outpatients will be asked to change from their non-medical mask to the provided medical mask, which should be worn for the duration of their visit unless it is required to be removed for the purpose of receiving medical care.

This change does not apply to fee for service clinics, primary care clinics or community health services. Exceptions remain in place for individuals who are unable to wear a mask for medical reasons and for children under the age of five.

The chief provincial public health officer reminds Manitobans to self-isolate immediately at the onset of possible COVID-19 symptoms, no matter how mild. This means staying home from work, school or other daily activities, and not visiting with others. Testing should be done as soon as possible once symptoms appear. For information on COVID-19 symptoms and guidance on when you should be tested, visit manitoba.ca.

Manitobans are encouraged to travel only if essential and be sure to physically distance, wear a mask in indoor public places and avoid crowded spaces. Do not leave the home if you are sick, or when any member of your family is sick. Further, only socialize with your two designated people as per the current public health orders.

Public health officials are also advising that if anyone is symptomatic, or has a household member who is symptomatic, the entire household needs to self-isolate pending COVID-19 test results. For health-care workers, exceptions may apply and staff may be able/required to report to work after contacting their workplace occupational health services or designate. For information on self-isolation, including exceptions, visit gov.mb.ca.

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