The number of new COVID-19 cases in Manitoba April 19 wasn’t the highest it’s been in recent days but the premier announced tightened public health orders as the province seeks to be ahead of the curve when it comes to bending the pandemic curve.
As of 12:01 a.m. April 20, only two designated visitors may enter a person’s home and outdoor gatherings on public and private property are limited to a maximum of 10 people, including household members. Religious services are limited to 25 per cent capacity or 50 people, whichever is lower, with masks required except when household groups are seated, appropriately distanced from others and not singing. Weddings and funerals are also limited to 10 attendees, plus an officiant and a photographer.
At 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, retail stores will be limited to one-third of their capacity or 333 people, whichever is lower.
Premier Brian Pallister said there are strong signals of a third wave in Manitoba, much like those in the provinces to either side of it.
“Despite our best collective efforts however, COVID is on the rise,” he said. “The variants of concern are here. The vaccines, in large part, aren’t here yet.”
Chief provincial public health officer Dr. Brent Roussin said public health officials are seeing concerning trends, including more contacts connected to confirmed cases, evidence of larger gatherings, rising test positivity (the five-day rate was 5.7 per cent April 19) and higher case numbers in younger Manitobans. He also said about two-thirds of recent cases in Winnipeg have been infections caused by variants of concern. Following these tightened orders, he said, may be Manitobans’ last chance to avoid a much stricter lockdown situation.
Across the province, 108 new confirmed cases of the virus were announced on Monday, including 63 in Winnipeg, 18 in the southern health region,12 in the Interlake-Eastern health region and 10 in the Prairie Mountain health region. The number of new cases in the north was the lowest it has been recently, with only five new cases, but the 42nd death of a northern resident, a man in his 60s was reported on April 17.
There are 132 Manitobans in hospital due to COVID-19, 62 of them with active infections. Fifteen of those with active infections are in intensive care, as are 15 people who are no longer considered infectious.
Twenty-four northerners are in hospital, including 15 with active infections, four of whom are in intensive care, along with four others who are no longer considered infectious.
In addition to dropping the age of eligibility for vaccination with the AstraZeneca/Covishield vaccine to 40 on April 19, the government also dropped the eligibility age for immunization at a super site or pop -up clinic to 54 years or older and 34 years or older for First Nations people.To date, Manitoba has administered 341,296 doses of vaccine, including 272,104 first doses. So far, 486,810 doses of vaccine have been delivered to the province. More than half of that is the Pfizer vaccine and about a quarter is the Moderna vaccine, while AstraZeneca accounts for about 17 per cent.
The province also announced Monday that it is beginning an asymptomatic rapid testing strategy at a number of locations throughout the province, including Alamos Gold in Lynn Lake.
