3 COVID-19 deaths, 29 fewer hospitalizations in Manitoba on Friday

Another three people have died due to COVID-19 in Manitoba and there are 29 fewer cases in hospitals on Friday, the provincial government says.

The three deaths announced Friday were all in the Winnipeg health region — a woman in her 70s and two men, one in his 60s and the other in his 80s.

Health officials also released information about eight deaths Thursday, all from the Winnipeg region: five women in their 80s, a man in his 80s, a woman in her 70s and a woman in her 60s linked to an outbreak at Health Sciences Centre Unit GA4.

A total of 707 COVID-19 patients are now in Manitoba hospitals.

The number of patients with the illness in intensive care units dropped two to 52. The total number of patients in Manitoba's ICUs, including those who don't have COVID-19, remained at 108 Friday.

Manitoba's five-day test-positivity rate dropped to 26.8 per cent from 27.1 per cent on Thursday.

An additional 623 new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed by PCR testing, although the number of cases in the province is much higher, as the province restricts access to PCR testing and does not track rapid test results.

There are currently 17,423 cases listed as active, although the actual number of active cases is also likely much higher than reported.

Labs completed another 2,228 tests on Thursday.

Manitoba's pandemic death toll now stands at 1,585.

As of Friday, 57 per cent of kids in Manitoba age five to 11 had received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. 

Among all eligible Manitobans, 85.8 per cent have at least one dose, 80 per cent have two doses, and 41.1 per cent have received a booster shot.

Outbreaks declared

Health officials have declared outbreaks at:

• St. Boniface Hospital Unit E4GM in Winnipeg.
• Souris Health Centre in Souris.

Outbreaks have been declared over at:

• St. Boniface Hospital Unit B5 in Winnipeg.
• River Park Gardens in Winnipeg.
• Vista Park Lodge in Winnipeg.
• Health Sciences Centre PX3 in Winnipeg.
• Misericordia Health Centre Unit C5 in Winnipeg.
• Deer Lodge Centre Lodge 6 East in Winnipeg.
• Brandon Regional Health Centre Unit A3 in Brandon.
• Sandy Lake Personal Care Home in Sandy Lake.
• Rideau Park Personal Care Home in Brandon.