Manitoba hits 2nd-highest daily COVID-19 case count; record number of patients in ICU

Manitoba recorded its second-highest dailyCOVID-19 case count on Wednesday as the province announced two more deaths and a record number of intensive-care admissions.

Manitoba has 374 new cases of COVID-19, reversing what had been a steady decline in the daily number of new cases, and second only to the all-time high of 480 new cases reported last Friday.

There are now 140 patients with COVID-19 in hospital up 10 from the day before, and continuing a two-week-long climb in the number of hospitalizations in Manitoba. There are 21 patientsin intensive care units, another new record.

The number of people in hospital with COVID-19 hasclimbedevery day since Oct. 19 when there were 28 COVID-19 patients in hospital pushing capacity to the brink.

Hospitals have been forced to cancel some non-urgent and elective procedures and add critical care beds, to make space for an expected surge of COVID-19 patients over the coming weeks.

A total of 216 surgeries have been postponed in Winnipeg in the last week, "as we gradually slow down elective and non-urgent surgical services," said Lanette Siragusa, chief nursing officer for Manitoba Shared Health.

"Despite the cancellations, a number of surgeries are continuing.... Assume it's proceeding, unless you've heard otherwise," she said.

Despite setting a new record for ICU admissions, critical care the percentage of critical care beds being used decreased from 94 per cent on Monday to 90 per cent on Wednesday, Siragusa said.

Of the 80 total ICU beds in the province, 72 are currently in use. Fourteen of the 21 COVID-19 patients in intensive care are on ventilators, Siragusa said.

Work has begun to make extra space for non-COVID-19 patients in order to free up room for patients with the illness. Siragusa gave the example of the former Women's Hospital at Health Sciences Centre, whichis being set up to take non-COVID patientsfrom the main hospital.

More details on the province's plans to increase hospital capacity will likely be available Friday, following consultations with physicians and health care workers, Siragusa said.

A group of 200 Manitoba doctors and scientists wrote a letter to the premier on Monday, saying the health system is overwhelmed and calling on the province to provide emergency funding to deal with the spike in cases.

This led to Health Minister Cameron Friesen questioning the motives of the doctors who wrote the letter, saying it was timed to produce "chaos."

When asked whether he agreed with the minister, Dr. Brent Roussin, the province'schief public health officer, said he couldn't speak to anyone's motivations.

"Really, the message that came out [from the letter] isn't contradictory to what we've been saying: This is a very important juncture in time. It is a very critical time for Manitobans, that we turn the tide on the transmission of this virus," Roussin said at Wednesday's news conference.

'This is not simply the flu'

The two deaths announced Wednesday bring the total since the start of the pandemic to87 in Manitoba a number that has climbed from 20 at the start of October.

Roussin noted the province has reported more than 20 COVID-19 deathsin the past week alone. He compared that tothe 29 deaths caused by the flu last year.

"We've learned a lot over time from this virus, but what we always knew is that this is not simply the flu."

WATCH|COVID-19 more dangerous than the flu, warns Manitoba's top doctor

COVID-19 more dangerous than the flu, warns Manitoba's top doctor

4 years ago

Duration 0:50

Manitoba has had 87 COVID-19-related deaths so far, with 21 announced in the last week alone, Dr. Brent Roussin said at a news conference Wednesday. That compares to a total of 21 deaths related to the flu in all of last year, he said.

One of the deaths announced Wednesday, a woman in her 80s, is linked to the outbreak at the Maples Long Term Care Home in Winnipeg. This brings the total number of deaths at the care home to eight, Roussin said Wednesday.

The outbreak has resulted in 166 people, including 120 residents and 46 staff members, testingpositive at the care home.

The other death, a woman in her 90s, is linked to the outbreak at St. Boniface Hospital. There have been seven COVID-19 deaths at St. Boniface, five of which the hospital says can be attributed to the outbreak there.

So far, 25 patients and 15 staff members have tested positive for COVID-19 in connection with that outbreak.

Outbreak declared atActionmarguerite

One more patient at Victoria General Hospital in Winnipeg has also tested positive for the illness, for a total of 41 as of Tuesday. There have also been37 staff infections and one death related to the outbreak at Victoria.

The outbreak at the Parkview Place care home in Winnipeg has grown to 147 cases, with 111 residents and 36 staff members infected. That outbreak has led to23 deaths, making it the deadliestin the province.

An outbreak at the Headingley Correctional Institution now has 112 infections, including 87 inmates and25 staff.

Manitoba's five-day test-positivity rate a rolling average of the number of COVID-19 tests that come back positive is 8.5, the lowest it's been since last Thursday.

The bulk of Wednesday's new cases 276 arein the Winnipeg health region. There were also 67 in the Southern Health region, 14 in Northern Health, 12 in the Interlake-Eastern region and five in Prairie Mountain Health.

Manitoba case counts rise

4 years ago

Duration 2:11

Manitoba hits 2nd-highest daily COVID-19 case count with record number of patients in ICU.

The new cases bring the province's total since the start of the pandemicto6,751. Provincial data shows3,772 cases still active and2,892 people recovered, although the number of active cases is likely inflated due to a backlog in clearing recovered cases.

A new outbreak has been declared at another Winnipeg personal care home, this time at Actionmarguerite in St. Boniface. Outbreak protocols were previously put in place at the care home when cases were identified there in September.

An outbreak has also been declaredat Manitoba Hydro's Keeyask site, which the provinceannounced Tuesday was being moved to thered, or critical,levelon the province's pandemic scale.

The provincial government announcedtwo new COVID-19 testing sites will open this week. A site inWinkler will open Thursdayat 485 George Ave., and a new Winnipeg drive-thru site will open Sunday at the University of Manitoba's SmartParkat 1 Research Rd.

A total of3,163 COVID-19 tests were completed on Tuesday.

More possible exposures

Manitoba health officials announced a number of potential new exposures to COVID-19, including more school exposures and a funeral.

Fisher Branch

• Fisher Branch Collegiate:
  • Oct. 22

Opaskwayak Cree Nation

• Funeral:
  • Oct. 24

Steinbach

• Steinbach Regional Secondary School:
  • Oct. 20 to 22
  • Oct. 26 to 28

Warren

• Warren Elementary School:
  • Oct. 26

Winnipeg

• Winnipeg Transit Route 21, from William Avenue and Isabel Street to Wellington Avenue and Berry Street, and fromWellington and Barry to William and Isabel, times unknown:
  • Oct. 13 to 16
  • Oct. 19 to 21
• Winnipeg Transit Route 16,Kingston Row southbound to PembinaHighway at Bishop GrandinBoulevard:
  • Oct. 23, approximately 2:45 p.m.
• Windsor School:
  • Oct. 28
  • Oct. 30
• cole Romeo Dallaire:
  • Oct. 26 to 28
• Luxton School:
  • Oct. 22 and 23
  • Oct. 26 to 29
• Anne Ross Day Nursery:
  • Oct. 26

WATCH | Full news conference on COVID-19 | Nov. 4, 2020:

Manitoba government daily briefing on coronavirus: Nov. 4

4 years ago

Duration 1:08:17

Provincial officials give update on COVID-19 outbreak: Wednesday, November 4, 2020.