New rules coming for northern Manitoba, some schools, as record 4 COVID-19 deaths reported in Manitoba

For the fourth time in as many weeks, the Manitoba government has introduced sweeping new rules in a desperate effort to get a handle on record-breaking COVID-19 numbers before they spiral out of control.

This time, the restrictions will apply to people in the northern part of the province, where there are increasing signs of community spread and cases among vulnerable populations, like those experiencing homelessness.

"We know that the north is already at risk for transmission of this virus, especially in remote, isolated communities, [with limited] access to health care," Chief Provincial Public Health Officer Dr. Brent Roussin said at a news conference Thursday.

That prompted the decision to move the Northern Health region to the orange, or "restricted," level on the province's pandemic response system, effective Monday. Thedecision was made in consultation with municipal and First Nations leadersin the region, Roussinsaid.

The rules coming to northern Manitoba are the same as those alreadyin place in the Winnipeg area, including a five-person cap on gatherings.

On top of that, casinos and other sites with live entertainment licences willhave to close, many businesses will have to cut occupancy to 50 per cent, and a slew of other sites will have to keep patrons' contact information for 21 days to support contact tracing.

Those measures came into effectin Winnipeg on Monday, aftera looserset of restrictions introduced at the end of September, and rules aimed at restaurants and barsthe following week, failed to slowthe spread of the illness in the region.

Theprovince alsoannounced new measures Thursday for schools in both the Northern Health region and the Winnipeg area, in response to overall increases in community spread of COVID-19.

While many hoped cases would have dwindled a month out fromWinnipeg's move to the orangepandemic response level,the reality has been the opposite.

In recent weeks, the province has seen its worst COVID-19 numbers to date. That continued on Thursday, when Manitoba announced four more deaths linked to the illness and 42 hospitalizations both new daily records.Eight of the people hospitalized are in intensive care.

The province also saw its second-highest one-day increase in cases, with 147 announced Thursday.

WATCH | Dr. Brent Roussin talks about community spread in Manitoba:

How community spread of COVID-19 affects public health approach

4 years ago

Duration 0:48

Dr. Brent Roussin, Manitoba's chief public health officer, explains why increasing community spread of COVID-19 makes targeted approaches to control the illness less effective.

The Northern Health region (and the northern town of Churchill, which is technicallypart of the Winnipeg health region) will stay at the orange level for at least two weeks, Roussin said, as overall cases in the area are on the rise.

The region'sfive-day test positivity rate a rolling average of the COVID-19 tests that come back positive is also climbing, and reached 4.6 per cent as of Thursday, Roussin said. In the province as a whole,that rate was5.6 per cent as of Thursday the highest it's been in Manitoba.

Meanwhile, an outbreak was declared at theOchekwi Sipi Cree Nation Personal Care Home on Fisher River Cree Nation after a health-care worker there tested positive for COVID-19. The facility in theInterlake community has been moved to the red, or critical, levelon the pandemic response system.

Two of Manitoba'slatest COVID-19 deaths menin their 70s and 80s are linked to Winnipeg's Parkview Place personal care home, which has becomethe deadliest care-home outbreak in the province, with 14 deaths as of Thursday, Roussin said.

The other two deaths were men in their 80sin the Winnipeg and Interlake-Eastern health regions.

School restrictions coming

Meanwhile, schools in both northern Manitoba and the Winnipeg area may see more remote learning starting Monday, as the province brings in more restrictions to slow the spread of COVID-19 in those settings.

The new restrictions come as athird Manitoba school has been elevated to the orange level in the pandemic response system because of the possibility COVID-19 is spreading within its walls. The outbreak at Arborgate School in La Broquerie, Man., now includes three people, Seine River School Division superintendent Mike Borgfjord said on Thursday.

The new rulesinclude ensuringtwo-metre physical distancing as much aspossible, adjusting classroom space as needed.

There's also the possibility of offering temporary remote learning options for students from kindergarten to Grade 8.

All other public health measures will stay in effect, and blended in-class and online learning for high school students will continue.

Outbreaks at 2 Winnipeg hospitals

Eighty-seven of the new cases announced in Manitoba on Thursday are in the Winnipeg health region, Roussin said. Another 33 are in the Southern Health region, while theInterlake-Eastern and Northern health regions each reported 10 new cases. There are seven new cases in the Prairie Mountain Health region.

The province is also dealing with outbreaks in several high-risk settings, including a poultry processing plant in Blumenort, Man., where anemployee died after contracting COVID-19.

Late Thursday, the Victoria General Hospital in Winnipeg declared an outbreak and closed two of its units after two patients tested positive. That follows an outbreak at St. Boniface Hospital that closed two units there on Wednesday.

Headingley Correctional Centre has also seen an outbreak, which had spread to 29 inmates and three staff as of Wednesday.

RCMP also announced Thursday they were notified the day beforethat a Manitobaofficer has tested positive.

The general duty officer was working in Selkirk and surrounding areas during the day on Oct. 11-13.

The officer was wearing a mask but did interact with the public those days, RCMP said. A contact tracing investigation is underway.

The University of Winnipeg sent a notice to students Thursday of three cases of COVID-19 on its campus: two within the U of W Collegiate, and one involvinga staff member.

Meanwhile, the outbreak at the Bethesda Place personal care home in Steinbach, where several residents died after contracting COVID-19, has beendeclared over.

There have now been 3,773 cases of COVID-19 identified in Manitoba. Of those, 1,920 people have recovered, 47 have died and 1,806 are considered active though Roussin has previously said that number is skewed because of a data entry backlog.

Another 2,220 COVID-19 tests were completed in Manitoba on Wednesday, bringing the total done since early February to 233,222.

WATCH | Full news conference on COVID-19 | Oct. 22, 2020:

Manitoba government daily briefing on coronavirus: Oct. 22

4 years ago

Duration 43:51

Dr. Brent Roussin, Chief Provincial Public Health Officer, gives an update on COVID-19 outbreak: Thursday, October 22, 2020.