Unvaccinated seniors take biggest COVID-19 hit in Manitoba: data

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This article was published 10/11/2021 (1590 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Unvaccinated Manitobans in their 60s and 70s are being hit hardest by COVID-19, new hospitalization data shows.

The number of Manitobans hospitalized with COVID-19 is up more than 30 per cent since last week as the provincial infection rate continues to rise.

Most patients are seniors who are unvaccinated, and older Manitobans who are fully vaccinated are also requiring hospitalization at a concerning rate, according to Shared Health data provided to the Free Press.

As of Tuesday morning, 138 COVID-19 patients were in Manitoba hospitals, an increase of nearly 33 per cent over the past week.

There were 109 COVID-19 patients in hospital fighting active infections of the virus, and 21 of them required intensive care. More than half — 59 per cent — of hospitalized patients were unvaccinated, while 35 per cent of hospitalized patients were fully vaccinated, Shared Health figures show.

Asked for context about the growing number of hospitalized patients, Shared Health provided patient age ranges by vaccination status.

The data shows most of the fully vaccinated hospital patients are in their 70s and 80s. There were nine Manitobans in hospital who are partially vaccinated, and most of them are in their 60s and 70s. As for unvaccinated patients, most ranged from their 50s to 80s. Most unvaccinated patients are currently in their 60s and 70s.

Shared Health stated officials are still trying to encourage vaccine uptake to protect not just individuals, but the capacity of the health-care system.

“The sustained upward trajectory of hospitalization numbers is concerning to direct-care workers throughout the health system, who are fatigued from previous COVID waves. These numbers should also be concerning to all Manitobans, as continued increases in COVID hospitalizations will prompt the scaling back of some services — such as non-urgent and elective surgeries — to ensure there is sufficient staff in place to assist in the care of COVID patients,” a Shared Health spokesperson wrote in an emailed statement.

Manitoba’s COVID-19 growth rate is third-highest in the country.

Seven-day averages for case counts per capita mean Manitoba is seeing greater infection-rate surges than most other provinces. Only Yukon and Saskatchewan have had higher rates in the past week, according to national data collected by the federal government as of Monday evening.

Manitoba’s rate is 74 cases per 100,000 people, almost double the national rate of 43.

The province recorded 185 new COVID-19 cases Tuesday and four additional deaths, raising the death toll to 1,266.

Of the new cases, 103 were among unvaccinated Manitobans and 74 of those infected were fully vaccinated. Eight were partially vaccinated before contracting the virus.

katie.may@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @thatkatiemay