News briefs for Thursday, October 13, 2022

The Winnipeg Jets have placed forward Dominic Toninato on waivers for the purpose of being assigned to the AHL’s Manitoba Moose, the NHL club announced early Thursday.

The move was made to trim the roster down to the mandated 23-man lineup ahead of Friday’s home opener against the New York Rangers at Canada Life Centre.

Toninato, 25, has spent the last two seasons with the Jets, including 77 games last season, where he scored seven goals and seven assists.

Manitoba’s COVID-19 death toll has increased by 13.

The province’s latest weekly COVID-19 report says deaths related to the virus increased from 2,177 to 2,190 between Oct. 2 and Saturday.

The test-positivity rate increased from 23.4 per cent to 24.1 per cent, with 284 people confirmed positive with COVID-19.

Seventy-three Manitobans were hospitalized with COVID-19, with 14 requiring ICU care. The week earlier, 77 people were admitted to hospital with the disease, including 13 to intensive care.

Manitoba youth aged 12 to 17 will soon be able to receive a bivalent COVID-19 booster shot.

On Wednesday, Manitoba public health said it will expand eligibility for the booster shot after Health Canada approved the vaccine, developed by Pfizer-BioNTech, which targets the original strain of the virus and Omicron variants.

The shot made by Pfizer-BioNTech is the only bivalent booster approved for people between the ages of 12 and 17. Doses are expected to arrive by the end of this week and will be shipped to clinics and pharmacies across Manitoba.

The new bivalent vaccine is expected to be at most vaccine locations by Oct. 24, according to the province.

Appointments for people aged 12 to 17 can be booked as of Friday at 9 a.m. by calling the vaccine call centre at 1-844-626-8222, by going online, or by contacting medical clinics and pharmacies directly.

As of Oct. 12, 55,109 doses of the bivalent vaccine have been given in Manitoba.