News briefs for Friday, December 23, 2022

The province’s police watchdog has ended an investigation into speeding by an RCMP officer because they couldn’t find out who it could have been.

The Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba said on Friday that despite looking at the RCMP occurrence summary, vehicle status, and surveillance video from a restaurant and gas station, investigators couldn’t tell who was driving the unmarked police cruiser.

The IIU also said because the only eyewitness gave inconclusive and confusing evidence, the matter has been dropped.

The investigation began when the RCMP told the IIU a witness had spotted a cruiser driving westbound on the Trans-Canada Highway at an excessive speed on Oct. 6.

Confirmed flu cases appear to be declining in Manitoba and across the country, the province’s latest respiratory virus report shows.

Manitoba’s test positivity rate for influenza has decreased. It was 13.6 per cent during the week of Dec. 11 to 17, compared with 27.2 per cent the previous week. However, most Manitobans with flu symptoms aren’t being tested for influenza.

Last week, the number of average daily specimens was 251. In the children’s hospital, many patients are being diagnosed as having “flu-like symptoms” rather than being formally lab tested, hospital officials stated previously.

National influenza rates are also decreasing. Manitoba is reporting five additional influenza-related deaths and 48 hospitalizations this week, with no reported intensive-care admissions. The provincial report states cases of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are still rising.

The weekly COVID-19 epidemiological report listed zero deaths in the week ending Dec. 17, but the total death toll for COVID-19 jumped by 26.  COVID-19 caused 50 hospitalizations and 12 ICU admissions during that week, the report shows.

This brief has been updated to include the jump in total reported deaths due to COVID-19.

Winnipeg forward Cole Perfetti won’t play tonight in Washington after getting hurt in Thursday’s 3-2 defeat to the Boston Bruins.

The Jets youngster has an unspecified injury and will be replaced by Michael Eysimmont as the visitors face Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals. The ‘Great 8’ is in search of the 801st goal of his career, which would tie him with Gordie Howe for second on the NHL’s all-time goal-scoring list.

David Rittich will play between the pipes for Winnipeg (21-11-1), which is in second place in the Central Division.  The Capitals are 18-13-4.

The Jets will have a three-day break before hosting the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday, Dec. 27