Manitoba’s ninth case of variant of concern identified

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This article was published 05/03/2021 (2057 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitoba has flagged another case of the highly communicable South African COVID-19 variant, public health officials announced today.

The third case of the B 1.351 variant, first identified in South Africa, was detected in the Winnipeg health region, Dr. Jazz Atwal said.

That brings the total number of variants of concern in Manitoba to nine, with six of B.1.1.7 first identified in the U.K. and three of the South African B.1.351 variant. Manitoba’s deputy chief provincial public health officer said the case is under investigation but there is no threat to the public and unless there is, officials won’t release further information.

“They are travel-related, to the best of my knowledge,” Atwal said. “We aren’t going through the details of every single case… If there is a risk to the public, we will provide that (information) as well.” He said all the individuals who have tested positive for the variants of concern have been identified and “are doing what public health is asking them.”

There is no indication there has been any community transmission of the variants, he said.

Atwal reported one additional COVID-19 death Friday: a woman in her 90s linked to the outbreak at Golden Links Lodge in Winnipeg.

The current five-day COVID-19 test positivity rate is three per cent provincially and 2.4 per cent in Winnipeg. A total of 2,069 laboratory tests were performed Thursday.

Today, 54 new cases of the virus were announced, including two in the Interlake–Eastern health region, 33 in the Northern health region, one in Prairie Mountain, four in Southern Health and 14 cases in the Winnipeg health region.

The province has 1,133 active cases and 171 hospitalizations. Fifty-five people were in hospital with active COVID-19; 116 people were in hospital with COVID-19, who are no longer infectious. Nine people remained in intensive care with active COVID-19 as well as 15 people with COVID-19 who are no longer infectious but continue to require critical care, for a total of 24 ICU patients;

Outbreaks have ended at Health Sciences Centre GA5 and St. Amant Health and Transition Services of Winnipeg, and at St. Paul’s Personal Care Home in The Pas.

Atwal said communities in the Northern Health region, which has the highest number of new cases, are getting help to get them under control.

“Work is being done with all the communities to mitigate issues.”

He said disadvantaged folks with crowded housing is a greater issue in the north. The hard-hit First Nations communities of Island Lake and Cross Lake are starting to see their COVID-19 case numbers improve.

“There’s a whole team here to help reduce that risk and get it under control,” said Atwal. “We should see these cases settle down.” Meanwhile, Pukatawagan residents are in the early stages of an outbreak, he said.

Atwal offered words of encouragement, on a sunny warm day when Canada announced it had approved a fourth vaccine, and Manitoba eased some of its pandemic restrictions.

“It feels great,” he said. “It’s a promising moment. I think we’re headed into a really good time here and Manitobans can get back to the things they love.. With the weather changing, it provides Manitobans with greater opportunities to do things outdoors.”

They need to remain on guard, limit their interactions and get the COVID-19 vaccination as soon as it is offered, Atwal said.

“When your name gets called for a vaccine, go get that vaccine… Remain resilient a little longer and I think Manitobans won’t be disappointed.”

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca