October 2, 2020 NOVEL CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) BULLETIN #207 Public health officials advise the 21st death related to COVID-19 has been reported in the Winnipeg health region. The individual was a male in his 70s and a previously announced case connected to Parkview Place. The current five-day COVID-19 test positivity rate is 2.3 per cent and 43 new cases of the virus have been identified as of 9:30 a.m. today, bringing the number of cases in Manitoba to 2,072. The data shows: • seven cases in the Prairie Mountain Health region; • six in the Interlake–Eastern health region; • one cases in Southern Health–Santé Sud; and • 29 cases in the Winnipeg health region. The data also shows: • 652 active cases and 1,399 individuals have recovered from COVID-19; • there are 18 people in hospital and seven people in intensive care; and • the number of deaths due to COVID-19 is 21. Confirmed laboratory testing numbers show 1,454 tests were completed yesterday, bringing the total number of lab tests completed since early February to 188,098. Case investigations continue and if a public health risk is identified, the public will be notified. A COVID-19 outbreak has been declared at the Carberry Personal Care Home in Carberry. The site is moving to Critical (red) on the #RestartMB Pandemic Response System. Public health officials also advised the following school and daycare centres about possible exposures: • Hugh John Macdonald School in Winnipeg on Sept 28: based on the public health investigation, this exposure was assessed to be low risk and the infection is not believed to have been acquired at the school. • Lindenwood Childcare Centre in Winnipeg from Sept. 23 to 25 and Sept. 28 to 29: the cohort is self-isolating and based on the public health investigation, this exposure was assessed to be low risk and the infection is not believed to have been acquired at the centre. • Les enfants précieux child-care centre in Winnipeg of additional confirmed cases of COVID-19 present in the daycare since Sept. 18: based on the public health investigation, this exposure was assessed to be low risk and the infection is not believed to have been acquired at the school or at the child-care centre. In addition, the public is being advised of possible exposures at these sites: • Bar Red Sea, 268 Portage Ave. in Winnipeg on Sept 19 from midnight to 3:30 a.m.; • CF Polo Park, 1485 Portage Ave. in Winnipeg on Sept. 19 with visits to Foot Locker in the late morning and Famous Wok at lunchtime; and • Boston Pizza, D24-1450 Main St. in Dauphin on Sept. 13 from approximately 3:30 to 6 p.m. People who attended any of the above locations on the dates/times listed should self-monitor for symptoms and immediately isolate if they develop and seek testing. Public health officials also advised the following airline exposures: • Sept. 21 – West Jet flight 147 from Winnipeg to Edmonton, rows four to 10. Individuals in the affected seats on this flight are advised to self-isolate for 14 days following the flight and monitor for symptoms. Passengers on this flight, but not in the affected seats, should self-monitor for symptoms and self-isolate if they develop. Public health officials have declared the COVID-19 outbreaks over at the Fairview Personal Care Home in Brandon. The site has returned to the Caution (yellow) level on the #RestartMB Pandemic Response System. With Thanksgiving around the corner, public health is providing guidelines for how to enjoy fall holidays and celebrations while reducing the potential spread of COVID-19. For more information, visit www.gov.mb.ca/covid19/updates/prepareandprevent.html#holidays. The Health Canada COVID Alert app is now available to Manitoba residents and provides digital COVID-19 exposure alerts once the app is downloaded to a smartphone. It is available at no cost in the Apple and Google Play app stores. For more information, visit: www.manitoba.ca/covid19/updates/covidalert.html. The chief provincial public health officer strongly encourages Manitobans to reduce the number of close contacts outside their household, and avoid closed-in or crowded spaces. In addition, they should focus on these fundamentals to help stop the spread of COVID-19: • Stay home if you are sick. • Wash/sanitize your hands and cover your cough. • Physically distance when you are with people outside your household. • If you cannot physically distance, wear a mask to help reduce the risk to others or as required by public health orders. Unless recommended by public health officials, only individuals experiencing COVID-19 symptoms should go for testing. Individuals with symptoms are asked to seek testing as soon as possible once symptoms are present. Employers are asked to only send employees for testing if they have symptoms or if testing has been recommended by public health officials. The online assessment tool can be found at https://sharedhealthmb.ca/covid19/screening- tool/and COVID-19 symptoms can be found at www.gov.mb.ca/covid19/updates/about.html#collapse4. For up-to-date information on COVID-19 in Manitoba, visit www.manitoba.ca/COVID19. For up-to-date information on the #RestartMB Pandemic Response System, visit: https://manitoba.ca/covid19/restartmb/prs/index.html. - 30 – For more information: • Public information, contact Manitoba Government Inquiry: 1-866-626-4862 or 204- 945-3744. • Media requests for general information, contact Communications Services Manitoba: 204-945-3765. • Media requests for ministerial comment, contact Communications and Stakeholder Relations: 204-945-4916. .