Provincial Respiratory Surveillance Report

COVID-19


This report provides a current epidemiological update on the intensity and severity of COVID-19 in Manitoba. Surveillance and administrative data include laboratory, public health case and contact tracing investigations, hospitalization and mortality data. Data are presented at the provincial and regional level; and include a focussed review on the disproportional impact of COVID-19 on various populations in the province.

In this weekly respiratory surveillance report, we provide regular updates about the current activity of COVID-19 in Manitoba with overall objectives:

Data are reported with a one-week delay for increased data accuracy, completeness and reliability. More analyses continue to be conducted and will be added to this report as available. It is published online at approximately 10:00am every Monday.

Reporting for seasonal influenza in 2021-2022 season will start on October 15, 2021 for Week 40 (October 3–9, 2021).

Week 35 (August 29 – September 4)

About epidemiological week

Data extracted up to 4:00 am on September 10, 2021
Next reporting date: September 20, 2021

COVID-19: Decreased Activity

In Week 35, there were 283 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases reported in Manitoba, a decrease from 392 in the previous week. The volume of lab tests increased to on average 1,986 people tested for COVID-19 per day compared to 1,895 in the previous week, and the positivity rate of lab tests was 2.5%, a decrease from 3.1% in the previous week.

In the 283 cases reported this week, 34% were reported from the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority and 33% were reported from the Southern Health - Santé Sud Regional Health Authority. The remaining cases were reported from Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority (14%), Northern Health Region (12%), and Prairie Mountain Health Authority (7%).

This week, 214 cases of variants of concern (VOCs) have been reported, a decrease from 314 in the previous week. Additionally, cases of VOCs accounted for 76% of new cases reported this week.

In all Manitoba residents aged 12 years and older, 83.8% of residents have been partially vaccinated and 77.6% have been fully vaccinated. This week, the majority of new cases, severe cases among them and VOC cases were unvaccinated.

Cases

About cases

  • New cases: 283
  • Total cases: 58,934
  • Total VOC cases: 17,684
  • Recovered cases: 57,438
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Testing

About testing

This week

  • Average daily specimens: 1,986
  • Weekly positivity rate: 2.5%

Total

  • Tested people: 542,562
  • Population tested: 39.8%
  • Specimens tested: 935,842
  • Positivity rate: 6.8%
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Severity

About severity

Severe outcomes associated with COVID-19:

  • Hospitalizations: 4,084
    • ICU admissions3: 883
  • Deaths: 1,199
More Analyses

Outbreaks

About outbreaks

COVID-19 outbreaks: 244

  • Outbreaks in long-term care facilities: 121
  • Outbreaks in schools: 6
More Analyses

Exposure

About exposure

Source of infection in cases (% of total)

  • Travel: 1.4%
  • Close contact to cases: 55.9%
  • Unknown: 25.0%
  • Pending: 17.6%

Top five outbreak/cluster/special investigation settings4

  • Workplace: 36.0%
  • Industrial setting: 17.4%
  • Daycare: 10.2%
  • Acute care setting: 7.7%
  • School: 7.6%
More Analyses

Transmission and Acquisition

About transmission and acquisition

Top five transmission settings in all cases5

  • Household: 65.6%
  • Social gathering: 14.0%
  • Workplace: 12.6%
  • Transportation: 5.2%
  • Retail: 3.7%

Top five acquisition settings in cases with unknown source of infection6

  • Household: 50.2%
  • Workplace: 32.5%
  • Retail: 18.6%
  • Social gathering: 15.0%
  • Transportation: 6.6%
More Analyses

Symptoms

About symptoms

Symptomatic cases: 73.6%

Top symptoms (% of reports)

  • Cough: 46.3%
  • Headache: 38.1%
  • Fever: 32.0%
  • Muscle pain (myalgia): 28.2%
  • Sore Throat: 27.5%
More Analyses

Risk Factors

About risk factors

  • Pregnant cases: 732
  • Health care workers7: 2,650
  • Deceased health care workers: 4
  • Recovered health care workers: 2,638
More Analyses

Important Notes

  1. Data about COVID-19 cases and contacts aswell as influenza cases are extracted from PHIMS.
  2. Numbers are subject to change. Missed events in the current report due to reporting delays will be included in later reports when data become available.
  3. ICU admissions were also included in hospitalizations.
  4. The top five settings where cases are found to be linked with an outbreak or cluster or special investigation.
  5. Transmission settings include those settings exposed during a case’s communicability period, i.e., 48 hours prior to the development of overt symptoms in the case until the case is classified as no longer infectious. Percentages are calculated using total cases counts as a denominator. Categories are NOT mutually exclusive.
  6. Acquisition settings include those settings exposed during a case’s incubation period, i.e., 14 days before symptom onset date. Percentages are calculated using community-transmitted case counts as a denominator for acquisition settings. Categories are NOT mutually exclusive.
  7. Health care workers include personnels in hospitals, long-term care settings, community health clinics and services (including agency staff), and diagnostic/laboratory services.

Cases

Figure 1. Cases of COVID-19 by Week of Public Health Report Date, Manitoba, August 23, 2020 – September 4, 2021

Note. Deaths due to COVID-19 were aligned by week of death date.
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Figure 2. COVID-19 Cases of Variants of Concern (VOC) by Type and Percentage of VOC Cases in All Cases by Week of Public Health Report Date, Manitoba, August 23, 2020 – September 4, 2021

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Figure 3. Sex and Age Distribution of COVID-19 Cases, March 1, 2020 – September 4, 2021

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Figure 4. Cases of COVID-19 by Health Region and Public Health Report Date, Manitoba, September 1, 2020 – September 1, 2021

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Table 1. Cases of COVID-19 by Health Region, Manitoba, March 13, 2020 – September 4, 2021

Health Region Cases Percentage
Winnipeg RHA 34330 58.3%
Southern Health-Santé Sud 8028 13.6%
Interlake-Eastern RHA 4368 7.4%
Prairie Mountain Health 4090 6.9%
Northern Health Region 8118 13.8%
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Figure 5. Vaccination Status in New Cases 12+, non-ICU Hospital Admissions, ICU Admissions, Deaths, and VOCs, Manitoba, August 29, 2021 – September 4, 2021

Note: Unprotected Case: Individuals vaccinated 0–13 days following the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Partially Vaccinated Case: Individuals vaccinated >=14 days following the first dose of a 2-dose series COVID-19 vaccine if only one dose was received and 0-13 days following the second dose if two doses were received. Fully Vaccinated Case: Individuals vaccinated >=14 days following the second dose of a 2-dose series or first dose of a 1-dose series of a COVID-19 vaccine.

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Testing

Figure 6. Average Daily Testing Volume and Positivity (%) for COVID-19 by Week of Specimen Receiving Date, Manitoba, August 23, 2020 – September 4, 2021

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Table 2. Cumulative National Testing Volume and Positivity (%) for COVID-19 by Province/Territory, Canada, March 13, 2020 – September 4, 2021

Province Confirmed Cases Tests Completed Test Rate in Population (Estimated %) Positivity Rate (Estimated %)
Alberta 256,985 5,124,166 117.8% 5.0%
British Columbia 168,325 3,464,379 68.6% 4.9%
Manitoba 58,845 979,113 71.8% 6.0%
New Brunswick 2,798 425,210 54.9% 0.7%
Newfoundland and Labrador 1,491 323,270 61.8% 0.5%
Northwest Territories 486 28,774 64.1% 1.7%
Nova Scotia 6,047 1,123,679 116.2% 0.5%
Nunavut 658 19,207 49.7% 3.4%
Ontario 567,878 17,150,277 118.4% 3.3%
Prince Edward Island 233 185,783 119.4% 0.1%
Quebec 391,363 10,919,282 129.3% 3.6%
Saskatchewan 55,396 1,029,254 87.9% 5.4%
Yukon 694 9,129 22.5% 7.6%
Canada 1,511,212 40,781,599 109.0% 3.7%

Note. National testing data are collected daily from the national Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Outbreak update webpage.

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Severity

Figure 7. Severe Outcomes of COVID-19 by Week of Public Health Report Date, Manitoba, August 23, 2020 – September 4, 2021

Note. ICU admissions are not included in the hospital admissions.

Figure 8. Age Distribution of Severe COVID-19 Cases Compared to All Cases, Manitoba, March 13, 2020 – September 4, 2021

Figure 9. Percentage of COVID-19 Cases With Underlying Illnesses, Manitoba, March 13, 2020 – September 4, 2021

Note. Musculoskeletal illnesses include: osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, gout and crystal Arthropathies; COPD-chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; CVD-cardiovascular disease; Other CVDs include: ischemic heart disease, heart failure, acute myocardial infarction, and stroke; Other chronic conditions include: parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, alzheimer’s disease and epilepsy. About definitions of chronic conditions

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Risk Factors

Table 3. Source of Infection in Health Care Workers with Non-missing Information, Manitoba, March 13, 2020 – September 4, 2021

Source of Infection Cases Percentage
Close contact of known case 1542 58.2%
Pending 204 7.7%
Travel 30 1.1%
Unknown 874 33%
All Cases 2650

Table 4. Roles of Health Care Workers with Non-missing Information, Manitoba, March 13, 2020 – September 4, 2021

Role Cases Percentage
Allied Health, Health Professionals, and Support Staff 1621 61.2%
Nurse/Licensed Practical Nurse 673 25.4%
Not identified 209 7.9%
Physician/Physician in training 91 3.4%
First Responder 56 2.1%
All Cases 2650

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Outbreaks

Figure 10. Weekly COVID-19 Outbreaks, Manitoba, 2018 – 2021

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Contacts

Table 5. COVID-19 Contact Summary in All Cases, Manitoba, March 13, 2020 – September 4, 2021

Regional Health Authority Cases Median Contacts Minimum Contacts Maximum Contacts
Winnipeg Health 34330 3 0 249
Northern Health 8118 1 0 121
Southern Health - Sante Sud 8028 2 0 69
Interlake-Eastern Health 4368 2 0 76
Prairie Mountain Health 4090 3 0 134

Table 6. COVID-19 Contact Summary in New Cases Reported in Week 35, Manitoba, 2021

Regional Health Authority Cases Median Contacts Minimum Contacts Maximum Contacts
Winnipeg Health 97 3 0 33
Southern Health - Sante Sud 95 3 0 23
Interlake-Eastern Health 39 3 0 21
Northern Health 33 0 0 10
Prairie Mountain Health 19 3 0 39

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Figure 11. Percentage of COVID-19 Cases Linked to Top-five Cluster/Outbreak/Special Investigation Settings, Manitoba, January 24, 2021 – September 4, 2021

Note: COVID-19 public health orders in Manitoba since January 23, 2021: PH order #1 (effective January 23, 2021), PH order #2 (effective March 5, 2021), PH order #3 (effective March 26, 2021), PH order #4 (effective April 19, 2021), PH order #5 (effective April 28, 2021), PH order #6 (effective May 9, 2021), PH order #7 (effective May 22, 2021), PH order #8 (effective May 29, 2021), PH order #9 (effective June 12, 2021), PH order #10 (effective June 26, 2021), PH order #11: (effective July 17, 2021), PH order #12: (effective August 7, 2021). Content of Public Health Orders

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Figure 12. Percentage of Total COVID-19 Cases Exposed to Top-five Transmission Settings, Manitoba, January 24, 2021 – September 4, 2021

Note: COVID-19 public health orders in Manitoba since January 23, 2021: PH order #1 (effective January 23, 2021), PH order #2 (effective March 5, 2021), PH order #3 (effective March 26, 2021), PH order #4 (effective April 19, 2021), PH order #5 (effective April 28, 2021), PH order #6 (effective May 9, 2021), PH order #7 (effective May 22, 2021), PH order #8 (effective May 29, 2021), PH order #9 (effective June 12, 2021), PH order #10 (effective June 26, 2021), PH order #11: (effective July 17, 2021), PH order #12: (effective August 7, 2021). Content of Public Health Orders

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Figure 13. Percentage of Community-transmitted COVID-19 Cases Exposed to Top-five Acquisition Settings, Manitoba, January 24, 2021 – September 4, 2021

Note: COVID-19 public health orders in Manitoba since January 23, 2021: PH order #1 (effective January 23, 2021), PH order #2 (effective March 5, 2021), PH order #3 (effective March 26, 2021), PH order #4 (effective April 19, 2021), PH order #5 (effective April 28, 2021), PH order #6 (effective May 9, 2021), PH order #7 (effective May 22, 2021), PH order #8 (effective May 29, 2021), PH order #9 (effective June 12, 2021), PH order #10 (effective June 26, 2021), PH order #11: (effective July 17, 2021), PH order #12: (effective August 7, 2021). Content of Public Health Orders

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Symptoms

Figure 14. Percentage of Symptoms Reported by COVID-19 Cases, Manitoba, March 13, 2020 – September 4, 2021

Note: Other symptoms include those less common symptoms such as sweating, runny eyes, itchy throat, etc.

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