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 36 (September 5 – September 11)

About epidemiological week

Data extracted up to 4:00 am on September 17, 2021
Next reporting date: September 27, 2021

COVID-19: Increased Activity

In Week 36, there were 403 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases reported in Manitoba, an increase from 283 in the previous week. The volume of lab tests increased to on average 2,057 people tested for COVID-19 per day compared to 1,986 in the previous week, and the positivity rate of lab tests was 3.1%, an increase from 2.5% in the previous week.

In the 403 cases reported this week, 37% were reported from the Southern Health - Santé Sud Regional Health Authority and 35% were reported from the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority. The remaining cases were reported from Northern Health Region (11%), Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority (9%), and Prairie Mountain Health Authority (8%).

This week, 308 cases of variants of concern (VOCs) have been reported, an increase from 214 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 77.8% 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: 403
  • Total cases: 59,336
  • Total VOC cases: 17,999
  • Recovered cases: 57,712
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Testing

About testing

This week

  • Average daily specimens: 2,057
  • Weekly positivity rate: 3.1%

Total

  • Tested people: 548,277
  • Population tested: 40.2%
  • Specimens tested: 950,239
  • Positivity rate: 6.7%
More Analyses

Severity

About severity

Severe outcomes associated with COVID-19:

  • Hospitalizations: 4,106
    • ICU admissions3: 889
  • Deaths: 1,203
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: 25.1%
  • Pending: 17.6%

Top five outbreak/cluster/special investigation settings4

  • Workplace: 35.5%
  • Industrial setting: 17.1%
  • Daycare: 10.2%
  • Acute care setting: 7.6%
  • School: 7.5%
More Analyses

Transmission and Acquisition

About transmission and acquisition

Top five transmission settings in all cases5

  • Household: 65.6%
  • Social gathering: 14.1%
  • Workplace: 12.6%
  • Transportation: 5.2%
  • Retail: 3.8%

Top five acquisition settings in cases with unknown source of infection6

  • Household: 50.1%
  • Workplace: 32.4%
  • Retail: 18.5%
  • Social gathering: 15.2%
  • Transportation: 6.5%
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: 747
  • Health care workers7: 2,676
  • Deceased health care workers: 4
  • Recovered health care workers: 2,659
More Analyses

Important Notes

  1. Data about COVID-19 cases and contacts 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 11, 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 11, 2021

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Figure 3. Sex and Age Distribution of COVID-19 Cases, March 1, 2020 – September 11, 2021

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Figure 4. Cases of COVID-19 by Health Region and Public Health Report Date, Manitoba, October 1, 2020 – September 11, 2021

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Table 1. Cases of COVID-19 by Health Region, Manitoba, March 13, 2020 – September 11, 2021

Health Region Cases Percentage
Winnipeg RHA 34464 58.1%
Southern Health-Santé Sud 8176 13.8%
Interlake-Eastern RHA 4404 7.4%
Prairie Mountain Health 4127 7.0%
Northern Health Region 8165 13.8%
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Figure 5. Vaccination Status in New Cases 12+, non-ICU Hospital Admissions, ICU Admissions, Deaths, and VOCs, Manitoba, September 5, 2021 – September 11, 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 11, 2021

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Table 2. Cumulative National Testing Volume and Positivity (%) for COVID-19 by Province/Territory, Canada, March 13, 2020 – September 11, 2021

Province Confirmed Cases Tests Completed Test Rate in Population (Estimated %) Positivity Rate (Estimated %)
Alberta 266,037 5,202,464 119.6% 5.1%
British Columbia 173,158 3,544,780 70.2% 4.9%
Manitoba 59,203 992,916 72.8% 6.0%
New Brunswick 2,909 431,835 55.8% 0.7%
Newfoundland and Labrador 1,532 329,701 63.1% 0.5%
Northwest Territories 563 29,610 65.9% 1.9%
Nova Scotia 6,117 1,142,949 118.2% 0.5%
Nunavut 658 19,508 50.5% 3.4%
Ontario 572,978 17,315,574 119.5% 3.3%
Prince Edward Island 240 187,562 120.5% 0.1%
Quebec 396,034 11,067,655 131.0% 3.6%
Saskatchewan 57,952 1,050,941 89.7% 5.5%
Yukon 699 9,129 22.5% 7.7%
Canada 1,538,093 41,324,700 110.5% 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 11, 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 11, 2021

Figure 9. Percentage of COVID-19 Cases With Underlying Illnesses, Manitoba, March 13, 2020 – September 11, 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 11, 2021

Source of Infection Cases Percentage
Close contact of known case 1548 57.8%
Pending 205 7.7%
Travel 33 1.2%
Unknown 890 33.3%
All Cases 2676

Table 4. Roles of Health Care Workers with Non-missing Information, Manitoba, March 13, 2020 – September 11, 2021

Role Cases Percentage
Allied Health, Health Professionals, and Support Staff 1636 61.1%
Nurse/Licensed Practical Nurse 680 25.4%
Not identified 213 8%
Physician/Physician in training 91 3.4%
First Responder 56 2.1%
All Cases 2676

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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 11, 2021

Regional Health Authority Cases Median Contacts Minimum Contacts Maximum Contacts
Winnipeg Health 34464 3 0 249
Southern Health - Sante Sud 8176 2 0 69
Northern Health 8165 1 0 121
Interlake-Eastern Health 4404 2 0 76
Prairie Mountain Health 4127 3 0 134

Table 6. COVID-19 Contact Summary in New Cases Reported in Week 36, Manitoba, 2021

Regional Health Authority Cases Median Contacts Minimum Contacts Maximum Contacts
Southern Health - Sante Sud 148 3.0 0 36
Winnipeg Health 139 3.0 0 37
Northern Health 46 0.0 0 13
Interlake-Eastern Health 38 2.5 0 11
Prairie Mountain Health 32 5.0 0 11

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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 11, 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), PH order #13: (effective August 28, 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 11, 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), PH order #13: (effective August 28, 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 11, 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), PH order #13: (effective August 28, 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 11, 2021

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

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