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 39 (September 26 – October 2)

About epidemiological week

Data extracted up to 4:00 am on October 8, 2021
Next reporting date: October 18, 2021

COVID-19: Increased Activity

In Week 39, there were 642 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases reported in Manitoba, an increase from 504 in the previous week. The volume of lab tests decreased to on average 3,058 people tested for COVID-19 per day compared to 3,215 in the previous week, and the positivity rate of lab tests was 3.3%, an increase from 2.5% in the previous week.

In the 642 cases reported this week, 37% were reported from the Southern Health - Santé Sud Regional Health Authority and 25% were reported from the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority. The remaining cases were reported from Northern Health Region (17%), Prairie Mountain Health Authority (14%), and Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority (7%).

This week, 472 cases of variants of concern (VOCs) have been reported, an increase from 367 in the previous week. Additionally, cases of VOCs accounted for 74% of new cases reported this week.

In all Manitoba residents aged 12 years and older, 86.2% of residents have been partially vaccinated and 80.8% have been fully vaccinated. This week, the majority of new cases, severe cases among them and VOC cases were unvaccinated. No fully vaccinated individuals were admitted to ICU this week.

Cases

About cases

  • New cases: 642
  • Total cases: 60,872
  • Total VOC cases: 19,123
  • Recovered cases: 59,150
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Testing

About testing

This week

  • Average daily specimens: 3,058
  • Weekly positivity rate: 3.3%

Total

  • Tested people: 573,576
  • Population tested: 42%
  • Specimens tested: 1,012,082
  • Positivity rate: 6.5%
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Severity

About severity

Severe outcomes associated with COVID-19:

  • Hospitalizations: 4,271
    • ICU admissions3: 921
  • Deaths: 1,215
More Analyses

Outbreaks

About outbreaks

COVID-19 outbreaks: 245

  • Outbreaks in long-term care facilities: 121
  • Outbreaks in schools: 7
More Analyses

Exposure

About exposure

Source of infection in cases (% of total)

  • Travel: 1.5%
  • Close contact to cases: 55.8%
  • Unknown: 25.4%
  • Pending: 17.3%

Top five outbreak/cluster/special investigation settings4

  • Workplace: 35.1%
  • Industrial setting: 16.8%
  • Daycare: 9.8%
  • School: 8.5%
  • Acute care setting: 7.2%
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Transmission and Acquisition

About transmission and acquisition

Top five transmission settings in all cases5

  • Household: 65.7%
  • Social gathering: 14.4%
  • Workplace: 12.7%
  • Transportation: 5.1%
  • School: 4.0%

Top five acquisition settings in cases with unknown source of infection6

  • Household: 49.4%
  • Workplace: 31.8%
  • Retail: 17.8%
  • Social gathering: 15.4%
  • School: 6.7%
More Analyses

Symptoms

About symptoms

Symptomatic cases: 73.9%

Top symptoms (% of reports)

  • Cough: 46.5%
  • Headache: 38.2%
  • Fever: 32.1%
  • Muscle pain (myalgia): 28.2%
  • Sore Throat: 27.6%
More Analyses

Risk Factors

About risk factors

  • Pregnant cases: 774
  • Health care workers7: 2,729
  • Deceased health care workers: 4
  • Recovered health care workers: 2,710
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 – October 2, 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 – October 2, 2021

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Figure 3. Sex and Age Distribution of COVID-19 Cases, March 1, 2020 – October 2, 2021

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Figure 4. Cases of COVID-19 by Health Region and Public Health Report Date, Manitoba, November 1, 2020 – October 2, 2021

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Table 1. Cases of COVID-19 by Health Region, Manitoba, March 13, 2020 – October 2, 2021

Health Region Cases Percentage
Winnipeg RHA 34882 57.3%
Southern Health-Santé Sud 8758 14.4%
Interlake-Eastern RHA 4531 7.4%
Prairie Mountain Health 4352 7.1%
Northern Health Region 8349 13.7%
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Figure 5. Vaccination Status in New Cases 12+, non-ICU Hospital Admissions, ICU Admissions, Deaths, and VOCs, Manitoba, September 26, 2021 – October 2, 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 – October 2, 2021

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Table 3. Cumulative National Testing Volume and Positivity (%) for COVID-19 by Province/Territory, Canada, March 13, 2020 – October 2, 2021

Province Confirmed Cases Tests Completed Test Rate in Population (Estimated %) Positivity Rate (Estimated %)
Alberta 299,802 5,516,308 126.8% 5.4%
British Columbia 187,694 3,829,152 75.9% 4.9%
Manitoba 60,628 1,053,942 77.2% 5.8%
New Brunswick 4,272 473,239 61.2% 0.9%
Newfoundland and Labrador 1,788 355,643 68.0% 0.5%
Northwest Territories 1,059 32,546 72.5% 3.3%
Nova Scotia 6,715 1,218,574 126.1% 0.6%
Nunavut 664 20,622 53.3% 3.2%
Ontario 586,817 17,942,990 123.9% 3.3%
Prince Edward Island 302 202,200 129.9% 0.1%
Quebec 410,823 11,668,807 138.1% 3.5%
Saskatchewan 67,810 1,133,038 96.8% 6.0%
Yukon 755 9,129 22.5% 8.3%
Canada 1,629,142 43,456,266 116.2% 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 – October 2, 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 – October 2, 2021

Figure 9. Percentage of COVID-19 Cases With Underlying Illnesses, Manitoba, March 13, 2020 – October 2, 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 4. Source of Infection in Health Care Workers with Non-missing Information, Manitoba, March 13, 2020 – October 2, 2021

Source of Infection Cases Percentage
Close contact of known case 1569 57.5%
Pending 207 7.6%
Travel 36 1.3%
Unknown 917 33.6%
All Cases 2729

Table 5. Roles of Health Care Workers with Non-missing Information, Manitoba, March 13, 2020 – October 2, 2021

Role Cases Percentage
Allied Health, Health Professionals, and Support Staff 1670 61.2%
Nurse/Licensed Practical Nurse 692 25.4%
Not identified 217 8%
Physician/Physician in training 92 3.4%
First Responder 58 2.1%
All Cases 2729

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Outbreaks

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

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Contacts

Table 6. COVID-19 Contact Summary in All Cases, Manitoba, March 13, 2020 – October 2, 2021

Regional Health Authority Cases Median Contacts Minimum Contacts Maximum Contacts
Winnipeg Health 34882 3 0 249
Southern Health - Sante Sud 8758 2 0 69
Northern Health 8349 1 0 121
Interlake-Eastern Health 4531 2 0 76
Prairie Mountain Health 4352 3 0 134

Table 7. COVID-19 Contact Summary in New Cases Reported in Week 39, Manitoba, 2021

Regional Health Authority Cases Median Contacts Minimum Contacts Maximum Contacts
Southern Health - Sante Sud 241 3.0 0 37
Winnipeg Health 163 3.0 0 26
Northern Health 107 0.0 0 23
Prairie Mountain Health 88 4.5 0 38
Interlake-Eastern Health 43 2.0 0 31

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Figure 11. Percentage of COVID-19 Cases Linked to Top-five Cluster/Outbreak/Special Investigation Settings, Manitoba, January 24, 2021 – October 2, 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 – October 2, 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 – October 2, 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 – October 2, 2021

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

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