Strange days: A look at Winnipeg as it copes with COVID-19

As March rolled through its second weekand temperatures climbed, the main topics of conversationin Winnipeg were whether patio season was around the corner and how bad the flooding might be.

There were no known cases of COVID-19 in the entire province, and the chances of contracting the illnesshere were still being labelled as "low risk" by health officials. While concerned about what was happening in other parts of the world, most Manitobans went about their daily routines.

Within five days, everything quickly changed. Stocks of hand sanitizer disappeared and the toiletpaper shelves emptied.

The province announced its first presumptive COVID-19 case on March 12 and hours later added No. 2 and No. 3. It also announced the number of people being tested had soared from 40 in a day to 500.

Then the dominoes really began to fall. Professional sports teams suspended their seasons and an avalanche of cancellations followed, reaching into amateur and minor and community levels.

Stores, museums, schools, government offices, tourist attractions, theatre productions, restaurants, places of worship, and flights have all been shut down or scaled back.

As of March 18, just under one week after that first presumptive case was announced, Manitoba now has 17 presumptive or confirmed casesand has tested nearly 3,000 people.

The days haveturned cold again but no one seems to be talking about the weather anymore.

Every day feels like the Monday of a long weekend. Traffic is light and few pedestrians are out.

Rather than posts about Friyaayand Throwback Thursday, social media is now full of phrases like #socialdistancing and #flattenthecurve, and #staysafe.

Here's how Winnipeg looks in these strange days.