COVID-19 and flu test positivity rates up, RSV rates down slightly

While the number of Manitobans being hospitalized with COVID-19 and RSV is down slightly, positivity rates of tests for COVID-19 and influenza have gone up inthe latest provincial data.

There were 53 people sent to hospital with COVID-19 during the week of March5-11, said the latest report from public health, released Friday.

COVID-19 intensive care unit admissions increased to nine, up slightly from eight during the week of Feb. 26 to March4.

Another fourCOVID-19 deaths were recorded in the latest report, double the two reported last week.

The COVID-19 test positivity rate is up slightly at 14.7 per cent, from 14.2 per cent the previous week, the report said.

Outbreaks in long-term care facilities increased to six from the two reported a week ago.

Wastewater surveillance data up to March9 showed COVID-19 levels slightly decreasing in Winnipeg and Brandon compared to last fall. The data shows a lower peak in late February and early March, with levels slowly trending down since then.

There were 129 new COVID-19 cases reported, which is a decrease from the week before, when there were 150 new cases. However, the true number of cases is likely much higher, as the province does not collect data from home tests.

Influenza

Influenza testing results were not reported last week, but influenza testing rates this weekare up since last reported the week of Feb. 19-25.

There were no new influenza-related hospital admissions, no ICU admissionsand nodeaths reported this week.

Influenza A positivity rate is up 0.4 per cent from the last reporting period of Feb. 19-25, which was at 0.1 per cent. Influenza B is still reporting at 0 per cent during this week's reporting period.

RSV

Test positivity and cases of RSV are down from the previous reporting period of Feb. 19-25.

Test positivity has decreased from 5.7 per cent to three per cent and detected cases of RSV have decreased from 56 to 40, the report said.

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