Manitoba reports lowest daily COVID-19 case count since September with 31 new cases Monday

Manitoba recorded its lowest daily COVID-19 case count since September on Monday, reporting just 31 new cases.

That's the lowest daily case count since Sept. 22, when the province reported 24 new cases. That was also before the province imposed code red-level public health restrictions.

Public health officials also announced another death Monday: aman in his 70s from the Interlake-Eastern health region has died. The case is linked to the B.1.1.7 or alpha variant.

There have now been 1,162 people who have died with COVID-19 in Manitoba.

As of Monday, there are 138patients in the hospital with COVID-19, with 33in intensive care.

That includesthree Manitoba patients in intensive care units outside the province, allin Ontario, a news release says.

Almost three-quarters of the 412 patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 in June were not vaccinated for the virus at all, Manitoba'schief public health officer said during a news conference Monday.

Of the 412 hospitalized patients, 22 per cent had one dose of the vaccine, but had tested positive for COVID-19 less than two weeks after their shot.

Ninety of those patients ended up in intensive care, and 77 per cent of those ICU patients did not have a vaccine shot, Roussin said.

The province plans to share this type of information more often, not to shame anyone for getting sick, but to show the power of vaccines, he said.

There are very few peoplewho are fully vaccinated gettingseverely ill and needing to be hospitalized for COVID-19 in the province, he said.

To be considered fully vaccinated, you need to be two weeks past your seconddoseof a COVID-19 vaccine, to allow immunity to build.

As of Monday, 76.3 per cent of Manitobansage 12 and older had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 57.2 per cent had two doses, the province reported.

Premier Brian Pallister said Manitobans can expect further easing of pandemic restrictions this week after the province passed another vaccination milestone tied to reopening plans on Tuesday.

The second phase of reopenings is tied to reaching at least 75 per cent of eligible Manitobans with one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 50 per cent with two doses by the August long weekend.

Manitoba passed the latter target a week ago and the former on Tuesday.

The current five-day test positivity rate in Manitoba is five per cent, while in Winnipeg it's 4.1 per cent.

There were1,332 laboratory tests for COVID-19 done on Sunday.

Most of the new cases reported Monday were in the Winnipeg region, where 20 cases were recorded.

The Interlake-Eastern health region has four newcases, the Northern Health Region has three, and the Southern Health region and Prairie Mountain Health region each have two.

WATCH | Manitoba chief public health officer hints at possible changes to public health orders:

Manitoba's chief provincial public health officer hints restrictions under the public health orders may be eased sooner than planned.

3 years ago

Duration 1:39

Manitoba's chief provincial public health officer hints restrictions under the public health orders may be eased sooner than planned.