Manitoba drops to code yellow as it reports 37 new COVID-19 cases, 2 deaths

Manitoba reported37 new COVID-19 cases and two deaths on Thursday as it also announced the province is moving to a lower level in the pandemic response system.

The deaths are a manin his 50s from the Winnipeg health region, linked to the B.1.1.7 (alpha) variant of concern, and a woman in her 60s from the Interlake-Eastern health region, linked to an unspecified variant of concern.

Despite the deaths, the province says most markers suggest the spread of COVID-19 in Manitoba has slowed to a point where it is safe to move from therestricted (orange) level on thepandemic response systemto the caution (yellow) level,effective Saturday.

The province spent seven months in the red (critical)level before it moved to the orange level in late June.

The current five-day test positivity rate is 2.1 per cent provincially (down from 2.3 on Wednesday) and 1.8 per cent in Winnipeg(down from 1.9 on Tuesday, the last day it was reported).

Atotal of91 Manitobans remain hospitalized with COVID-19, including 17 in intensive care. Those numbers are down from 94 and 18, respectively, onWednesday.

There were 1,815 laboratory tests completed Wednesday, bringing the total number since early February 2020 to 880,959.

The total number of deaths in people with COVID-19 is now 1,183, including 186 due to variants of concern.

The province also identified 20 more cases as being linked to variants, according to its online variant dashboard. Those include 10 cases of the highly contagious B.1.617.2, or delta, variant.

Three others are the B.1.1.7, or alpha, variant while seven more remain unspecified.

Enforcement numbers

The province is set to lift most restrictions on Saturday but until then, enforcement officers are still making sure people are abiding by the public health orders.

A total of 27 warnings and 14 tickets were issued for the week of July 26 to Aug. 1.

Those include nine tickets, each for $1,296, given to individuals in addition to two $5,000 tickets to businesses.

The latter include the Ibex Ethiopian Restaurant & Lounge on Sargent Avenue in Winnipeg and the Pelican Campground & Lounge on Front Street in Ninette.

As well, three $298 tickets were given to individuals for failing to wear a mask in an indoor public place.