1 probable COVID-19 case in Manitoba ruled negative, dropping provincial total to 289

Manitoba has no new cases of COVID-19 Thursday, and one probable positive case has now been ruled out, the province says.

The ruled-out case had been linked to a cluster of casesat the Brandon location of Paul's Hauling, a trucking company.

That drops the total number of cases linked with the cluster to10, the province said in a news release.

Provincial demographic data shows the ruled-out case was a female patient between the ages of 10 and 19. The case was originally reported on May 12.

The elimination of that case had been previously announced by Dr. Brent Roussin, Manitoba's chief provincial public health officer, at Wednesday's media briefing, before provincial numbers were officially updated.

There are now 30 active cases of COVID-19 in Manitoba, out of a total of 289. On Thursday, 252 people were listed as recovered. Seven COVID-19 patients in Manitoba have died since the start of the pandemic.

There were 306tests completed Wednesday, bringing the province's total to 32,244 tests since early February.

The updated numbers were announced in a news release Thursday, after public health officials cutback their daily news conferences earlier this week.

The live updates with Dr.Roussin and Lanette Siragusa, chief nursing officer of Shared Health, are now scheduled every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Latest local news:

• Park patrol, bylaw officers can enforce public health orders, Pallister announces
• Amid pandemic fiscal pain, Brian Pallister enlists Manitoba in a game of Family Feud
• Growth industries: Landscaper, cannabis store among businesses seeing spike in sales during pandemic

With a long weekend coming up, public health advised Manitobans to stay in, or close to, their home communities.

"The request to stay home as much as possible is still in place at this time," the province wrote in its Thursday release. "This includes limiting travel, even within Manitoba and neighbouring jurisdictions, to essential trips only."

The province also reminded Manitobansthat travelfrom southern into northern Manitoba including campgrounds still isn't permitted.

Travel restrictions apply to anywhere north of the 53rd parallel.