Manitoba reports 2nd-highest single-day jump in COVID-19 cases, with 65 Saturday

There are 65 new cases of COVID-19 in Manitoba on Saturday, the province said in a news release, including 56 in the Winnipeg health region.

The update is the second-highest single-day increase in cases in the province.

On Aug. 25, 72 new cases of the illness were announced in Manitoba. Twenty-fourcases were laterretroactively added tothattotal, bringing that day's officialcase count to 96.

The Prairie Mountain, Interlake-Eastern and Southern health regions each have three new cases on Saturday.

There are now 545 active cases in the province, including 456 in the Winnipeg region, according to provincial data.

Twelve people are now hospitalized with the illness in Manitoba, including six in intensive care.

Manitoba's five-day test positivity rate a rolling average of the COVID-19 tests that come back positive is down slightly to 2.3 per cent.

To date, there have been 1,829 COVID-19 cases detected in Manitoba; 1,265 people have recovered and 19 have died.

People in and around Winnipeg will have to wear face masks in indoor public places and keep gatherings to a maximum of 10 people starting Monday, officials announced on Friday.

The new rules come as the capital city and 17 nearby communities are moved to the orange, or "restricted," level under the province'scolour-codedpandemic response system.

The restrictions will stay in place for at least four weeks, Chief Provincial Public Health Officer Dr. Brent Roussin said Friday.

That timeframeincludes Thanksgiving, which is on Oct. 12 this year.

Other measures may still be brought in for bars and restaurants in the region, Roussin said, following consultation with people in that industry about how they can reduce the risk of people in those spacesspreading COVID-19.

Organizers of Nuit Blanche Winnipegpulled the plug onart activities and installations scheduled for Saturday evening.

Instead, those events will be rescheduled throughout the month, between Sept. 25 andOct. 25.

School, restaurant exposures

On Saturday, the province also announcedan outbreak hasbeen declared at the Heritage Lodge Long Term Care Home in Winnipeg, though a governmentspokesperson said that declaration actually happened on Thursday. The site has been moved to the red, or "critical," level under the pandemic response system.

Possible exposures were also announced Saturdayat four more schools andtwo more restaurants.

A person with COVID-19 was at cole Prcieux-Sang on Sept. 18 and may have been infectious during this time, according to a letter to parents from the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority.

Anyone who is deemed to be a close contact will be contacted by public health officials and will be advised to self-isolate, the letter said.

The risk is consideredlow, and the person didn't become sick at school, it said.

A person with COVID-19 was also at John W. Gunn Middle School in Winnipeg from Sept. 16 to Sept. 18, the release says, though public health investigations suggest that risk is low and the person did not get sick at school.

A spokesperson said the River East Transcona School Division learned about the exposure Friday evening.

Classes at the school will continue on Monday, but any areas the person may have used were closed and will be sanitized, said Amanda Gaudes, the senior communications co-ordinator for the division.

A case of the illness has also been linked toR.J. Waugh Elementary Schoolin Carberryon Sept. 21. That case involves someone who was on a school bus, the release says.

A person with COVID-19 in the southwestern Manitoba town was also atCarberry Collegiateon Sept. 21. One grade at that school is being sent home to learn remotely for up to 14 days starting Monday, the release says.

A case of the illness has also been linked to Del Riosrestaurant on Main Street in Winkler. The sick person was at the restaurant on Sept. 16 from 6 to 7 p.m.

A case has also been connected to P.F. Chang's restaurant on St. James Street in Winnipeg. A person with COVID-19 was at the restaurant on Sept.12, 16 and 17 from 5to 10 p.m.

Meanwhile, the province is still looking into ways to alleviate pressure and cut wait times at COVID-19 test sites, as increasing case numbers in the Winnipeg area have caused the demand for tests to spike.

Another 2,234 COVID-19 tests were done in the province on Friday, bringing Manitoba's total to 175,867.