3 deaths, 276 new cases of COVID-19 reported in Manitoba on Saturday

Manitoba is reporting 276new cases of COVID-19 and threedeaths on Saturday, marking the third time thisweek the dailycase total has passed the 200 mark.

Mostof the new COVID-19 cases announced Saturday were in the Winnipeg health region, which posted 183 new infections, a provincial news release says.

There are also 34 cases in the Prairie Mountain Health region, 27 inSouthern Health, 21 inNorthern Healthand 11 in the Interlake-Eastern health region.

Of the deaths reported on Saturday, two are from theWinnipeg area a man in his 40s and a woman in her 60s.

A man in his 80s from the Prairie Mountain Health region linked to the outbreak at the Russell Health Centre also died, the release says.

The total number of more contagious coronavirus variant cases in Manitoba shot up by 108, bringing the total number to 1,309, according to the province's online dashboard. Of those, 558 are considered active.

The bulk of the active cases involve the B117 variant, which was first discovered in the U.K. There is also one active case of the P1 variant, which has become associated with Brazil.

Manitoba's five-day test positivity rate rose to 6.8 per cent, from 6.5 per cent on Friday. In Winnipeg, that rate jumped to 7.2 per cent from 6.8.

There are now 140 COVID-19 patients in hospital, the province said, down from 144 on Friday. Of those, 34 are in intensive care, down by one.

Saturday's update marks the highestjump in COVID-19 cases reported since Jan. 2, when 327 cases were announced but that number came aftera one-day hiatus in reporting due to New Year's Day. For a single day of reporting, Saturday's increase is the highest since 350 cases were announced on Dec. 18.

Manitoba's total caseload since the start of the pandemic is now 37,339, aftersix cases wereremoved due to data correction, Saturday's provincial news release said.

Of those, 1,891 are considered active and 34,481 recovered. There have now been 967 deaths from the illness in Manitoba.

On Friday, 2,815 COVID-19 tests were done in Manitoba, bringing the number of swabs completed in the province to 640,928 since early February 2020.

Variant exposure on Winnipeg Transit

The province is also warning of potential exposure to acoronavirus variant of concernon the following Winnipeg Transit routes:

Route 18

• April 19, from Osborne Street at Broadway to Main Street and Rupertsland Avenue,from approximately 11:15 a.m. to 11:35 a.m.

Route 59 (Island Lakes)

• April13-15, from Main Streetand Pioneer Avenue to Ebb Tide Drive and Island Shore Boulevard,from approximately 4:15 p.m. to 4:45 p.m.

Meanwhile, the outbreak at Middlechurch Home in Winnipeg is now considered over, the release says.

Vaccine update

As of Saturday, 413,607 Manitobans have had at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

This past week was the province's best in its vaccination program, averaging12,156 doses per day in the week ending on Friday.

The increase in doses is likely due to expanded eligibility forthe AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine, as well as pop-up clinics in Winnipeg.

As of Monday, everyone in the province age 40 or older was able to get the AstraZeneca shot through a pharmacy or family doctor.

Manitoba also announced Wednesday that general eligibility for vaccination at asupersite or temporary clinichas been lowered to 50 or older and First Nations people 30 or older.

The latest update comes after the total number of more contagious coronavirus variant cases in the province jumped by 300 on Friday, including a P1 case in Winnipeg withno known source.

Public health officials alsoannounced two deaths Friday one of which is linked to a variant along with 181 new cases of COVID-19. There have now been three deaths linked to variants of concern, according to the province's dashboard.

On Friday, public health officials also identified three at-risk neighbourhoods in Winnipeg where anyone 18 or older is now eligible to get a COVID-19 vaccine.