28 more deaths, 524 new cases of COVID-19 reported in Manitoba over Christmas break

There were 524 new cases of COVID-19 in Manitoba and 28 more people died over the last three days, according to a provincial news release issued on Sunday.

That brings the total number of deaths linked to the coronavirus to 645.

A woman in her 30s from the Winnipeg health region is among those deaths.

Most of the deaths 19are linked to outbreaks at personal care homes, including:

• A man in his 70s, a man in his 80s, a man in his 90s and a woman in her 100s linked to the outbreak atConvalescent Home in Winnipeg.
• A man in his 60s, a woman in her 70s, and a man in his 80slinked to the outbreak atPoseidon Care Centre in Winnipeg.
• Two women one in her 90s, another in her 100slinked to the outbreak at St. Norbert Personal Care Home in Winnipeg.
• A man in his 80s and a woman in her 90s linked to the outbreak at Holy Family Home in Winnipeg.
• A woman in her 70s and a man in his 80s linked to the outbreak at Charleswood Care Centre in Winnipeg.
• A woman in her 90s linked to the outbreak at the Saul and Claribel Simkin Centre in Winnipeg.
• A man in his 80s linked to the outbreak at Park Manor Care in Winnipeg.
• A man in his 70s linked to an outbreak at Fred Douglas Lodge in Winnipeg.
• A man in his 80s linked to an outbreak at Oakview Place Personal Care Home in Winnipeg.
• A woman in her 90s linked to the outbreak at the George Colon Memorial Home in BunibonibeeCree Nation.
• A man in his 80s linked to the outbreak at Kin Place in Oakbank.

The following deaths aren't linked to any known outbreaks:

• In the Winnipeg health region, a woman in her 30s, a woman in her 60s, a man in his 60s and a man in his 80s.
• Two men, one in his 60s and one in 70s,from the Northern health region.
• A woman in her 80sand a man in his 90s from the Southern Health Region.

Another death is linked to an outbreak at the Portage District General Hospital. A woman in her 90s from the Southern Health Region died.

Of the new cases, nearly half 245 are in the Winnipeg health region. In addition, 101 are in the Northern health region, 96 are in the Interlake-Eastern health region, 58 are in the Southern health region and 24 are in the Prairie Mountain health region.

The average daily case count since Christmas Eve is 175.

The new cases bring the total number identified in Manitoba to 24,145. Those cases include 19,012 who are considered recovered and 4,488 who are still deemed active, though chief provincial public health officer Dr. Brent Roussin has previously said that number is inflated because of a data entry backlog.

In another development, the number of people in hospital and intensive care with COVID-19 was down slightly on Sunday.

There are now 341 people in hospital who have tested positive for COVID-19, the release said. Of those, 252 are still considered infectious, while 89 are no longer contagious but still require care.

There are also 35 people who have tested positive for COVID-19 in intensive care, including 31 whose cases are considered active and four who are no longer infectious, the release said.

The five-day test positivity rate a rolling average of the COVID-19 tests that come back positive is now 12.1per cent in Manitoba as a whole, up from 10.6 per cent on Christmas Eve.

In Winnipeg, the test positivity rate is 12.5 per cent, up from 10.6 per cent.

The update comes after a three-dayholiday hiatus where no data was released by the province.

At the last update on Christmas Eve, there were 244new COVID-19 cases in Manitoba and 12 more people died from the illness.

Outbreak updates

Meanwhile, an outbreak has been declared at the Boyne Lodge Personal Care Home in Carman, Man.

That site has moved to red, or "critical," according to the province's colour-coded pandemic response system.

The outbreaks at Misericordia Health Centre Transitional Care Unit and at Headingley Correctional Centre are considered over, according to the province.