Manitoba has hit a new record for new COVID-19 cases identified in a single day.

According to public health, 193 new cases have been identified in the province as of 9:30 a.m. Thursday. This brings the total number of lab-confirmed cases in Manitoba to 4,894.

As well, one additional death was announced Thursday, bringing the province's total COVID-19 related deaths to 62. According to the provincial latest data, it is a man in his 80s from the Ste. Anne/ La Broquerie health district in the Southern Health–Santé Sud health region, and is not linked to any current outbreaks.

Today’s data of new cases shows:
• 21 cases in the Interlake–Eastern health region;
• 10 cases in the Northern health region;
• four cases in the Prairie Mountain Health region;
• 19 cases in the Southern Health–Santé Sud health region; and
• 139 cases in the Winnipeg health region.
There are now 2,409 active cases of COVID-19 in Manitoba, with 2,423 individuals having recovered. 97 people are in hospital with 17 in intensive care.
According to public health, 3,375 tests were completed Wednesday, bringing the total number of lab tests completed in Manitoba since early February to 251,461. Case investigations continue and if a public health risk is identified, the public will be notified. The current five-day COVID-19 test positivity rate is 7.8 per cent.
Public health officials advise that outbreaks have been declared at:
• the medicine unit of Bethesda Regional Health Centre in Steinbach; and
• the KeKiNan Centre Inc. in Winnipeg.

All units and facilities have been moved to Critical (red) on the #RestartMB Pandemic Response System.

Public health officials advise that an outbreak has been declared at Collège Louis-Riel. There are seven cases linked to the school and 10 cohorts are self-isolating as well as other staff and students. The transmission sources are being investigated. The decision has been made to move the whole school to remote learning. The school has been moved to orange on the #RestartMB Pandemic Response System.

All other possible exposure locations are listed online by region at the province’s #RestartMB Pandemic Response System webpage. For up-to-date information on possible public exposures to COVID-19 in regions, visit www.gov.mb.ca/covid19/updates/flights.html#event and click on your region.

The chief provincial public health officer urges Manitobans to not socialize with people from outside their household, to cut down the number of close contacts, and avoid closed-in or crowded spaces. In addition, they should focus on these fundamentals to help stop the spread of COVID-19:
• Stay home if you are sick.
• Wash/sanitize your hands and cover your cough.
• Physically distance when you are with people outside your household.
• If you cannot physically distance, wear a mask to help reduce the risk to others or as required by public health orders.

Public health guidance for Halloween trick or treating has been developed. If people do choose to participate in trick or treating this year, information is available on how to do it safely at https://manitoba.ca/covid19/halloween.html.

Unless recommended by public health officials, only individuals experiencing COVID-19 symptoms should go for testing. Individuals with symptoms are asked to seek testing as soon as possible once symptoms are present. Employers are asked to only send employees for testing if they have symptoms or if testing has been recommended by public health officials.

The online assessment tool can be found at https://sharedhealthmb.ca/covid19/screening-tool/ and COVID-19 symptoms can be found at www.gov.mb.ca/covid19/updates/about.html#collapse4.

For up-to-date information on COVID-19 in Manitoba, visit www.manitoba.ca/COVID19.

For up-to-date information on the #RestartMB Pandemic Response System, visit:
https://manitoba.ca/covid19/restartmb/prs/index.html