38 new cases of COVID-19 have been identified as of 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct 3. Two of these cases are in the Prairie Mountain Health Region, three in the Interlake-Eastern Health Region, with the remaining 33 in Winnipeg Heath Region.

Public health officials advise the 22nd death related to COVID-19 has been reported in the Winnipeg health region. The individual was a female in her 80s and a previously announced case connected to the Parkview Place personal care home outbreak. 

There are 677 active cases and 1,409 individuals have recovered from COVID-19; the number of deaths due to COVID-19 is 22. 

Due to technical issues, hospitalization and ICU data is not available today but will be updated when available.

Laboratory testing numbers show 1,963 tests were completed yesterday, bringing the total number of lab tests completed since early February to 190,061. 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 2.5 per cent and 38 new cases of the virus have been identified as of 9:30 a.m. today. Two previously-announced cases have been removed from the case totals, bringing the net number of new cases today to 36 and the total number of cases in Manitoba to 2,108. 

With Thanksgiving around the corner, public health is providing guidelines for how to enjoy fall holidays and celebrations while reducing the potential spread of COVID-19.

The Health Canada COVID Alert app is now available to Manitoba residents and provides digital COVID-19 exposure alerts once the app is downloaded to a smartphone. It is available at no cost in the Apple and Google Play app stores. 

The chief provincial public health officer strongly encourages Manitobans to reduce the number of close contacts outside their household, 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. 

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.