Public health officials advise seven additional deaths in people with COVID-19 have been reported today including:
• a female in her 70s from the Interlake-Eastern health region, linked to the Kin Place outbreak in Oakbank;
• a female in her 60s from the Northern health region;
• a male in his 60s from the Winnipeg health region, linked to an outbreak at the St. Norbert Personal Care Home;
• a female in her 70s from the Winnipeg health region, linked to an outbreak at the Charleswood Care Centre;
• a male in his 70s from the Winnipeg health region, linked to an outbreak at the N3W unit at Concordia Hospital;
• a male in his 80s from the Winnipeg health region, linked to an outbreak at the Maples Long Term Care Home; and
• a male in his 80s from the Winnipeg health region, linked to an outbreak at Park Manor Care.

The current five-day COVID-19 test positivity rate is 13.5 per cent provincially and 13 per cent in Winnipeg. As of 9:30 a.m. today, 273 new cases of the virus have been identified, bringing the total number of lab-confirmed cases in Manitoba to 21,023.

Today’s COVID-19 data shows:
• 17 cases in the Interlake–Eastern health region;
• 50 cases in the Northern health region;
• 18 cases in the Prairie Mountain Health region;
• 22 cases in the Southern Health–Santé Sud health region; and
• 166 cases in the Winnipeg health region.

The data also shows:
• 5,728 active cases and 14,805 individuals who have recovered from COVID-19;
• there are 304 people in hospital with 43 people in intensive care due to COVID-19; and
• the total number of deaths due to COVID-19 is 490.

Laboratory testing numbers show 2,145 tests were completed yesterday, bringing the total number of lab tests completed since early February to 388,356. Case investigations continue and if a public health risk is identified, the public will be notified.

The mobile testing site at 1181 Portage Ave. closed Dec. 11, and a new walk-in testing centre located at the Garrick Centre, 330 Garry St. in Winnipeg, will open tomorrow, Dec. 14 and operate from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.

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.