34 new cases of COVID-19 were announced Friday in Manitoba, bringing the province's lab-confirmed total to 830. Manitoba's current test positivity rate is 2 per cent.

According to public health data, 5 of the new cases are in the Prairie Mountain Health region; 19 in Southern Health-Santé Sud; 9 in the Winnipeg health region; and 1 in the Interlake-Eastern regional health authority. Preliminary investigations indicate the majority of the new cases in Southern Health-Sante Sud are linked to a known cluster. Case investigations are ongoing.

Case information for today includes:

-a female in her 30s from Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority;

-a male between the ages of zero and nine from the Prairie Mountain Health region;
-a male between the ages of 10 and 19 from the Prairie Mountain Health region;
-a male in his 40s from the Prairie Mountain Health region;
-a male in his 40s from the Prairie Mountain Health region;
-a male in his 50s from the Prairie Mountain Health region;

-a female between the ages of zero and nine from Southern Health-Santé Sud;
-a female between the ages of 10 and 19 from Southern Health-Santé Sud;
-a female in her 20s from Southern Health-Santé Sud;
-a female in her 20s from Southern Health-Santé Sud;
-a female in her 20s from Southern Health-Santé Sud;
-a male in his 20s from Southern Health-Santé Sud;
-a male in his 20s from Southern Health-Santé Sud;
-a male in his 20s from Southern Health-Santé Sud;
-a female in her 30s from Southern Health-Santé Sud;
-a female in her 30s from Southern Health-Santé Sud;
-a male in his 30s from Southern Health-Santé Sud;
-a male in his 40s from Southern Health-Santé Sud;
-a male in his 40s from Southern Health-Santé Sud;
-a female in her 50s from Southern Health-Santé Sud;
-a female in her 50s from Southern Health-Santé Sud;
-a female in her 50s from Southern Health-Santé Sud;
-a male in his 50s from Southern Health-Santé Sud;
-a female in her 60s from Southern Health-Santé Sud;
-a male in his 80s from Southern Health-Santé Sud;

-a female between the ages of zero and nine from the Winnipeg health region;
-a male between the ages of 10 and 19 from the Winnipeg health region;
-a female in her 20s from the Winnipeg health region;
-a male in his 20s from the Winnipeg health region;
-a male in his 20s from the Winnipeg health region;
-a female in her 30s from the Winnipeg health region;
-a female in her 30s from the Winnipeg health region;
-a male in his 40s from the Winnipeg health region; and
-a male in his 70s from the Winnipeg health region.

Additionally, public health officials are advising of two potential exposures to COVID-19 that may have occurred.

The first exposure was Aug. 18, at the Canadian Tire store in Portage la Prairie, approximately from 1:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. The second exposure was Aug. 19 at the Olive Garden restaurant at 51 Reenders Drive in Winnipeg from 12:00 to 12:45 p.m. While the risk of transmission is considered low, information is being provided to help people assess their risk and seek testing if symptoms appear.

Meantime, Prairie Mountain Health region remains elevated to the restricted level according to the #RestartMB Pandemic Response System. As of Monday, Aug. 24, masks will be mandatory in all public indoor places and at all indoor and outdoor public gatherings in the region. Public gatherings will also be restricted to 10 people, both indoors and outdoors.

There are 265 active cases of COVID-19 currently in Manitoba. 5 people remain in hospital, 1 in intensive care. 553 have recovered from COVID-19 and the number of related deaths remains at 12.

2,331 laboratory tests were completed on Thursday, bringing the total number of tests completed in Manitoba since early February to 122,291.