Manitoba's Chief Provincial Public Health Officer says he is disappointed to hear reports of commercial truck drivers being treated badly and in some cases, being refused service.

Dr. Brent Roussin says while a number of the COVID-19 cases in the province have been related to the trucking industry, he says the drivers should be thanked rather than stigmatized.

"They've kept our supply chains open during these difficult times, they've taken risks to keep our supply chains moving and so we should ensure that we're not stigmatizing people, no one is asking to be ill," he said.

Dr. Roussin noted Manitoba Health isn't seeing a number of contacts related to cases in truck drivers, adding the drivers are professionals who are taking extra precautions. As a result, he added the department hasn't had to announce any possible exposures to the public.

"When this virus first came to Canada there was a lot of uncertainty, but Manitobans didn't panic, give in to fear or stigma. We searched for and followed credible information, we came together and worked together and that's what got us to this point and we need to continue doing those things," said Dr. Roussin, noting stigmatizing people with COVID-19 will be an ally to the virus and hold us all back. "So let's continue to be kind to each other, let's work together and it's just another example of how we're all in this together."

As government moves forward with its re-opening strategy in Manitoba, Dr. Roussin notes the province will continue to see cases of COVID-19 appear but says that can't slow the process. He explains health officials will continue to isolate cases as they appear, contact trace, limit community-based transmission and monitor the province's positive test rate.

"But we can't be deterred by seeing cases because we're certainly going to continue to see cases for the near future," said Dr. Roussin.