Public health officials advise three new deaths in people with COVID-19 are being reported today:

a male in his 30s from the Interlake-Eastern health region (reported Thursday);
a female in her 50 from the Northern health region (reported Thursday); and
a male in his 80s from the Prairie Mountain Health region (reported Friday).

Today's five-day COVID-19 test positivity rate is 6.5 per cent provincially and 5.5 per cent in Winnipeg. As of 9:30 a.m. today, 457 new cases of the virus have been identified since Wednesday: 218 cases on Thursday, Dec. 16; and 239 cases today. This includes:

Interlake-Eastern health region

27

Northern health region

50

Prairie Mountain Health region

57

Southern Health-Santé Sud health region

107

Winnipeg health region

216

Twelve cases have been removed due to data correction. The total number of lab-confirmed cases in Manitoba is 70,785.

There were 239 new cases identified in Manitoba today. Of these, 92 are in individuals who were not fully vaccinated. This includes:

Interlake-Eastern health region

10 cases, four not fully vaccinated

Northern health region

16 cases, 10 not fully vaccinated

Prairie Mountain Health region

34 cases, 12 not fully vaccinated

Southern Health-Santé Sud health region

71, 41 not fully vaccinated

Winnipeg health region

108, 25 not fully vaccinated

Today’s data also shows:

1,799 active cases and 67,626 individuals who have recovered from COVID-19;
139 Manitobans hospitalized with COVID-19 including 84 people with active COVID-19 as well as 55 people who are no longer infectious;
a total of 33 Manitoba patients receiving intensive care for COVID-19 including 24 people in intensive care units with active COVID-19 as well as nine people who are no longer infectious but continue to require critical care;
Two new cases of B.1.1.529 (omicron) variant have been confirmed in Manitoba for a total of eight;
3,553 laboratory tests were completed yesterday bringing the total number of lab tests completed since early February 2020 to 1,224,739; and
the total number of deaths in people with COVID-19 is 1,360.


An outbreak has been declared at:

Meadows School, grade 5/6 cohort, in Brandon
Faith Academy Middle School, grade 6 B, in Winnipeg
The school has been moved to the restricted (orange) level on the Pandemic Response System.

Outbreaks have been declared over at:

Third Crossing Manor personal care home


Vaccine
To have the fullest protection possible against COVID-19 going into the holiday season, Manitobans are encouraged to get their second and third dose as quickly as possible. While COVID-19 vaccine appointments continue to be available at regional or provincial vaccine clinics, for many people the fastest way to be immunized is at a nearby medical clinic, pharmacy or urban Indigenous clinic. Please check the online vaccine finder or with a medical clinic or pharmacy near you that provides the COVID-19 vaccine to find the next available opportunity to be immunized.

The timeline between second and third dose is being shortened for some individuals. Anyone aged 60 or older or those aged 18 or older who live in a First Nations community who received their second dose on or before July 10 are now strongly encouraged to receive their third dose. A six month timeframe between second and third doses continues to be recommended for most other eligible Manitobans. More information is available at manitoba.ca/covid19/vaccine/eligibility-criteria.html#third.

Eligibility for first and second doses of the COVID-19 vaccine continues to include anyone aged five or older. Second dose appointments can be made for children ages five to 11. The interval between first and second doses must be a minimum of eight weeks, or a minimum of 21 days for children living in First Nations communities.

A total of 2,312,458 doses of vaccine have been administered in Manitoba, including 50,677 first doses given to children aged five to 11. This represents 40.5 per cent of children in that age group. As of today, 84.2 per cent of all eligible Manitobans aged five and up have received at least one dose of the vaccine, 78.1 per cent have received two doses, and 12.4 per cent have received three doses.

Many Manitoba vaccine sites, as well as pharmacies and clinics, are offering walk-in and appointment-based vaccination for COVID and seasonal flu. Eligible individuals can book their appointments online, by calling (toll-free) 1-844-626-8222 (1-844-MAN-VACC), or by contacting their local pharmacy or medical clinic directly. Visit www.gov.mb.ca/covid19/vaccine/finder.html for some of the available options.