Provincial Respiratory Surveillance Report

COVID-19 and Seasonal Influenza


This report provides a current epidemiological update on the intensity and severity of COVID-19 in Manitoba. Surveillance and administrative data include laboratory, public health case and contact tracing investigations, hospitalization and mortality data. Data are presented at the provincial and regional level; and include a focussed review on the disproportional impact of COVID-19 on various populations in the province.

Epidemiology and Surveillance also continues to monitor the activity of seasonal influenza in Manitoba during this pandemic. During the 2020–2021 influenza season, routine reporting of seasonal influenza is included in this weekly report.

In this weekly respiratory surveillance report, we provide regular updates about the current activity of COVID-19 and seasonal influenza in Manitoba with overall objectives:

Data are reported with a one-week delay for increased data accuracy, completeness and reliability. More analyses continue to be conducted and will be added to this report as available. It is published online at approximately 10:00am every Monday.

Week 52 (December 20 – December 26)

About epidemiological week

Data extracted up to 4:00am on January 1, 2021
Next reporting date: January 11, 2021

COVID-19: High Activity

In Week 52, there were 1,285 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases reported in Manitoba, a decrease from 1,821 in the previous week. The volume of lab tests decreased to on average 1,705 people tested for COVID-19 per day compared to 2,169 in the previous week, and the positivity rate of lab tests was 11.4%, a decrease from 12.3% in the previous week.

In an examination of the 1,285 cases reported this week, majority (50%) were reported from Winnipeg Regional Health and 17% were reported from the Northern Health Region. The remaining cases were reported from Southern Health - Santé Sud Regional Health Authority (14%), Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority (14%) and Prairie Mountain Health Authority (4%).

Overall, older adults and those with underlying illnesses are at higher risk for severe outcomes as a result of COVID-19 infection.

Cases

About cases

  • New cases: 1,285
  • Total cases: 24,156
  • Recovered cases: 19,508
More Analyses

Testing

About testing

This week

  • Average daily specimens: 1,675
  • Weekly positivity rate: 11.6%

Total

  • Tested people: 312,109
  • Population tested: 22.9%
  • Specimens tested: 416,602
  • Positivity rate: 6.2%
More Analyses

Severity

About severity

Severe outcomes associated with COVID-19:

  • Hospitalizations: 1,642
    • ICU admissions: 313
  • Deaths: 665
More Analyses

Outbreaks

About outbreaks

COVID-19 outbreaks: 155

  • Outbreaks in long-term care facilities: 81
  • Outbreaks in schools: 3
More Analyses

Exposure

About exposure

Source of infection in cases (% of total)

  • Travel: 1.4%
  • Close contact to cases: 51.8%
  • Unknown: 23.8%
  • Pending: 23.0%

Close contacts to cases

  • Top contact type: Household exposure
More Analyses

Risk Factors

About risk factors

  • Pregnant cases: 237
  • Health care workers**: 1594
  • Recovered health care workers: 1475
More Analyses

Symptoms

About symptoms

Symptomatic cases: 73%

Top symptoms (% of reports)

  • Cough: 45.3%
  • Headache: 38.4%
  • Fever: 31.1%
  • Muscle pain (myalgia): 29.4%
  • Sore Throat: 27.3%
More Analyses

Seasonal Influenza: Low Activity

A large number of respiratory specimens continued to be tested for seasonal influenza. There were no laboratory-confirmed influenza cases reported in Manitoba in Week 52.

As of December 25, 28.7% of residents in Manitoba have been immunized with seasonal influenza vaccines.

Influenza Cases

About cases

New cases this week

  • Influenza A: 0
  • Influenza B: 0

Total cases from September 1, 2020

  • Influenza A: 0
  • Influenza B: 1

Syndromic Indicators: Low Activity

The respiratory activity levels in the community, primary care and emergency rooms continued to be low for this time of a year. The number of respiratory outbreaks reported that were not due to COVID-19 remains low.

FluWatchers

About FluWatchers

Participants reporting: 582

Reporting fever and cough: 0.2%

Check Trend

Physician Visits

About sentinal physicians

Influenza Like Illness (ILI) Visits to sentinel physicians: 4.8%

Check Trend

Antiviral

About Antiviral

Units of antiviral dispensed from pharmacies: 2

ED Visits

About emergency room visits

Average daily respiratory visits to emergency department (ED): 78

Check Trend

Important Notes

  1. Data about COVID-19 cases and contacts aswell as influenza cases are extracted from PHIMS.
  2. Numbers are subject to change. Missed events in the current report due to reporting delays will be included in later reports when data become available.
  3. *ICU admissions were also included in hospitalizations.
  4. **Health care workers include personnels in hospitals, long-term care settings, community health clinics and services (including agency staff), and diagnostic/laboratory services.

Cases

Figure 1. Cases of COVID-19 by Week of Public Health Report Date, Manitoba, 2020

Note. Deaths due to COVID-19 were aligned by week of death date.
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Figure 2. Cases of COVID-19 by Sex and Age Group, Manitoba, 2020

Figure 3. Cases of COVID-19 by Health Region and Public Health Report Date, Manitoba, 2020

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Table 1. Cases of COVID-19 by Health Region, Manitoba, 2020

Health Region Cases Percentage
Winnipeg RHA 14564 60.3%
Southern Health-Santé Sud 4218 17.5%
Interlake-Eastern RHA 1805 7.5%
Prairie Mountain Health 1523 6.3%
Northern Health Region 2046 8.5%

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Testing

Figure 4. Average Daily Testing Volume and Positivity (%) for COVID-19 by Week of Specimen Receiving Date, Manitoba, 2020

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Table 2. Cumulative National Testing Volume and Positivity (%) for COVID-19 by Province/Territory, Canada, 2020

Province Confirmed Cases Tests Completed Tested Population (Estimated %) Positivity Rate (Estimated %)
Alberta 95,979 1,547,298 35.6% 6.2%
British Columbia 49,121 929,744 18.4% 5.3%
Manitoba 23,624 399,378 29.3% 5.9%
New Brunswick 588 113,276 14.6% 0.5%
Newfoundland and Labrador 384 71,012 13.6% 0.5%
Northwest Territories 24 7,725 17.2% 0.3%
Nova Scotia 1,465 171,951 17.8% 0.9%
Nunavut 265 5,333 13.8% 5.0%
Ontario 167,269 7,281,798 50.3% 2.3%
Prince Edward Island 94 77,149 49.6% 0.1%
Quebec 185,872 2,436,763 28.8% 7.6%
Saskatchewan 14,484 295,964 25.3% 4.9%
Yukon 60 5,878 14.5% 1.0%
Canada 539,242 13,343,345 35.7% 4.0%

Note. National testing data are collected daily from the national Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Outbreak update webpage.

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Severity

Figure 5. Severe Outcomes of COVID-19 by Week of Public Health Report Date, Manitoba, 2020

Note. ICU admissions are not included in the hospital admissions.

Figure 6. Age Distribution of Severe COVID-19 Cases Compared to All Cases, Manitoba, 2020

Figure 7. Percentage of COVID-19 Cases With Underlying Illnesses, Manitoba, 2020

Note. Musculoskeletal illnesses include: osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, gout and crystal Arthropathies; COPD-chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; CVD-cardiovascular disease; Other CVDs include: ischemic heart disease, heart failure, acute myocardial infarction, and stroke; Other chronic conditions include: parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, alzheimer’s disease and epilepsy. About definitions of chronic conditions

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Risk Factors

Table 3. Source of Infection in Health Care Workers with Non-missing Information, Manitoba, 2020

Source of infection Cases Percentage
Close contact of known case 937 58.8%
Pending 176 11%
Travel 13 0.8%
Unknown 468 29.4%
All Cases 1594

Table 4. Roles of Health Care Workers with Non-missing Information, Manitoba, 2020

Role Cases Percentage
Allied Health and Support Staff 918 57.6%
Nurse/Licensed Practical Nurse 460 28.9%
Not identified 125 7.8%
Physician/Physician in training 61 3.8%
First Responder 30 1.9%
All Cases 1594

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Outbreaks

Figure 8. Weekly Respiratory and COVID-19 Outbreaks, Manitoba, 2017 – 2020

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Contacts

Table 5. COVID-19 Contact Summary Table, Manitoba, 2020

Regional Health Authority Active Cases Median Contacts Min contacts Max contacts
Winnipeg Health 2235 1 0 79
Northern Health 932 0 0 17
Interlake-Eastern Health 457 0 0 31
Southern Health - Sante Sud 218 0 0 20
Prairie Mountain Health 141 0 0 19

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Symptoms

Figure 9. Percentage of Symptoms Reported by COVID-19 Cases, Manitoba, 2020

Note: Other symptoms include those less common symptoms such as sweating, runny eyes, itchy throat, etc.

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FluWatchers

Figure 10. Weekly FluWatchers Participants and Percentage Reporting Fever and Cough, Manitoba, 2020

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Physician Visits

Figure 11. Weekly Percentage of ILI Related Visits to Sentinel Physicians, Manitoba, 2017 – 2020

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ED Visits

Figure 12. Weekly Respiratory Visits to Emergency Department, Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, Manitoba, 2017 – 2020

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Epidemiology and Surveillance

epiCOVID@gov.mb.ca

Other Epidemiology and Surveillance reports

https://www.gov.mb.ca/health/publichealth/surveillance/index.html