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 11 (March 14 – March 20)

About epidemiological week

Data extracted up to 4:00am on March 26, 2021
Next reporting date: April 5, 2021

COVID-19: Increased Activity

In Week 11, there were 613 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases reported in Manitoba, an increase from 521 in the previous week. The volume of lab tests increased to on average 1,930 people tested for COVID-19 per day compared to 1,761 in the previous week, and the positivity rate of lab tests was 5%, an increase from 4.4% in the previous week.

In an examination of the 613 cases reported this week, majority (47%) were reported from the Northern Health Region and 40% were reported from the Winnipeg Regional Health. The remaining cases were reported from Southern Health - Santé Sud Regional Health Authority (6%), Prairie Mountain Health Authority (6%) and Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority (1%).

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

As of March 20, a total of 133,687 doses of COVID19 vaccines have been administered and 90,519 residents in Manitoba have been immunized with at least one dose.

Cases

About cases

  • New cases: 613
  • Total cases: 33,358
  • Recovered cases: 31,703
More Analyses

Testing

About testing

This week

  • Average daily specimens: 1,930
  • Weekly positivity rate: 5%

Total

  • Tested people: 384,138
  • Population tested: 28.2%
  • Specimens tested: 563,214
  • Positivity rate: 6.3%
More Analyses

Severity

About severity

Severe outcomes associated with COVID-19:

  • Hospitalizations: 2,360
    • ICU admissions: 447
  • Deaths: 931
More Analyses

Outbreaks

About outbreaks

COVID-19 outbreaks: 200

  • Outbreaks in long-term care facilities: 106
  • Outbreaks in schools: 2
More Analyses

Exposure

About exposure

Source of infection in cases (% of total)

  • Travel: 1.3%
  • Close contact to cases: 52.5%
  • Unknown: 23.2%
  • Pending: 23.0%

Close contacts

  • Top contact type: Household exposure
More Analyses

Risk Factors

About risk factors

  • Pregnant cases: 365
  • Health care workers**: 1,955
  • Deceased Health care workers: 2
  • Recovered health care workers: 1,952
More Analyses

Symptoms

About symptoms

Symptomatic cases: 71.6%

Top symptoms (% of reports)

  • Cough: 43.8%
  • Headache: 37.1%
  • Fever: 29.6%
  • Muscle pain (myalgia): 27.6%
  • Sore Throat: 26.1%
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 11.

As of March 20, 31.7% 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: 604

Reporting fever and cough: 0%

Check Trend

Physician Visits

About sentinal physicians

Influenza Like Illness (ILI) Visits to sentinel physicians: 0.7%

Check Trend

Antiviral

About Antiviral

Units of antiviral dispensed from pharmacies: 1

ED Visits

About emergency room visits

Average daily respiratory visits to emergency department (ED): 88

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 – 2021

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 – 2021

Figure 3. Cases of COVID-19 by Health Region and Public Health Report Date, Manitoba, 2020 – 2021

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Table 1. Cases of COVID-19 by Health Region, Manitoba, 2020 – 2021

Health Region Cases Percentage
Winnipeg RHA 18218 54.6%
Southern Health-Santé Sud 4881 14.6%
Interlake-Eastern RHA 2469 7.4%
Prairie Mountain Health 2143 6.4%
Northern Health Region 5647 16.9%

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Testing

Figure 4. Average Daily Testing Volume and Positivity (%) for COVID-19 by Week of Specimen Receiving Date, Manitoba, 2020 – 2021

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Table 2. Cumulative National Testing Volume and Positivity (%) for COVID-19 by Province/Territory, Canada, 2020 – 2021

Province Confirmed Cases Tests Completed Test Rate in Population (Estimated %) Positivity Rate (Estimated %)
Alberta 140,823 3,554,577 81.7% 4.0%
British Columbia 90,786 2,078,163 41.2% 4.4%
Manitoba 33,174 565,085 41.4% 5.9%
New Brunswick 1,486 251,991 32.6% 0.6%
Newfoundland and Labrador 1,014 213,719 40.9% 0.5%
Northwest Territories 42 15,463 34.4% 0.3%
Nova Scotia 1,680 396,083 41.0% 0.4%
Nunavut 395 9,590 24.8% 4.1%
Ontario 325,254 11,778,844 81.3% 2.8%
Prince Edward Island 148 118,431 76.1% 0.1%
Quebec 300,916 6,761,683 80.0% 4.5%
Saskatchewan 31,259 619,621 52.9% 5.0%
Yukon 72 8,379 20.6% 0.9%
Canada 927,062 26,371,705 70.5% 3.5%

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 – 2021

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 – 2021

Figure 7. Percentage of COVID-19 Cases With Underlying Illnesses, Manitoba, 2020 – 2021

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 – 2021

Source of infection Cases Percentage
Close contact of known case 1164 59.5%
Pending 185 9.5%
Travel 18 0.9%
Unknown 588 30.1%
All Cases 1955

Table 4. Roles of Health Care Workers with Non-missing Information, Manitoba, 2020 – 2021

Role Cases Percentage
Allied Health, Health Professio 1138 58.2%
Nurse/Licensed Practical Nurse 554 28.3%
Not identified 152 7.8%
Physician/Physician in training 72 3.7%
First Responder 39 2%
All Cases 1955

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Outbreaks

Figure 8. Weekly Respiratory and COVID-19 Outbreaks, Manitoba, 2018 – 2021

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Contacts

Table 5. COVID-19 Contact Summary Table, Manitoba, 2020 – 2021

Regional Health Authority Active Cases Median Contacts Min contacts Max contacts
Northern Health 434 0 0 16
Winnipeg Health 225 3 0 60
Prairie Mountain Health 26 2 0 37
Southern Health - Sante Sud 20 2 0 28
Interlake-Eastern Health 19 2 0 11

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Symptoms

Figure 9. Percentage of Symptoms Reported by COVID-19 Cases, Manitoba, 2020 – 2021

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, 2021

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Physician Visits

Figure 11. Weekly Percentage of ILI Related Visits to Sentinel Physicians, Manitoba, 2021

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ED Visits

Figure 12. Weekly Respiratory Visits to Emergency Department, Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, Manitoba, 2018 – 2021

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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