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 21 (May 23 – May 29)

About epidemiological week

Data extracted up to 4:00 am on June 4, 2021
Next reporting date: June 14, 2021

COVID-19: High Activity

In Week 21, there were 2,350 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases reported in Manitoba, a decrease from 3,258 in the previous week. The volume of lab tests decreased to on average 2,990 people tested for COVID-19 per day compared to 3,505 in the previous week, and the positivity rate of lab tests was 12.3%, a decrease from 14.1% in the previous week.

In the 2,350 cases reported this week, majority (69%) were reported from the Winnipeg Regional Health and 12% were reported from the Southern Health - Santé Sud Regional Health Authority. The remaining cases were reported from Prairie Mountain Health Authority (8%), Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority (6%) and Northern Health Region (5%).

This week, 1,742 cases of variants of concern (VOCs) have been reported, a decrease from 2,421 in the previous week. Additionally, cases of VOCs accounted for 74% of new cases reported this week.

As of May 29, a total of 833,228 doses of COVID19 vaccines have been administered and 64.8% of residents aged 18 years and older in Manitoba have been immunized with at least one dose.

Cases

About cases

  • New cases: 2,350
  • Total cases: 50,791
  • Total VOC cases: 11,532
  • Recovered cases: 46,919
More Analyses

Testing

About testing

This week

  • Average daily specimens: 2,990
  • Weekly positivity rate: 12.3%

Total

  • Tested people: 476,423
  • Population tested: 34.9%
  • Specimens tested: 767,472
  • Positivity rate: 7.1%
More Analyses

Severity

About severity

Severe outcomes associated with COVID-19:

  • Hospitalizations: 3,413
    • ICU admissions: 833
  • Deaths: 1,069
More Analyses

Outbreaks

About outbreaks

COVID-19 outbreaks: 233

  • Outbreaks in long-term care facilities: 119
  • Outbreaks in schools: 6
More Analyses

Exposure

About exposure

Source of infection in cases (% of total)

  • Travel: 1.3%
  • Close contact to cases: 55.2%
  • Unknown: 24.6%
  • Pending: 18.9%

Close contacts

  • Top contact type: Household exposure
More Analyses

Risk Factors

About risk factors

  • Pregnant cases: 566
  • Health care workers**: 2,417
  • Deceased Health care workers: 3
  • Recovered health care workers: 2,350
More Analyses

Symptoms

About symptoms

Symptomatic cases: 73.6%

Top symptoms (% of reports)

  • Cough: 46.5%
  • Headache: 38.8%
  • Fever: 32.2%
  • Muscle pain (myalgia): 29.0%
  • Sore Throat: 27.8%
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 21.

As of May 29, 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: 3
  • Influenza B: 2

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: 612

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: 0

ED Visits

About emergency room visits

Average daily respiratory visits to emergency department (ED): 109

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, June 2020 – Present

Note. Deaths due to COVID-19 were aligned by week of death date.
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Figure 2. COVID-19 Cases of Variants of Concern (VOC) by Type and Percentage of VOC Cases in All Cases by Week of Public Health Report Date, Manitoba, June 2020 – Present

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Figure 3. Sex and Age Distribution of COVID-19 Cases, March 2020 – Present

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Figure 4. Cases of COVID-19 by Health Region and Public Health Report Date, Manitoba, June 2020 – Present

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

Health Region Cases Percentage
Winnipeg RHA 30043 59.2%
Southern Health-Santé Sud 6529 12.9%
Interlake-Eastern RHA 3384 6.7%
Prairie Mountain Health 3527 6.9%
Northern Health Region 7308 14.4%

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Testing

Figure 5. Average Daily Testing Volume and Positivity (%) for COVID-19 by Week of Specimen Receiving Date, Manitoba, June 2020 – Present

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

Province Confirmed Cases Tests Completed Test Rate in Population (Estimated %) Positivity Rate (Estimated %)
Alberta 226,449 4,489,984 103.2% 5.0%
British Columbia 143,581 2,704,672 53.6% 5.3%
Manitoba 50,142 787,725 57.7% 6.4%
New Brunswick 2,181 338,979 43.8% 0.6%
Newfoundland and Labrador 1,293 267,847 51.2% 0.5%
Northwest Territories 127 23,157 51.6% 0.5%
Nova Scotia 5,497 798,079 82.6% 0.7%
Nunavut 648 15,377 39.8% 4.2%
Ontario 528,453 14,952,303 103.2% 3.5%
Prince Edward Island 202 161,140 103.5% 0.1%
Quebec 369,318 9,152,249 108.3% 4.0%
Saskatchewan 46,285 849,440 72.5% 5.4%
Yukon 84 9,129 22.5% 0.9%
Canada 1,374,273 34,550,157 92.4% 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 6. Severe Outcomes of COVID-19 by Week of Public Health Report Date, Manitoba, June 2020 – Present

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

Figure 7. Age Distribution of Severe COVID-19 Cases Compared to All Cases, Manitoba, March 2020 – Present

Figure 8. Percentage of COVID-19 Cases With Underlying Illnesses, Manitoba, March 2020 – Present

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, March 2020 – Present

Source of Infection Cases Percentage
Close contact of known case 1425 59%
Pending 196 8.1%
Travel 22 0.9%
Unknown 774 32%
All Cases 2417

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

Role Cases Percentage
Allied Health, Health Professionals, and Support Staff 1461 60.4%
Nurse/Licensed Practical Nurse 637 26.4%
Not identified 182 7.5%
Physician/Physician in training 83 3.4%
First Responder 54 2.2%
All Cases 2417

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Outbreaks

Figure 9. Weekly Respiratory and COVID-19 Outbreaks, Manitoba, 2018 – 2021

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Contacts

Table 5. COVID-19 Contact Summary in All Cases, Manitoba, March 2020 – Present

Regional Health Authority Cases Median Contacts Minimum Contacts Maximum Contacts
Winnipeg Health 30043 3 0 249
Northern Health 7308 1 0 66
Southern Health - Sante Sud 6529 2 0 69
Prairie Mountain Health 3527 3 0 134
Interlake-Eastern Health 3384 2 0 76

Table 6. COVID-19 Contact Summary in New Cases Reported in Week 21, Manitoba, 2021

Regional Health Authority Cases Median Contacts Minimum Contacts Maximum Contacts
Winnipeg Health 1613 3 0 38
Southern Health - Sante Sud 286 2 0 32
Prairie Mountain Health 186 3 0 35
Interlake-Eastern Health 150 0 0 24
Northern Health 115 0 0 29

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Symptoms

Figure 10. Percentage of Symptoms Reported by COVID-19 Cases, Manitoba, March 2020 – Present

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

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FluWatchers

Figure 11. Weekly FluWatchers Participants and Percentage Reporting Fever and Cough, Manitoba, 2020 – 2021

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Physician Visits

Figure 12. Weekly Percentage of ILI Related Visits to Sentinel Physicians, Manitoba, 2021

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ED Visits

Figure 13. 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