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 33 (August 15 – August 21)

About epidemiological week

Data extracted up to 4:00 am on August 27, 2021
Next reporting date: September 6, 2021

COVID-19: Decreased Activity

In Week 33, there were 233 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases reported in Manitoba, an increase from 189 in the previous week. The volume of lab tests increased to on average 1,736 people tested for COVID-19 per day compared to 1,597 in the previous week, and the positivity rate of lab tests was 2.2%, an increase from 1.9% in the previous week.

In the 233 cases reported this week, 41% were reported from the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority and 32% were reported from Southern Health - Santé Sud Regional Health Authority. The remaining cases were reported from Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority (12%), Northern Health Region (9%), and Prairie Mountain Health Authority (6%).

This week, 145 cases of variants of concern (VOCs) have been reported, an increase from 135 in the previous week. Additionally, cases of VOCs accounted for 62% of new cases reported this week.

As of August 21, a total of 1,876,263 doses of COVID19 vaccines have been administered and 81.3% of residents aged 12 years and older in Manitoba have been immunized with at least one dose.

Cases

About cases

  • New cases: 233
  • Total cases: 58,260
  • Total VOC cases: 17,153
  • Recovered cases: 56,827
More Analyses

Testing

About testing

This week

  • Average daily specimens: 1,736
  • Weekly positivity rate: 2.2%

Total

  • Tested people: 531,647
  • Population tested: 39%
  • Specimens tested: 908,678
  • Positivity rate: 6.9%
More Analyses

Severity

About severity

Severe outcomes associated with COVID-19:

  • Hospitalizations: 4,030
    • ICU admissions3: 916
  • Deaths: 1,189
More Analyses

Outbreaks

About outbreaks

COVID-19 outbreaks: 242

  • Outbreaks in long-term care facilities: 120
  • Outbreaks in schools: 6
More Analyses

Exposure

About exposure

Source of infection in cases (% of total)

  • Travel: 1.3%
  • Close contact to cases: 56.0%
  • Unknown: 24.9%
  • Pending: 17.8%

Top five outbreak/cluster/special investigation settings4

  • Workplace: 36.2%
  • Industrial setting: 17.6%
  • Daycare: 10.3%
  • Acute care setting: 7.8%
  • School: 7.8%
More Analyses

Transmission and Acquisition

About transmission and acquisition

Top five transmission settings in all cases5

  • Household: 65.7%
  • Social gathering: 13.9%
  • Workplace: 12.6%
  • Transportation: 5.3%
  • School: 3.8%

Top five acquisition settings in cases with unknown source of infection6

  • Household: 50.7%
  • Workplace: 32.7%
  • Retail: 18.9%
  • Social gathering: 14.9%
  • Transportation: 6.7%
More Analyses

Symptoms

About symptoms

Symptomatic cases: 73.4%

Top symptoms (% of reports)

  • Cough: 46.2%
  • Headache: 38.1%
  • Fever: 32.0%
  • Muscle pain (myalgia): 28.2%
  • Sore Throat: 27.4%
More Analyses

Risk Factors

About risk factors

  • Pregnant cases: 723
  • Health care workers7: 2,612
  • Deceased health care workers: 4
  • Recovered health care workers: 2,605
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 33.

As of August 21, 31.5% 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: 4
  • Influenza B: 3

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: 544

Reporting fever and cough: 0.2%

Check Trend

Physician Visits

About sentinal physicians

Influenza Like Illness (ILI) Visits to sentinel physicians: 0.5%

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): 103

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. The top five settings where cases are found to be linked with an outbreak or cluster or special investigation.
  5. Transmission settings include those settings exposed during a case’s communicability period, i.e., 48 hours prior to the development of overt symptoms in the case until the case is classified as no longer infectious. Percentages are calculated using total cases counts as a denominator. Categories are NOT mutually exclusive.
  6. Acquisition settings include those settings exposed during a case’s incubation period, i.e., 14 days before symptom onset date. Percentages are calculated using community-transmitted case counts as a denominator for acquisition settings. Categories are NOT mutually exclusive.
  7. 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, August 16, 2020 – August 21, 2021

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, August 16, 2020 – August 21, 2021

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Figure 3. Sex and Age Distribution of COVID-19 Cases, March 1, 2020 – August 21, 2021

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Figure 4. Cases of COVID-19 by Health Region and Public Health Report Date, Manitoba, September 1, 2020 – September 1, 2021

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Table 1. Cases of COVID-19 by Health Region, Manitoba, March 13, 2020 – August 21, 2021

Health Region Cases Percentage
Winnipeg RHA 34115 58.6%
Southern Health-Santé Sud 7788 13.4%
Interlake-Eastern RHA 4286 7.4%
Prairie Mountain Health 4039 6.9%
Northern Health Region 8032 13.8%

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Testing

Figure 5. Average Daily Testing Volume and Positivity (%) for COVID-19 by Week of Specimen Receiving Date, Manitoba, August 16, 2020 – August 21, 2021

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Table 2. Cumulative National Testing Volume and Positivity (%) for COVID-19 by Province/Territory, Canada, March 13, 2020 – August 21, 2021

Province Confirmed Cases Tests Completed Test Rate in Population (Estimated %) Positivity Rate (Estimated %)
Alberta 242,997 4,991,003 114.7% 4.9%
British Columbia 158,919 3,287,396 65.1% 4.8%
Manitoba 58,176 951,881 69.8% 6.1%
New Brunswick 2,614 408,857 52.8% 0.6%
Newfoundland and Labrador 1,458 317,700 60.8% 0.5%
Northwest Territories 300 26,844 59.8% 1.1%
Nova Scotia 5,956 1,082,416 112.0% 0.6%
Nunavut 657 18,821 48.7% 3.5%
Ontario 558,101 16,806,465 116.0% 3.3%
Prince Edward Island 221 182,961 117.5% 0.1%
Quebec 383,718 10,657,237 126.2% 3.6%
Saskatchewan 52,065 990,445 84.6% 5.3%
Yukon 671 9,129 22.5% 7.4%
Canada 1,465,866 39,731,231 106.2% 3.7%

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, August 16, 2020 – August 21, 2021

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 13, 2020 – August 21, 2021

Figure 8. Percentage of COVID-19 Cases With Underlying Illnesses, Manitoba, March 13, 2020 – August 21, 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, March 13, 2020 – August 21, 2021

Source of Infection Cases Percentage
Close contact of known case 1525 58.4%
Pending 200 7.7%
Travel 28 1.1%
Unknown 859 32.9%
All Cases 2612

Table 4. Roles of Health Care Workers with Non-missing Information, Manitoba, March 13, 2020 – August 21, 2021

Role Cases Percentage
Allied Health, Health Professionals, and Support Staff 1596 61.1%
Nurse/Licensed Practical Nurse 668 25.6%
Not identified 204 7.8%
Physician/Physician in training 88 3.4%
First Responder 56 2.1%
All Cases 2612

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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 13, 2020 – August 21, 2021

Regional Health Authority Cases Median Contacts Minimum Contacts Maximum Contacts
Winnipeg Health 34115 3 0 249
Northern Health 8032 1 0 121
Southern Health - Sante Sud 7788 2 0 69
Interlake-Eastern Health 4286 1 0 76
Prairie Mountain Health 4039 3 0 134

Table 6. COVID-19 Contact Summary in New Cases Reported in Week 33, Manitoba, 2021

Regional Health Authority Cases Median Contacts Minimum Contacts Maximum Contacts
Winnipeg Health 96 4.0 0 38
Southern Health - Sante Sud 74 2.5 0 44
Interlake-Eastern Health 27 2.0 0 8
Northern Health 21 2.0 0 12
Prairie Mountain Health 15 3.0 0 14

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Figure 10. Percentage of COVID-19 Cases Linked to Top-five Cluster/Outbreak/Special Investigation Settings, Manitoba, January 24, 2021 – August 21, 2021

Note: COVID-19 public health orders in Manitoba since January 23, 2021: PH order #1 (effective January 23, 2021), PH order #2 (effective March 5, 2021), PH order #3 (effective March 26, 2021), PH order #4 (effective April 19, 2021), PH order #5 (effective April 28, 2021), PH order #6 (effective May 9, 2021), PH order #7 (effective May 22, 2021), PH order #8 (effective May 29, 2021), PH order #9 (effective June 12, 2021), PH order #10 (effective June 26, 2021), PH order #11: (effective July 17, 2021). Content of Public Health Orders

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Figure 11. Percentage of Total COVID-19 Cases Exposed to Top-five Transmission Settings, Manitoba, January 24, 2021 – August 21, 2021

Note: COVID-19 public health orders in Manitoba since January 23, 2021: PH order #1 (effective January 23, 2021), PH order #2 (effective March 5, 2021), PH order #3 (effective March 26, 2021), PH order #4 (effective April 19, 2021), PH order #5 (effective April 28, 2021), PH order #6 (effective May 9, 2021), PH order #7 (effective May 22, 2021), PH order #8 (effective May 29, 2021), PH order #9 (effective June 12, 2021), PH order #10 (effective June 26, 2021), PH order #11: (effective July 17, 2021). Content of Public Health Orders

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Figure 12. Percentage of Community-transmitted COVID-19 Cases Exposed to Top-five Acquisition Settings, Manitoba, January 24, 2021 – August 21, 2021

Note: COVID-19 public health orders in Manitoba since January 23, 2021: PH order #1 (effective January 23, 2021), PH order #2 (effective March 5, 2021), PH order #3 (effective March 26, 2021), PH order #4 (effective April 19, 2021), PH order #5 (effective April 28, 2021), PH order #6 (effective May 9, 2021), PH order #7 (effective May 22, 2021), PH order #8 (effective May 29, 2021), PH order #9 (effective June 12, 2021), PH order #10 (effective June 26, 2021), PH order #11: (effective July 17, 2021). Content of Public Health Orders

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Symptoms

Figure 13. Percentage of Symptoms Reported by COVID-19 Cases, Manitoba, March 13, 2020 – August 21, 2021

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

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FluWatchers

Figure 14. Weekly FluWatchers Participants and Percentage Reporting Fever and Cough, Manitoba, 2020 – 2021

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Physician Visits

Figure 15. Weekly Percentage of ILI Related Visits to Sentinel Physicians, Manitoba, 2021

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ED Visits

Figure 16. 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