Provincial Respiratory Surveillance Report

COVID-19 and Seasonal Influenza

2023-2024 season

*seasons are defined as July 2, 2023 to June 29, 2024


This weekly report provides a current epidemiological update on the intensity and severity of respiratory activity in Manitoba including laboratory confirmed activity of both COVID-19 and seasonal influenza. Surveillance data include syndromic indicators, laboratory testing, associated hospitalization and mortality, and outbreaks. Updates around immunization coverage in COVID-19 and seasonal influenza are also included.

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 Friday.

Week 1 (December 31 – January 6, 2024)

About epidemiological week

Data extracted up to 1:00 am on January 11, 2024
Next reporting date: January 19, 2024


COVID-19 vaccination / Seasonal Influenza vaccination

COVID-19: Similar Activity

COVID-19 activity in week 1 was similar with the previous week. Laboratory detection was similar with the previous week.

Wastewater surveillance data up to January 2 indicated similar activity in Brandon and Winnipeg.

Cases

About cases

  • Cases this week: 118
  • Total cases: 3,914 (July 2, 2023 – January 6, 2024)
More Analyses

Testing

About testing

This week

  • Average daily specimens: 266
  • Weekly positivity rate: 11.5%

Total (July 2, 2023 – January 6, 2024)

  • Tested people: 24,891
  • Population tested: 1.8%
  • Specimens tested: 34,080
  • Positivity rate: 17.6%
More Analyses

Severity

About associated severity

Severe outcomes this week

  • Hospital admissions: 37
    • ICU admissions3: 6
  • Deaths: 9

Total severe outcomes (July 2, 2023 – January 6, 2024)

  • Hospital admissions: 1,426
    • ICU admissions: 132
  • Deaths: Being updated

Outbreaks

About outbreaks

COVID-19 outbreaks this week

  • In long-term care facilities: 7
  • In hospitals: 0
  • In other settings: 0

Total COVID-19 outbreaks (July 2, 2023 – January 6, 2024)

  • In long-term care facilities: 150
  • In hospitals: 42
  • In other settings: 15
More Analyses

Seasonal Influenza

The number of influenza labs reported for week 1 is likely to be undercounted due to processing delays.

The RSV detection and test positivity in week 1 increased compared with the previous week.

Cases

Cases this week

  • Influenza A: 123
  • Influenza B: 8

Total cases (July 2, 2023 – January 6, 2024)

  • Influenza A: 1,831
  • Influenza B: 54
More Analyses

Testing

Influenza testing this week

  • Average daily specimens: 190
  • Influenza A positivity rate: 13.3%
  • Influenza B positivity rate: 0.8%

Other respiratory pathogens this week

  • RSV4 positivity rate: 7.5%
  • RSV detections: 100
More Analyses

Severity

Severe outcomes this week

  • Hospital admissions: Unavailable
    • ICU admissions: Unavailable
  • Deaths: 10

Total severe outcomes (July 2, 2023 – January 6, 2024)

  • Hospital admissions: Unavailable
    • ICU admissions: Unavailable
  • Deaths: 43

Outbreaks

About outbreaks

Influenza outbreaks this week

  • Influenza A: 7
  • Influenza B: 0

Total influenza outbreaks (July 2, 2023 – January 6, 2024)

  • Influenza A: 34
  • Influenza B: 0

Other outbreaks

  • This week: 2
  • Total (July 2, 2023 – January 6, 2024): 51
More Analyses

Syndromic Indicators

In week 1 activity in all syndromic indicators appear to be decreasing compared to the last few weeks. Data fluctuations in ILI related visits to sentinel physicians were observed due to a small number of submitting sentinel physicians. Weekly FluWatchers participants and percentage reporting fever and cough, weekly units of antiviral dispensed from pharmacies and weekly percentage of ILI related visits to sentinel physicians appear to be decreasing compared with the last few weeks.

Weekly respiratory related visits to emergency departments/urgent care in week 1 appear to be decreasing compared with the last few weeks and at the average level during 2017-2019, prior to the pandemic.

FluWatchers

About FluWatchers

Participants reporting this week: 491

Reporting fever and cough: 3.5%

More Analyses

Physician Visits

About sentinel physicians

Influenza Like Illness (ILI) Visits to sentinel physicians this week: 6%

More Analyses

Antiviral

About Antiviral

Units of antiviral dispensed from pharmacies this week: 9

More Analyses

ED Visits

About emergency room visits

Respiratory visits to emergency department (ED) this week: 2047

More Analyses

Important Notes

  1. Data about COVID-19 and 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. Cumulative totals include all events from start of the current season to end of the reporting week.
  3. ICU admissions are included in hospital admissions, and include adult and pediatric cases.
  4. RSV - Respiratory syncytial virus.
  5. Influenza associated hospitalizations and associated ICU cases are currently under review.
  6. COVID case counts are under review and maybe an undercount.
  7. Deaths are reported as “associated with” COVID, but not all have been “caused by” COVID. “COVID associated deaths” include persons who had a confirmed positive lab test result for COVID, within 30 days before their death, or following their death through a post mortem.
  8. The number of influenza labs reported after week 50 is likely to be an undercount due to processing delays.

COVID-19

Cases

Figure 1. Weekly Cases of COVID-19 by Season, Manitoba, 2020 – 2024 (July through June)

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Figure 2. Sex and Age Distribution of COVID-19 Cases, Manitoba, July 2, 2023 – January 6, 2024

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Figure 3. Cases of COVID-19 by Health Region and Public Health Report Date, Manitoba, July 2, 2023 – January 6, 2024

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Testing

Figure 4. Average Daily Testing Volume and Positivity (%) for COVID-19 by Week of Specimen Receiving Date, Manitoba, July 2, 2023 – January 6, 2024

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Vaccination

Table 1. Fall COVID-19 Campaign Coverage (at least 1 dose) and Coverage in the Last Six Months by Age Group

Sep 1, 2022 - Feb 28, 2023
Sep 1, 2023 - Jan 06, 2024
2023 ( Last 6 months, up to Jan 06, 2024 )
Age group Number Vaccinated %Coverage Number Vaccinated %Coverage Number Vaccinated %Coverage
00-04 5589 6.6% 3822 4.5% 4233 5.0%
05-17 21562 9.3% 13641 5.9% 14077 6.1%
18-49 75210 12.4% 49508 8.1% 50143 8.2%
50-64 73313 28.2% 58961 22.7% 59636 23.0%
65+ 139798 57.5% 125199 51.5% 127627 52.5%
All 320620 22.5% 251966 17.6% 258041 18.1%

About vaccination coverage

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Seasonal Influenza

Cases

Figure 5. Weekly Cases of Influenza by Season, Manitoba, 2019 – 2024 (July through June)

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Testing

Figure 6. Average Daily Testing Volume and Positivity (%) for Influenza by Week of Specimen Receiving Date, Manitoba, July 2, 2023 – January 6, 2024

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Figure 7. Number of Positive Respiratory Virus Tests by Week of Specimen Receiving Date, Manitoba, July 2, 2023 – January 6, 2024

Note. Other respiratory viruses include adenovirus, enterovirus/rhinovirus, human coronavirus (seasonal), human metapneumovirus and human parainfluenza virus.

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Outbreaks

Figure 8. Weekly Respiratory Outbreaks, Manitoba, July 12, 2020 – January 6, 2024

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Vaccinations

Table 2. Coverage of Influenza Vaccinations, Manitoba

Sep 1, 2022 - May 31, 2023
Sep 1, 2023 - Jan 06, 2024
Age group Number Vaccinated %Coverage Number Vaccinated %Coverage
0-4 17449 20.7% 12142 14.4%
5-17 37337 16.1% 28498 12.3%
18-49 95793 15.8% 82736 13.6%
50-64 83164 32.0% 74450 28.7%
65+ 146387 60.2% 144543 59.4%
All 386376 27.1% 345511 24.2%

Note. Actual number of people vaccinated between September 1 and January 6, 2024 may be higher due to delays in reporting doses administered.

About vaccination coverage

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FluWatchers

Figure 9. Weekly FluWatchers Participants and Percentage Reporting Fever and Cough, Manitoba, 2019 – January 6, 2024

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Physician Visits

Figure 10. Weekly Percentage of ILI Related Visits to Sentinel Physicians, Manitoba, 2018 – January 6, 2024

Note. The total sentinel physicians reporting during week 47 has declined and the rates should be interpreted with caution.

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Antiviral

Figure 11. Weekly Units of Antiviral Dispensed from Pharmacies, Manitoba, 2018 – January 6, 2024

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ED Visits

Figure 12. Weekly Respiratory Visits to Emergency Department, Manitoba, 2017 – January 6, 2024

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