Provincial Respiratory Surveillance Report

COVID-19 and Seasonal Influenza

2024-2025 season

*seasons are defined as June 30, 2024 to June 28, 2025

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 3:00pm every Friday.

Week 35 (August 25 – August 31, 2024)

About epidemiological week

Data extracted up to 1:00 am on September 5, 2024
Next reporting date: September 13, 2024

COVID-19 vaccination / Seasonal Influenza vaccination

COVID-19 Test positivity remains lower than the peak rate observed in the fall (week 45). In the past few weeks there has been signs of an increase; outbreaks in long-term care facilities increased this week compared to the previous week, all other indicators remained stable over time. Wastewater surveillance data up to August 30 indicates high viral activity for COVID-19.		Cases About cases Cases this week: 109 Total cases: 726 (June 30, 2024 – August 31, 2024) More Analyses Epi curve Age and sex
Testing About testing This week Average daily specimens: 133 Weekly positivity rate: 21.3% Total (June 30, 2024 – August 31, 2024) Tested people: 5,982 Population tested: 0.4% Specimens tested: 7,359 Positivity rate: 17.2% More Analyses Provincial testing	Severity About associated severity Severe outcomes this week Hospital admissions: 35 ICU admissions3: 4 Deaths7: 5 Total severe outcomes (June 30, 2024 – August 31, 2024) Hospital admissions: 300 ICU admissions: 28 Deaths: Unavailable	Outbreaks About outbreaks COVID-19 outbreaks this week In long-term care facilities: 8 In hospitals: 3 In other settings: 0 Total COVID-19 outbreaks (June 30, 2024 – August 31, 2024) In long-term care facilities: 46 In hospitals: 20 In other settings: 0 More Analyses Check trend
Seasonal Influenza Test positivity remains lower than the peak rate observed in the fall (week 51); all other indicators remained stable over time. Low RSV detection in week 35. RSV detection decreased slightly compared with the previous week.		Cases Cases this week Influenza A: 2 Influenza B: 0 Total cases (June 30, 2024 – August 31, 2024) Influenza A: 6 Influenza B: 0 More Analyses Check trend
Testing Influenza testing this week Average daily specimens: 45 Influenza A positivity rate: 0.0% Influenza B positivity rate: 0.0% Other respiratory pathogens this week RSV4 positivity rate: 0.3% RSV detections: 1 More Analyses Influenza testing Respiratory detection	Severity Severe outcomes this week Hospital admissions: Unavailable ICU admissions: Unavailable Deaths7: 0 Total severe outcomes (June 30, 2024 – August 31, 2024) Hospital admissions: Unavailable ICU admissions: Unavailable Deaths: 0	Outbreaks About outbreaks Influenza outbreaks this week Influenza A: 0 Influenza B: 0 Total influenza outbreaks (June 30, 2024 – August 31, 2024) Influenza A: 0 Influenza B: 0 Other outbreaks This week: 3 Total (June 30, 2024 – August 31, 2024): 24 More Analyses Check trend
Syndromic Indicators Weekly respiratory visits to emergency department are currently lower than the peak seen in week 51. In the past fews week there are signs of an increase. All other syndromic indicators have remained similar to the previous week.		FluWatchers About FluWatchers Participants reporting this week: 393 Reporting fever and cough: 2% More Analyses Check trend
Physician Visits About sentinel physicians Influenza Like Illness (ILI) Visits to sentinel physicians this week: 0.6% More Analyses Check Trend	Antiviral About Antiviral Units of antiviral dispensed from pharmacies this week: 0 More Analyses Check Trend	ED Visits About emergency room visits Respiratory visits to emergency department (ED) this week: 1248 More Analyses Check Trend
Important Notes Data about COVID-19 and influenza cases are extracted from PHIMS. 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. ICU admissions are included in hospital admissions, and include adult and pediatric cases. RSV - Respiratory syncytial virus. Influenza associated hospitalizations and associated ICU cases are currently under review. COVID case counts are under review and maybe an undercount. Deaths are reported as “associated with” COVID or Influenza, but not all have been “caused by” COVID or Influenza. “COVID associated deaths” and “Influenza associated deaths” include persons who had a confirmed positive lab test result for COVID or Influenza, within 30 days before their death, or following their death through a post mortem. The number of deaths from week to week may be impacted by the lag-time for entry of deaths from Vital Statistics/Client Registry/clinical notifications and delayed entry of cases.

COVID-19

Cases

Figure 1. Weekly Cases of COVID-19 by Season, Manitoba, 2021 – 2025 (June through June)

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Figure 2. Sex and Age Distribution of COVID-19 Cases, Manitoba, June 30, 2024 – August 31, 2024

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Figure 3. Cases of COVID-19 by Health Region and Public Health Report Date, Manitoba, June 30, 2024 – August 31, 2024

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Testing

Figure 4. Average Daily Testing Volume and Positivity (%) for COVID-19 by Week of Specimen Receiving Date, Manitoba, June 30, 2024 – August 31, 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 - Aug 31, 2024		( Last 6 months, up to Aug 31, 2024 )
Age group	Number Vaccinated	%Coverage	Number Vaccinated	%Coverage	Number Vaccinated	%Coverage
00-04	4985	5.9%	4178	5.0%	499	0.6%
05-17	23495	10.1%	15530	6.7%	543	0.2%
18-49	77913	12.8%	53858	8.9%	1631	0.3%
50-64	74191	28.6%	61506	23.7%	2237	0.9%
65+	151181	62.2%	140022	57.6%	16680	6.9%
All	357096	25.0%	290999	20.4%	21750	1.5%

About vaccination coverage

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Seasonal Influenza

Cases

Figure 5. Weekly Cases of Influenza by Season, Manitoba, 2020 – 2025 (June through June)

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Testing

Figure 6. Average Daily Testing Volume and Positivity (%) for Influenza by Week of Specimen Receiving Date, Manitoba, June 30, 2024 – August 31, 2024

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Figure 7. Number of Positive Respiratory Virus Tests by Week of Specimen Receiving Date, Manitoba, June 30, 2024 – August 31, 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, 2021 – August 31, 2024

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Vaccinations

Table 2. Coverage of Influenza Vaccinations, Manitoba

	Sep 1, 2022 - May 31, 2023		Sep 1, 2023 - Aug 31, 2024
Age group	Number Vaccinated	%Coverage	Number Vaccinated	%Coverage
0-4	17510	20.9%	14667	17.5%
5-17	37354	15.7%	32031	13.4%
18-49	95920	15.4%	90180	14.5%
50-64	83205	32.3%	78528	30.4%
65+	146413	58.9%	148769	59.9%
All	386653	26.7%	368915	25.4%

Note. Actual number of people vaccinated between September 1 and August 31, 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, 2020 – August 31, 2024

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Physician Visits

Figure 10. Weekly Percentage of ILI Related Visits to Sentinel Physicians, Manitoba, 2018 – August 31, 2024

Note. Due to small numbers the rates should be interpreted with caution.

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Antiviral

Figure 11. Weekly Units of Antiviral Dispensed from Pharmacies, Manitoba, 2020 – August 31, 2024

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ED Visits

Figure 12. Weekly Respiratory Visits to Emergency Department, Manitoba, 2017 – August 31, 2024

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