Provincial Respiratory Surveillance Report

COVID-19

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.

In this weekly respiratory surveillance report, we provide regular updates about the current activity of COVID-19 in Manitoba with overall objectives:

To understand COVID-19 within the respiratory context;
To present a detailed overview about COVID-19 cases and contacts; and

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.

Reporting for seasonal influenza in 2021-2022 season will start on October 15, 2021 for Week 40 (October 3–9, 2021).

Week 37 (September 12 – September 18)

About epidemiological week

Data extracted up to 4:00 am on September 24, 2021
Next reporting date: October 4, 2021

COVID-19: Increased Activity

In Week 37, there were 389 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases reported in Manitoba, a decrease from 403 in the previous week. The volume of lab tests increased to on average 2,558 people tested for COVID-19 per day compared to 2,057 in the previous week, and the positivity rate of lab tests was 2.5%, a decrease from 3.1% in the previous week.

In the 389 cases reported this week, 36% were reported from the Southern Health - Santé Sud Regional Health Authority and 29% were reported from the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority. The remaining cases were reported from Prairie Mountain Health Authority (13%), Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority (12%), and Northern Health Region (10%).

This week, 297 cases of variants of concern (VOCs) have been reported, a decrease from 308 in the previous week. Additionally, cases of VOCs accounted for 76% of new cases reported this week.

In all Manitoba residents aged 12 years and older, 84.8% of residents have been partially vaccinated and 79.1% have been fully vaccinated. This week, the majority of new cases, severe cases among them and VOC cases were unvaccinated. No fully vaccinated individuals were admitted to ICU this week.

Cases

About cases

New cases: 389
Total cases: 59,725
Total VOC cases: 18,291
Recovered cases: 58,219

More Analyses

Epi curve
Epi curve of VOCs
Daily Case Counts (.csv)
Age and sex
Health region
Vaccination status
National update

Testing

About testing

This week

Average daily specimens: 2,558
Weekly positivity rate: 2.5%

Total

Tested people: 555,541
Population tested: 40.7%
Specimens tested: 968,147
Positivity rate: 6.6%

More Analyses

Provincial testing
National testing

Severity

About severity

Severe outcomes associated with COVID-19:

Hospitalizations: 4,132

ICU admissions³: 895

Deaths: 1,207

More Analyses

Severe Outcomes
Age
Underlying Illness

Outbreaks

About outbreaks

COVID-19 outbreaks: 244

Outbreaks in long-term care facilities: 121
Outbreaks in schools: 6

More Analyses

Exposure

About exposure

Source of infection in cases (% of total)

Travel: 1.5%
Close contact to cases: 55.9%
Unknown: 25.2%
Pending: 17.4%

Top five outbreak/cluster/special investigation settings⁴

Workplace: 35.3%
Industrial setting: 17.3%
Daycare: 10.2%
Acute care setting: 7.5%
School: 7.4%

More Analyses

Contacts
Cases related to clusters/outbreaks

Transmission and Acquisition

About transmission and acquisition

Top five transmission settings in all cases⁵

Household: 65.7%
Social gathering: 14.2%
Workplace: 12.7%
Transportation: 5.2%
Retail: 3.8%

Top five acquisition settings in cases with unknown source of infection⁶

Household: 49.9%
Workplace: 32.3%
Retail: 18.3%
Social gathering: 15.3%
School: 6.4%

More Analyses

Potential transmission settings
Potential acquisition settings

Symptoms

About symptoms

Symptomatic cases: 73.7%

Top symptoms (% of reports)

Cough: 46.3%
Headache: 38.1%
Fever: 32.0%
Muscle pain (myalgia): 28.2%
Sore Throat: 27.5%

More Analyses

All symptoms

Risk Factors

About risk factors

Pregnant cases: 757
Health care workers⁷: 2,691
Deceased health care workers: 4
Recovered health care workers: 2,680

More Analyses

Health care workers

Important Notes

Data about COVID-19 cases and contacts 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.
ICU admissions were also included in hospitalizations.
The top five settings where cases are found to be linked with an outbreak or cluster or special investigation.
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.
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.
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 23, 2020 – September 18, 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 23, 2020 – September 18, 2021

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Figure 3. Sex and Age Distribution of COVID-19 Cases, March 1, 2020 – September 18, 2021

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Figure 4. Cases of COVID-19 by Health Region and Public Health Report Date, Manitoba, October 1, 2020 – September 18, 2021

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Table 1. Cases of COVID-19 by Health Region, Manitoba, March 13, 2020 – September 18, 2021

Health Region	Cases	Percentage
Winnipeg RHA	34577	57.9%
Southern Health-Santé Sud	8317	13.9%
Interlake-Eastern RHA	4450	7.5%
Prairie Mountain Health	4176	7.0%
Northern Health Region	8205	13.7%

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Figure 5. Vaccination Status in New Cases 12+, non-ICU Hospital Admissions, ICU Admissions, Deaths, and VOCs, Manitoba, September 12, 2021 – September 18, 2021

Note: Unprotected Case: Individuals vaccinated 0–13 days following the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Partially Vaccinated Case: Individuals vaccinated >=14 days following the first dose of a 2-dose series COVID-19 vaccine if only one dose was received and 0-13 days following the second dose if two doses were received. Fully Vaccinated Case: Individuals vaccinated >=14 days following the second dose of a 2-dose series or first dose of a 1-dose series of a COVID-19 vaccine.

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Testing

Figure 6. Average Daily Testing Volume and Positivity (%) for COVID-19 by Week of Specimen Receiving Date, Manitoba, August 23, 2020 – September 18, 2021

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Table 2. Cumulative National Testing Volume and Positivity (%) for COVID-19 by Province/Territory, Canada, March 13, 2020 – September 18, 2021

Province	Confirmed Cases	Tests Completed	Test Rate in Population (Estimated %)	Positivity Rate (Estimated %)
Alberta	277,558	5,300,252	121.8%	5.2%
British Columbia	177,954	3,632,530	72.0%	4.9%
Manitoba	59,612	1,009,915	74.0%	5.9%
New Brunswick	3,237	441,324	57.0%	0.7%
Newfoundland and Labrador	1,555	336,187	64.3%	0.5%
Northwest Territories	720	31,050	69.1%	2.3%
Nova Scotia	6,312	1,164,816	120.5%	0.5%
Nunavut	659	19,848	51.3%	3.3%
Ontario	578,048	17,501,557	120.8%	3.3%
Prince Edward Island	278	192,554	123.7%	0.1%
Quebec	401,462	11,256,893	133.3%	3.6%
Saskatchewan	61,065	1,077,438	92.0%	5.7%
Yukon	713	9,129	22.5%	7.8%
Canada	1,569,186	41,973,569	112.2%	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 7. Severe Outcomes of COVID-19 by Week of Public Health Report Date, Manitoba, August 23, 2020 – September 18, 2021

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

Figure 8. Age Distribution of Severe COVID-19 Cases Compared to All Cases, Manitoba, March 13, 2020 – September 18, 2021

Figure 9. Percentage of COVID-19 Cases With Underlying Illnesses, Manitoba, March 13, 2020 – September 18, 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 – September 18, 2021

Source of Infection	Cases	Percentage
Close contact of known case	1553	57.7%
Pending	206	7.7%
Travel	34	1.3%
Unknown	898	33.4%
All Cases	2691

Table 4. Roles of Health Care Workers with Non-missing Information, Manitoba, March 13, 2020 – September 18, 2021

Role	Cases	Percentage
Allied Health, Health Professionals, and Support Staff	1644	61.1%
Nurse/Licensed Practical Nurse	683	25.4%
Not identified	216	8%
Physician/Physician in training	92	3.4%
First Responder	56	2.1%
All Cases	2691

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Outbreaks

Figure 10. Weekly COVID-19 Outbreaks, Manitoba, 2018 – 2021

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Contacts

Table 5. COVID-19 Contact Summary in All Cases, Manitoba, March 13, 2020 – September 18, 2021

Regional Health Authority	Cases	Median Contacts	Maximum Contacts
Winnipeg Health	34577	3	249
Southern Health - Sante Sud	8317	2	69
Northern Health	8205	1	121
Interlake-Eastern Health	4450	2	76
Prairie Mountain Health	4176	3	134

Table 6. COVID-19 Contact Summary in New Cases Reported in Week 37, Manitoba, 2021

Regional Health Authority	Cases	Median Contacts	Maximum Contacts
Southern Health - Sante Sud	141	3	19
Winnipeg Health	112	4	19
Prairie Mountain Health	49	3	19
Interlake-Eastern Health	47	2	9
Northern Health	40	1	13

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Figure 11. Percentage of COVID-19 Cases Linked to Top-five Cluster/Outbreak/Special Investigation Settings, Manitoba, January 24, 2021 – September 18, 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), PH order #12: (effective August 7, 2021), PH order #13: (effective August 28, 2021). Content of Public Health Orders

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Figure 12. Percentage of Total COVID-19 Cases Exposed to Top-five Transmission Settings, Manitoba, January 24, 2021 – September 18, 2021

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Figure 13. Percentage of Community-transmitted COVID-19 Cases Exposed to Top-five Acquisition Settings, Manitoba, January 24, 2021 – September 18, 2021

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Symptoms

Figure 14. Percentage of Symptoms Reported by COVID-19 Cases, Manitoba, March 13, 2020 – September 18, 2021

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

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