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 13 (March 24 – March 30, 2024)

About epidemiological week

Data extracted up to 1:00 am on April 4, 2024
Next reporting date: April 12, 2024

COVID-19 vaccination / Seasonal Influenza vaccination

COVID-19 There were much fewer cases this week than last week (56 vs. 88), and lower severe outcomes. These included moderate reductions in hospital admissions (22 vs. 26) and ICU admissions (4 vs. 6) and a marked reduction in deaths (4 vs. 13). There were fewer outbreaks (2 vs. 4), and all in hospitals. Wastewater surveillance data up to March 25 indicates that viral load levels are low-to-moderate currently and decreasing in all regions.		Cases About cases Cases this week: 56 Total cases: 5,016 (July 2, 2023 – March 30, 2024) More Analyses Epi curve Age and sex
Testing About testing This week Average daily specimens: 169 Weekly positivity rate: 7.1% Total (July 2, 2023 – March 30, 2024) Tested people: 34,846 Population tested: 2.5% Specimens tested: 49,990 Positivity rate: 15.4% More Analyses Provincial testing	Severity About associated severity Severe outcomes this week Hospital admissions: 22 ICU admissions3: 4 Deaths7: 4 Total severe outcomes (July 2, 2023 – March 30, 2024) Hospital admissions: 1,863 ICU admissions: 192 Deaths: Being updated	Outbreaks About outbreaks COVID-19 outbreaks this week In long-term care facilities: 0 In hospitals: 2 In other settings: 0 Total COVID-19 outbreaks (July 2, 2023 – March 30, 2024) In long-term care facilities: 202 In hospitals: 66 In other settings: 15 More Analyses Check trend
Seasonal Influenza The number of influenza labs reported for week 13 is likely to be undercounted due to processing delays. The RSV detection and test positivity in week 13 decreased compared with the previous week.		Cases Cases this week Influenza A: 8 Influenza B: 25 Total cases (July 2, 2023 – March 30, 2024) Influenza A: 2,546 Influenza B: 299 More Analyses Check trend
Testing Influenza testing this week Average daily specimens: 156 Influenza A positivity rate: 1.4% Influenza B positivity rate: 6.8% Other respiratory pathogens this week RSV4 positivity rate: 2.2% RSV detections: 24 More Analyses Influenza testing Respiratory detection	Severity Severe outcomes this week Hospital admissions: Unavailable ICU admissions: Unavailable Deaths7: 2 Total severe outcomes (July 2, 2023 – March 30, 2024) Hospital admissions: Unavailable ICU admissions: Unavailable Deaths: 62	Outbreaks About outbreaks Influenza outbreaks this week Influenza A: 1 Influenza B: 0 Total influenza outbreaks (July 2, 2023 – March 30, 2024) Influenza A: 43 Influenza B: 0 Other outbreaks This week: 6 Total (July 2, 2023 – March 30, 2024): 139 More Analyses Check trend
Syndromic Indicators There were many more respiratory visits to EDs this week than in the previous week (1531 vs 1479), but no ILI-related visit to sentinel physicians. Other indicators increased slightly or remained unchanged.		FluWatchers About FluWatchers Participants reporting this week: 475 Reporting fever and cough: 1.9% More Analyses Check trend
Physician Visits About sentinel physicians Influenza Like Illness (ILI) Visits to sentinel physicians this week: 0% More Analyses Check Trend	Antiviral About Antiviral Units of antiviral dispensed from pharmacies this week: 2 More Analyses Check Trend	ED Visits About emergency room visits Respiratory visits to emergency department (ED) this week: 1531 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. 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 – March 30, 2024

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Figure 3. Cases of COVID-19 by Health Region and Public Health Report Date, Manitoba, July 2, 2023 – March 30, 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 – March 30, 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 - Mar 30, 2024		2023 ( Last 6 months, up to Mar 30, 2024 )
Age group	Number Vaccinated	%Coverage	Number Vaccinated	%Coverage	Number Vaccinated	%Coverage
00-04	5189	6.1%	4285	5.1%	4354	5.2%
05-17	21633	9.3%	14977	6.4%	15168	6.5%
18-49	74806	12.3%	52740	8.7%	52970	8.7%
50-64	72502	27.9%	61761	23.8%	61844	23.8%
65+	141379	58.1%	133178	54.8%	133151	54.8%
All	320664	22.5%	268709	18.8%	271381	19.0%

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 – March 30, 2024

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Figure 7. Number of Positive Respiratory Virus Tests by Week of Specimen Receiving Date, Manitoba, July 2, 2023 – March 30, 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 – March 30, 2024

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Vaccinations

Table 2. Coverage of Influenza Vaccinations, Manitoba

	Sep 1, 2022 - May 31, 2023		Sep 1, 2023 - Mar 30, 2024
Age group	Number Vaccinated	%Coverage	Number Vaccinated	%Coverage
0-4	17470	20.9%	14425	17.3%
5-17	37345	15.7%	31551	13.2%
18-49	95912	15.4%	88632	14.2%
50-64	83202	32.3%	77888	30.2%
65+	146398	58.9%	148154	59.6%
All	386569	26.7%	365069	25.2%

Note. Actual number of people vaccinated between September 1 and March 30, 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 – March 30, 2024

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Physician Visits

Figure 10. Weekly Percentage of ILI Related Visits to Sentinel Physicians, Manitoba, 2018 – March 30, 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 – March 30, 2024

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ED Visits

Figure 12. Weekly Respiratory Visits to Emergency Department, Manitoba, 2017 – March 30, 2024

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