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 19 (May 5 – May 11, 2024)

About epidemiological week

Data extracted up to 1:00 am on May 16, 2024
Next reporting date: May 24, 2024


COVID-19 vaccination / Seasonal Influenza vaccination

COVID-19

Test positivity remains lower than the peak rate observed in the fall (week 45), but in the past few weeks there has been signs of an increase; all other indicators decreased or remained stable over time.

Wastewater surveillance data up to May 16 indicates that viral load levels are high in Winnipeg’s South end and currently decreasing. All other regions have a moderate/low viral load and decreasing or show no change.

Cases

About cases

  • Cases this week: 67
  • Total cases: 5,352 (July 2, 2023 – May 11, 2024)
More Analyses

Testing

About testing

This week

  • Average daily specimens: 152
  • Weekly positivity rate: 10.7%

Total (July 2, 2023 – May 11, 2024)

  • Tested people: 39,054
  • Population tested: 2.8%
  • Specimens tested: 56,857
  • Positivity rate: 14.5%
More Analyses

Severity

About associated severity

Severe outcomes this week

  • Hospital admissions: 14
    • ICU admissions3: 1
  • Deaths7: 5

Total severe outcomes (July 2, 2023 – May 11, 2024)

  • Hospital admissions: 2,010
    • ICU admissions: 246
  • Deaths: Being updated

Outbreaks

About outbreaks

COVID-19 outbreaks this week

  • In long-term care facilities: 6
  • In hospitals: 0
  • In other settings: 0

Total COVID-19 outbreaks (July 2, 2023 – May 11, 2024)

  • In long-term care facilities: 216
  • In hospitals: 73
  • In other settings: 15
More Analyses

Seasonal Influenza

The number of influenza labs reported for week 19 is likely to be undercounted due to processing delays.

The RSV detection and test positivity in week 19 decreased compared with the previous week.

Cases

Cases this week

  • Influenza A: 1
  • Influenza B: 33

Total cases (July 2, 2023 – May 11, 2024)

  • Influenza A: 2,801
  • Influenza B: 633
More Analyses

Testing

Influenza testing this week

  • Average daily specimens: 120
  • Influenza A positivity rate: 0.1%
  • Influenza B positivity rate: 2.0%

Other respiratory pathogens this week

  • RSV4 positivity rate: 0.1%
  • RSV detections: 1
More Analyses

Severity

Severe outcomes this week

  • Hospital admissions: Unavailable
    • ICU admissions: Unavailable
  • Deaths7: 2

Total severe outcomes (July 2, 2023 – May 11, 2024)

  • Hospital admissions: Unavailable
    • ICU admissions: Unavailable
  • Deaths: 67

Outbreaks

About outbreaks

Influenza outbreaks this week

  • Influenza A: 0
  • Influenza B: 0

Total influenza outbreaks (July 2, 2023 – May 11, 2024)

  • Influenza A: 48
  • Influenza B: 0

Other outbreaks

  • This week: 1
  • Total (July 2, 2023 – May 11, 2024): 162
More Analyses

Syndromic Indicators

The number of antivirals despensed increased slightly this week, all other syndromic indicators have decreased or remained the same.

FluWatchers

About FluWatchers

Participants reporting this week: 455

Reporting fever and cough: 1.1%

More Analyses

Physician Visits

About sentinel physicians

Influenza Like Illness (ILI) Visits to sentinel physicians this week: 0%

More Analyses

Antiviral

About Antiviral

Units of antiviral dispensed from pharmacies this week: 3

More Analyses

ED Visits

About emergency room visits

Respiratory visits to emergency department (ED) this week: 1519

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 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.
  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 – May 11, 2024

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Figure 3. Cases of COVID-19 by Health Region and Public Health Report Date, Manitoba, July 2, 2023 – May 11, 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 – May 11, 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 - May 11, 2024
2023 ( Last 6 months, up to May 11, 2024 )
Age group Number Vaccinated %Coverage Number Vaccinated %Coverage Number Vaccinated %Coverage
00-04 4990 5.9% 4181 5.0% 2878 3.4%
05-17 21655 9.3% 15003 6.5% 8243 3.5%
18-49 74658 12.3% 52751 8.7% 22847 3.8%
50-64 72049 27.7% 61359 23.6% 25585 9.8%
65+ 142208 58.5% 134153 55.2% 57588 23.7%
All 320723 22.5% 269223 18.9% 120693 8.5%

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 – May 11, 2024

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Figure 7. Number of Positive Respiratory Virus Tests by Week of Specimen Receiving Date, Manitoba, July 2, 2023 – May 11, 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 – May 11, 2024

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Vaccinations

Table 2. Coverage of Influenza Vaccinations, Manitoba

Sep 1, 2022 - May 31, 2023
Sep 1, 2023 - May 11, 2024
Age group Number Vaccinated %Coverage Number Vaccinated %Coverage
0-4 17479 20.9% 14579 17.4%
5-17 37350 15.7% 31805 13.3%
18-49 95915 15.4% 89441 14.4%
50-64 83203 32.3% 78231 30.3%
65+ 146402 58.9% 148530 59.8%
All 386588 26.7% 367164 25.3%

Note. Actual number of people vaccinated between September 1 and May 11, 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 – May 11, 2024

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Physician Visits

Figure 10. Weekly Percentage of ILI Related Visits to Sentinel Physicians, Manitoba, 2018 – May 11, 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 – May 11, 2024

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ED Visits

Figure 12. Weekly Respiratory Visits to Emergency Department, Manitoba, 2017 – May 11, 2024

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