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 3 (January 14 – January 20, 2024)

About epidemiological week

Data extracted up to 1:00 am on January 25, 2024
Next reporting date: February 2, 2024

COVID-19 vaccination / Seasonal Influenza vaccination

COVID-19 Test positivity, hospital admissions and deaths decreased compared with the previous week. Wastewater surveillance data up to January 23 indicated decreased activity in Brandon and Winnipeg.		Cases About cases Cases this week: 66 Total cases: 4,082 (July 2, 2023 – January 20, 2024) More Analyses Epi curve Age and sex
Testing About testing This week Average daily specimens: 198 Weekly positivity rate: 8.3% Total (July 2, 2023 – January 20, 2024) Tested people: 26,781 Population tested: 1.9% Specimens tested: 37,032 Positivity rate: 16.9% More Analyses Provincial testing	Severity About associated severity Severe outcomes this week Hospital admissions: 33 ICU admissions3: 2 Deaths: 6 Total severe outcomes (July 2, 2023 – January 20, 2024) Hospital admissions: 1,507 ICU admissions: 146 Deaths: Being updated	Outbreaks About outbreaks COVID-19 outbreaks this week In long-term care facilities: 3 In hospitals: 0 In other settings: 0 Total COVID-19 outbreaks (July 2, 2023 – January 20, 2024) In long-term care facilities: 156 In hospitals: 42 In other settings: 16 More Analyses Check trend
Seasonal Influenza The number of influenza labs reported for week 3 is likely to be undercounted due to processing delays. The RSV detection and test positivity in week 3 was similar with the previous week.		Cases Cases this week Influenza A: 38 Influenza B: 7 Total cases (July 2, 2023 – January 20, 2024) Influenza A: 2,025 Influenza B: 68 More Analyses Check trend
Testing Influenza testing this week Average daily specimens: 175 Influenza A positivity rate: 7.2% Influenza B positivity rate: 0.7% Other respiratory pathogens this week RSV4 positivity rate: 8.1% RSV detections: 100 More Analyses Influenza testing Respiratory detection	Severity Severe outcomes this week Hospital admissions: Unavailable ICU admissions: Unavailable Deaths: 2 Total severe outcomes (July 2, 2023 – January 20, 2024) Hospital admissions: Unavailable ICU admissions: Unavailable Deaths: 52	Outbreaks About outbreaks Influenza outbreaks this week Influenza A: 3 Influenza B: 0 Total influenza outbreaks (July 2, 2023 – January 20, 2024) Influenza A: 39 Influenza B: 0 Other outbreaks This week: 9 Total (July 2, 2023 – January 20, 2024): 65 More Analyses Check trend
Syndromic Indicators FluWatchers participants, and weekly units of antiviral dispensed from pharmacies were similar compared to the previous week. Percent of ILI related visits to sentinel physicians, percent reporting fever/cough and respiratory related visits to emergency departments/urgent decreased compared with the last few weeks.		FluWatchers About FluWatchers Participants reporting this week: 479 Reporting fever and cough: 0.8% More Analyses Check trend
Physician Visits About sentinel physicians Influenza Like Illness (ILI) Visits to sentinel physicians this week: 2.7% More Analyses Check Trend	Antiviral About Antiviral Units of antiviral dispensed from pharmacies this week: 3 More Analyses Check Trend	ED Visits About emergency room visits Respiratory visits to emergency department (ED) this week: 1359 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, 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. 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 20, 2024

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Figure 3. Cases of COVID-19 by Health Region and Public Health Report Date, Manitoba, July 2, 2023 – January 20, 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 20, 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 20, 2024		2023 ( Last 6 months, up to Jan 20, 2024 )
Age group	Number Vaccinated	%Coverage	Number Vaccinated	%Coverage	Number Vaccinated	%Coverage
00-04	5530	6.6%	4041	4.8%	4331	5.1%
05-17	21565	9.3%	14181	6.1%	14500	6.2%
18-49	75152	12.4%	50855	8.4%	51312	8.4%
50-64	73155	28.2%	60293	23.2%	60770	23.4%
65+	140077	57.6%	127857	52.6%	129321	53.2%
All	320628	22.5%	258293	18.1%	262335	18.4%

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 20, 2024

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Figure 7. Number of Positive Respiratory Virus Tests by Week of Specimen Receiving Date, Manitoba, July 2, 2023 – January 20, 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 20, 2024

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Vaccinations

Table 2. Coverage of Influenza Vaccinations, Manitoba

	Sep 1, 2022 - May 31, 2023		Sep 1, 2023 - Jan 20, 2024
Age group	Number Vaccinated	%Coverage	Number Vaccinated	%Coverage
0-4	17453	20.7%	13024	15.4%
5-17	37337	16.1%	29694	12.8%
18-49	95795	15.8%	84844	14.0%
50-64	83165	32.0%	75869	29.2%
65+	146387	60.2%	146023	60.1%
All	386386	27.1%	353120	24.7%

Note. Actual number of people vaccinated between September 1 and January 20, 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 20, 2024

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Physician Visits

Figure 10. Weekly Percentage of ILI Related Visits to Sentinel Physicians, Manitoba, 2018 – January 20, 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 20, 2024

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ED Visits

Figure 12. Weekly Respiratory Visits to Emergency Department, Manitoba, 2017 – January 20, 2024

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