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 52 (December 24 – December 30, 2023)

About epidemiological week

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

COVID-19 vaccination / Seasonal Influenza vaccination

COVID-19: Similar Activity COVID-19 activity in week 52 was similar with the previous week. Laboratory detection decreased compared with the previous week. Wastewater surveillance data up to December 25 indicated similar activity in Brandon and Winnipeg.		Cases About cases Cases this week: 139 Total cases: 3,796 (July 2, 2023 – December 30, 2023) More Analyses Epi curve Age and sex
Testing About testing This week Average daily specimens: 271 Weekly positivity rate: 11.5% Total (July 2, 2023 – December 30, 2023) Tested people: 23,618 Population tested: 1.7% Specimens tested: 32,220 Positivity rate: 17.9% More Analyses Provincial testing	Severity About associated severity Severe outcomes this week Hospital admissions: 57 ICU admissions3: 7 Deaths: 9 Total severe outcomes (July 2, 2023 – December 30, 2023) Hospital admissions: 1,382 ICU admissions: 125 Deaths: Being updated	Outbreaks About outbreaks COVID-19 outbreaks this week In long-term care facilities: 4 In hospitals: 1 In other settings: 0 Total COVID-19 outbreaks (July 2, 2023 – December 30, 2023) In long-term care facilities: 148 In hospitals: 41 In other settings: 13 More Analyses Check trend
Seasonal Influenza The number of influenza labs reported for week 52 is likely to be undercounted due to processing delays. The RSV detection and test positivity in week 52 was similar with the previous week.		Cases Cases this week Influenza A: 18 Influenza B: 0 Total cases (July 2, 2023 – December 30, 2023) Influenza A: 1,306 Influenza B: 30 More Analyses Check trend
Testing Influenza testing this week Average daily specimens: 222 Influenza A positivity rate: 21.0% Influenza B positivity rate: 1.0% Other respiratory pathogens this week RSV4 positivity rate: 6.2% RSV detections: 96 More Analyses Influenza testing Respiratory detection	Severity Severe outcomes this week Hospital admissions: Unavailable ICU admissions: Unavailable Deaths: 5 Total severe outcomes (July 2, 2023 – December 30, 2023) Hospital admissions: Unavailable ICU admissions: Unavailable Deaths: 26	Outbreaks About outbreaks Influenza outbreaks this week Influenza A: 7 Influenza B: 0 Total influenza outbreaks (July 2, 2023 – December 30, 2023) Influenza A: 26 Influenza B: 0 Other outbreaks This week: 1 Total (July 2, 2023 – December 30, 2023): 50 More Analyses Check trend
Syndromic Indicators In week 52 activity in all syndromic indicators increased compared to the last few weeks. Data fluctuations in ILI related visits to sentinel physicians were observed due to a small number of submitting sentinel physicians. Weekly FluWatchers participants and percentage reporting fever and cough and weekly units of antiviral dispensed from pharmacies were similar with the previous week. Weekly percentage of ILI related visits to sentinel physicians decreased compared with the last few weeks. Weekly respiratory related visits to emergency departments/urgent care in week 52 increased compared with the last few weeks and at the average level during 2017-2019, prior to the pandemic.		FluWatchers About FluWatchers Participants reporting this week: 469 Reporting fever and cough: 5.1% More Analyses Check trend
Physician Visits About sentinel physicians Influenza Like Illness (ILI) Visits to sentinel physicians this week: 2.4% More Analyses Check Trend	Antiviral About Antiviral Units of antiviral dispensed from pharmacies this week: 13 More Analyses Check Trend	ED Visits About emergency room visits Respiratory visits to emergency department (ED) this week: 2385 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 weeks 50-52 is likely to be undercounted 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 – December 30, 2023

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Figure 3. Cases of COVID-19 by Health Region and Public Health Report Date, Manitoba, July 2, 2023 – December 30, 2023

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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 – December 30, 2023

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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 - Dec 30, 2023		2023 ( Last 6 months, up to Dec 30, 2023 )
Age group	Number Vaccinated	%Coverage	Number Vaccinated	%Coverage	Number Vaccinated	%Coverage
00-04	5622	6.7%	3723	4.4%	4190	5.0%
05-17	21559	9.3%	13226	5.7%	13755	5.9%
18-49	75232	12.4%	48517	8.0%	49258	8.1%
50-64	73391	28.2%	58025	22.3%	58834	22.6%
65+	139655	57.4%	123611	50.8%	126591	52.1%
All	320606	22.5%	247847	17.4%	255143	17.9%

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 – December 30, 2023

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

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 – December 30, 2023

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Vaccinations

Table 2. Coverage of Influenza Vaccinations, Manitoba

	Sep 1, 2022 - May 31, 2023		Sep 1, 2023 - Dec 30, 2023
Age group	Number Vaccinated	%Coverage	Number Vaccinated	%Coverage
0-4	17447	20.7%	11741	13.9%
5-17	37336	16.1%	27654	11.9%
18-49	95785	15.7%	81202	13.4%
50-64	83163	32.0%	73450	28.3%
65+	146387	60.2%	143596	59.1%
All	386360	27.1%	340544	23.8%

Note. Actual number of people vaccinated between September 1 and December 30, 2023 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 – December 30, 2023

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Physician Visits

Figure 10. Weekly Percentage of ILI Related Visits to Sentinel Physicians, Manitoba, 2018 – December 30, 2023

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 – December 30, 2023

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ED Visits

Figure 12. Weekly Respiratory Visits to Emergency Department, Manitoba, 2017 – December 30, 2023

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