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 8 (February 18 – February 24, 2024)

About epidemiological week

Data extracted up to 1:00 am on February 29, 2024
Next reporting date: March 8, 2024

COVID-19 vaccination / Seasonal Influenza vaccination

COVID-19 Test positivity, deaths and outbreaks in long-term care facilities increased slightly from the previous week, all other indicators decreased or remained the same. Wastewater surveillance data up to February 20 indicates increased activity in Winnipeg’s North End, all other areas are decreasing or show no change.		Cases About cases Cases this week: 104 Total cases: 4,548 (July 2, 2023 – February 24, 2024) More Analyses Epi curve Age and sex
Testing About testing This week Average daily specimens: 182 Weekly positivity rate: 12.4% Total (July 2, 2023 – February 24, 2024) Tested people: 30,982 Population tested: 2.2% Specimens tested: 43,616 Positivity rate: 16.0% More Analyses Provincial testing	Severity About associated severity Severe outcomes this week Hospital admissions: 29 ICU admissions3: 2 Deaths7: 7 Total severe outcomes (July 2, 2023 – February 24, 2024) Hospital admissions: 1,672 ICU admissions: 173 Deaths: Being updated	Outbreaks About outbreaks COVID-19 outbreaks this week In long-term care facilities: 5 In hospitals: 2 In other settings: 0 Total COVID-19 outbreaks (July 2, 2023 – February 24, 2024) In long-term care facilities: 182 In hospitals: 52 In other settings: 15 More Analyses Check trend
Seasonal Influenza The number of influenza labs reported for week 8 is likely to be undercounted due to processing delays. The RSV detection and test positivity in week 8 decreased compared with the previous week.		Cases Cases this week Influenza A: 8 Influenza B: 18 Total cases (July 2, 2023 – February 24, 2024) Influenza A: 2,511 Influenza B: 138 More Analyses Check trend
Testing Influenza testing this week Average daily specimens: 146 Influenza A positivity rate: 1.4% Influenza B positivity rate: 2.1% Other respiratory pathogens this week RSV4 positivity rate: 6.1% RSV detections: 63 More Analyses Influenza testing Respiratory detection	Severity Severe outcomes this week Hospital admissions: Unavailable ICU admissions: Unavailable Deaths7: 0 Total severe outcomes (July 2, 2023 – February 24, 2024) Hospital admissions: Unavailable ICU admissions: Unavailable Deaths: 57	Outbreaks About outbreaks Influenza outbreaks this week Influenza A: 0 Influenza B: 0 Total influenza outbreaks (July 2, 2023 – February 24, 2024) Influenza A: 42 Influenza B: 0 Other outbreaks This week: 3 Total (July 2, 2023 – February 24, 2024): 104 More Analyses Check trend
Syndromic Indicators Respiratory related visits to emergency departments increased compared to the previous week. All other indicators decreased or remained the same.		FluWatchers About FluWatchers Participants reporting this week: 442 Reporting fever and cough: 1.1% 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: 0 More Analyses Check Trend	ED Visits About emergency room visits Respiratory visits to emergency department (ED) this week: 1459 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 – February 24, 2024

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Figure 3. Cases of COVID-19 by Health Region and Public Health Report Date, Manitoba, July 2, 2023 – February 24, 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 – February 24, 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 - Feb 24, 2024		2023 ( Last 6 months, up to Feb 24, 2024 )
Age group	Number Vaccinated	%Coverage	Number Vaccinated	%Coverage	Number Vaccinated	%Coverage
00-04	5356	6.3%	4288	5.1%	4313	5.1%
05-17	21616	9.3%	14857	6.4%	14887	6.4%
18-49	74986	12.3%	52476	8.6%	52511	8.6%
50-64	72826	28.0%	61795	23.8%	61826	23.8%
65+	140721	57.9%	131861	54.2%	131964	54.3%
All	320658	22.5%	266824	18.7%	267120	18.7%

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 – February 24, 2024

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Figure 7. Number of Positive Respiratory Virus Tests by Week of Specimen Receiving Date, Manitoba, July 2, 2023 – February 24, 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 – February 24, 2024

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Vaccinations

Table 2. Coverage of Influenza Vaccinations, Manitoba

	Sep 1, 2022 - May 31, 2023		Sep 1, 2023 - Feb 24, 2024
Age group	Number Vaccinated	%Coverage	Number Vaccinated	%Coverage
0-4	17464	20.9%	13956	16.7%
5-17	37346	15.7%	30907	13.0%
18-49	95822	15.4%	87402	14.1%
50-64	83170	32.2%	77309	30.0%
65+	146389	58.9%	147477	59.4%
All	386440	26.6%	361244	24.9%

Note. Actual number of people vaccinated between September 1 and February 24, 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 – February 24, 2024

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Physician Visits

Figure 10. Weekly Percentage of ILI Related Visits to Sentinel Physicians, Manitoba, 2018 – February 24, 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 – February 24, 2024

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ED Visits

Figure 12. Weekly Respiratory Visits to Emergency Department, Manitoba, 2017 – February 24, 2024

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