Figures for the week of March 27 to April 2, released on Thursday, say 141 people were hospitalized with coronavirus, up from 111 last week. Manitoba also reported an increase in new cases, with 1,359 cases confirmed by a polymerase chain reaction test, the only type of test the province monitors. This represents an increase of 380, or 39 percent, from the 979 cases reported last week. Case counts reported by the province significantly underestimate the actual number of infections in the province, due to limited access to PCR tests. The province does not monitor rapid test results. Last month, the provincial government stopped updating the various online checklists it had used to inform the public about COVID-19, instead publishing only weekly updates with certain numbers. It also changed the definition of death from COVID-19. Instead of reporting the total number of patients in the hospital, the province now gives weekly snapshots of the number of people admitted. Last week, 11 patients were admitted to intensive care units, five fewer than the previous week. The total number of people admitted to the ICU on Thursday, including patients without COVID, has risen five from yesterday to 92. The province’s test-taking rate was 18.6 percent, an increase of 13.9 percent, according to the weekly report. Of all Manitobans, 79.2 percent of people are fully vaccinated, 82.8 percent had received at least one dose by March 31, and 42.1 percent had received a booster dose. There were seven COVID-19 cases in Manitoba last week, all in long-term care facilities. Last week, the province reported an outbreak. The province has recorded a total of 1,751 deaths from COVID-19. Manitoba’s average daily test rate last week was 1,081.
