Final out-of-province COVID-19 patient returns as Manitoba reports 37 cases, no new deaths

The last of nearly five dozen COVID-19 patients transported out-of-province for critical care in recent months has been returned to Manitoba as public health officials announced 37 more cases and no new deaths Monday.

At the height of the third wave, Manitoba's health-care system was so strained that it ran out of intensive care unit beds.

"Obviously it got bad, we ran out of room here"Dr. Jazz Atwal, Manitoba's deputy chief public health officer, said during a Monday news conference. "That was a little unexpected."

A total of 57 COVID-19 patients requiring critical care were sent out of province over the course of months, most of them to Ontario. Twelve died outside of Manitoba.

On Friday, the final Manitoba ICU patient was returned to Manitoba, according to the province.

Atwallsays Manitoba Shared Health, as well as provincial health authorities countrywide, are working to build ICU capacities, which the pandemic showed were unprepared for the kinds of surges associated with COVID-19.

WATCH | Atwal addresses 3rd-wave peak that forced province to send patients elsewhere:

Dr. Jazz Atwal on Manitoba's third wave and sending COVID-19 patients to other provinces

3 years ago

Duration 1:44

Dr. Jazz Atwal, Manitoba's acting deputy chief provincial public health officer, reflected Monday on the peak of the third wave in the province and said the relatively higher proportion of patients who needed intensive care in Maintoba compared to elsewhere was somewhat unexpected.

Uzoma Asagwara, MLA for Union Station and NDP critic for health and seniors care, said the ICU crisis was a result of pre-pandemic cuts to health care.

"It's difficult to listen to anyone at this point in government downplay their level or responsibility during his pandemic, to act as though they didn't have the expert advice of medical professionals here in our own province telling them what they needed to do to mitigate a second wave or third wave," they said.

"We saw the impacts of that failure to act proactively."

ICU numbers lowest in months

Atwal also announced the provincial test positivity rate stands at 3.6 per cent for the second day in a row, while the rate in Winnipeg is 3.1 per cent.

The number of people in hospital is down slightly to 117, with 27 of those patients in intensive care.

Overall as of early Monday, there were 99 ICU patients in Manitoba hospitals, with COVID-19 and other conditions, a Shared Health spokesperson said.

This is the first time Manitoba's ICU totals have dipped below 100 since May 2, though the spokesperson noted that overall totals remain"well above" the critical care capacity pre-pandemic, which was 72 patients.

Most of the new cases 21 were identified in Winnipeg, followed by eight each in the Southern and Interlake-Eastern Health regions. No cases were reported in the Northern and Prairie Mountain Health regions.

Most hospitalzations among unvaccinated

The vast majority of recent cases have been among people who aren't doubly vaccinated, Atwalsays.

"The risk of getting COVID is rare once one is dually vaxxed," he said. "This isn't about blame, this is about showing the power of the vaccine."

WATCH | Atwal on what a post-pandemic Manitoba might look like:

Dr. Jazz Atwal on what a post-pandemic Manitoba might look like

3 years ago

Duration 2:36

Dr. Jazz Atwal, Manitoba's acting deputy chief provincial public health officer, said Monday Manitobans need to get comfortable with the fact that COVID-19 could continue to circulate in the public in the future even after cases decline and public health orders become recommendations.

Atwalsays about three-quarters of the 35 people hospitalized in the past week had not received their first vaccine dose. For the most part, people who have both doses and are beyond the two-week threshold needed to build immunity are not ending up in hospital, he said.

Manitoba's seven-day average for daily cases sat just above 43on Monday, the lowest it's been since early October.

The drop coincides with a rise in vaccination rates in recent months. As of Monday morning, 77.6 per cent of Manitobans 12 and up had received at least one dose, and 62 per cent had received two, according to the provincial vaccine dashboard.

Rates surpassed provincial thresholdstied to reopeningsrecently, which allowed most remaining businesses and other sectors to reopen Saturday, with limits. Those that already were open were allowed to up capacities. Indoor and outdoor gatherings sizes also increased on public and private property.

Reopenings also came with a series of additional privileges for doubly vaccinated Manitobans, who may now dine indoors at restaurants with people from outside their homes, and visit movie theatres, casinos, museums, galleries and more.

Low uptake areas vulnerable to delta

But rates still vary widely across Manitoba. Cross Lake health district, which has the highest uptake at 90.6 per cent, stands in contrast to the districts of Stanley and Winkler at 20.3 per cent and 36.5 per cent, which are among the lowest.

Some jurisdictions around the world are beginning to see their COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations spike again and reopening plans threatened due to the delta variant of concern, originally detected in India, which is considered the most contagious so far.

About 450 delta cases have been detected in Manitoba to date, or 2.8 per cent of all variant cases so far, though it appears to have arrived in Manitoba later than some other provinces that are dealing with surges.

Manitobans are encouraged to get vaccinated as soon as they can through the provincial vaccine websiteor by calling1-844-626-8222.

Those who get their first dose on or before Aug. 2, and their second dose on or before Sept. 6,are automatically entered to win a series of cash prizes or for scholarships for youth.The province recommends an interval of atleast 28 days between first and second doses.

WATCH | Full COVID-19 update news conference for July 19, 2021:

Manitoba COVID-19 update July 19

3 years ago

Duration 30:45

Dr. Jazz Atwal, Manitoba's acting deputy chief provincial public health officer, gives an update on COVID-19 in the province on Monday.