Province of Manitoba Media Bulletin
April 29, 2020
Public health officials advise one new case of COVID-19 has been identified as of 9:30 a.m. today, bringing the total number of lab-confirmed positive and probable positive cases in Manitoba to 273. The data also shows: • five individuals are currently hospitalized, with no individuals in intensive care; • 54 active cases and 213 individuals who have recovered from COVID-19; and • the number of deaths due to COVID-19 remains at six. As of yesterday, an additional 448 laboratory tests were performed. This brings the total number of tests performed since early February to 24,304. Today, health officials released information about the models developed in Manitoba to inform the management plan for the COVID-19 pandemic in Manitoba. A model for the spread of COVID-19 was created, using data and information available in the scientific literature from other jurisdictions and with input from experts in Manitoba. Officials noted that modelling results are always an abstraction and cannot project all possible outcomes. Outbreaks also evolve and change over time as public health measures are put in place and people’s behaviour changes. Therefore, these projections must be constantly revised. As new information is received, officials will continue to refine the projections, models and health advice for Manitobans. Current models show that: • under routine public health measures, which include case interviews and contact tracing but which do not include social and physical distancing or travel restrictions, modeling suggests Manitoba would have had 933 cases by April 25. If that trend had continued, there would have been more than 2,000 cases by mid-May. However, the number of cases on April 25 was 267. • under current public health measures, Manitoba could expect approximately 6,250 cases if the current measures remain in place for a year. • the Manitoba health-care system has 2,432 acute care medical and surgical hospital beds. As of April 26, 977 of these beds were currently vacant and available for COVID-19 patients, a 40 per cent vacancy rate. This shows Manitoba is well within hospital capacity at this time. • the Manitoba health-care system has 86 adult intensive care hospital beds. As of April 22, 29 of these beds were vacant and available for COVID-19 patients, a 34 per cent vacancy rate. This shows Manitoba is well within intensive care capacity at this time. This data supports the easing of public health measures, as announced earlier today. Officials also noted that planning is underway to add an additional 300 beds and an additional 100 intensive care beds for COVID-19 patients, if needed. Additional capacity options are being investigated if they are necessary. For up-to-date information on testing criteria and community screening sites, visit www.gov.mb.ca/covid19/locations.html. For more information and to access the online screening tool for COVID-19, visit www.manitoba.ca/covid19. A comprehensive list of Manitoba government COVID-19 measures can be found at: https://manitoba.ca/bg/2020/04/covid19.html.
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