Manitoba Public Health announced on Saturday April 11, 2020, that 13 additional cases of COVID-19 were identified in the province bringing the total Laboratory-confirmed and probable cases to 243.
Eight people are currently in hospital with five of those receiving treatment in intensive care.
96 people have received from COVID-19 in Maniotba. Currently there are 143 active cases in the province.
The total number of deaths in the province remains at four.
Cadham Provincial Laboratory only performed 175 tests bringing the toilet number of tests since early February to 16,383
Public Health officials warn that the current case numbers do not mean the risk of contracting the virus is reduced. All Manitobans must remain vigilant to flatten the curve of this virus.
The province has also tendered a request for Manitoba businesses to produced a newly designed N-95 mask.
The new mask was designed at Health Sciences Centre and is reusable. It is as effective as other commercially produced N-95 masks. The mask is made from silicone and 3d printed parts and uses an N-95 or higher grade filter.
“It is a respirator made of moulded silicone and 3D printed components, and it accepts many available filters as well as a custom-designed reusable filter housing for an N95 or higher disk filter,” explained Dr. Christian Petropolis, who is also the program training director for plastic surgery at the University of Manitoba. “The advantage of this design is its simplicity and flexibility. The small disk filter uses considerably less N95 material, the main component which has led to a worldwide mask shortage.”
The province is looking for manufacturers to scale the manufacture of the masks and bring them into production as soon as possible.
Health Seniors and Active Living Minister Cameron Friesen said that the government is willing to sign purchase orders totalling up to $15 million to pre-order these innovative, made-in-Manitoba masks. A portion of these funds may be available in advance to supplement start-up costs.
“Manitoba is home to an incredible talent bank of innovative thinkers and producers within our manufacturing sector, and I know they will be ready and wanting to step up and help make this happen,” said Friesen. “With government, medical experts and business working together, we can beat this thing. I know that together we will continue to find ways to ensure our front-line workers have the protection they need to respond to this public health pandemic.”
© News4.ca 2020
