Dr Brent Roussin, chief provincial public health officer announced on Friday, January 8, 2021, that the current public health orders related to COVID-19 will be extended until January 22, 2021.

Roussin explained the reason for the orders remaining in place is the number of gatherings that took place between the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. 355 cases are linked to those gatherings that resulted in nearly 1900 close contacts.

“You can’t avoid this virus when you gather. When you gather this is what you see,” said Roussin

222 new cases of COVID-19 were identified in the province today. One was removed due to a data correction making the net new total 221. It was also announced that nine more people have died from COVID-19.

Those who died from the virus have been identified as:

• a male in his 70s from Northern health region;
• a female in her 70s from Prairie Mountain Health, linked to the outbreak at Fairview Personal Care Home; 
• a female in her 90s from Prairie Mountain Health, linked to the outbreak at Fairview Personal Care Home;
• a female in her 90s from Prairie Mountain Health;
• a male in his 50s from the Winnipeg health region; 
• a male in his 50s from the Winnipeg health region;
• a female in her 50s from the Winnipeg health region, linked to the outbreak at Health Science Centre GH4; 
• a female in her 60s from the Winnipeg health region, linked to the outbreak at the Southeast Personal Care Home; and
• a female in her 80s from the Winnipeg health region.

The five-day test positivity rate is 10.1 per cent provincially and 10.3 per cent in Winnipeg.

The total number of lab-confirmed cases in Manitoba is 25,963.

Today’s cases are from the following health regions:

• 16 cases in the Interlake-Eastern health region
• 69 cases in the Northern health region
• 27 cases in Prairie Mountain health region
• 13 cases in the Southern health region
• 97 cases in the Winnipeg health region

There are currently 4,582 active cases of COVID-19 in Manitoba with 20,655 people who have been listed as recovered.

315 are being treated in the hospital of which 227 are considered infectious. 35 people with the virus are in Intensive Care Units with 31 of them still considered infectious.

726 Manitobans have died since COVID-19 first arrived in the province.

2,386 tests were completed yesterday. Since the virus first arrived in February 2020, there have been 435,227 tests completed.

COVID-19 outbreaks have been declared at Actionmarguerite St. Vital in Winnipeg, Menno Home Personal Care Home in Grunthal and Lions Prairie Manor in Portage la Prairie.

© News4.ca 2021