Seven new presumptive cases of COVID-19, including two from the Southern Health Sante Sud region, have been identified in Manitoba.

The new cases bring the total number of lab-confirmed positive and presumptive positive cases in Manitoba to 15.

Case information includes:

  • case 9 - a man in his 60s from a community in the Southern Health Santé-Sud Health region
  • case 10 - a woman in her 60s from a community in the Southern Health Santé-Sud Health Region
  • case 11 is a woman in her 60s from Winnipeg
  • case 12 is a woman in her 50s from Winnipeg
  • case 13 is a woman in her 40s from Winnipeg
  • case 14 is a man in his 30s from Winnipeg
  • case 15 is a woman in her 50s from Winnipeg

Public health investigations have begun and further information regarding travel is pending.

As of March 16, there has been 2,280 tests completed for COVID-19 in Manitoba.

Licensed child-care centres will suspend services from the end-of-day on March 20 until April 10, based on advice from public health officials. Parents are asked to begin making alternative arrangements for child care immediately, with the goal of reducing the number of children in centres as soon as possible. This direction does not apply to home-based child care, as they care for a smaller number of children.

Planning is underway to ensure parents who provide essential services, such as front-line health-care providers, will have a way to continue to access child-care options. Families who meet these criteria and cannot make other arrangements should contact 204-945-0776, 1-888-213-4754 (toll-free) or cdcinfo@gov.mb.ca as soon as possible to help support the development of this service.

Public health officials are recommending the immediate suspension of visitors in long-term care facilities across Manitoba. Exceptions for compassionate reasons or end of life will be made on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of individual facility managers.

Additionally, it is recommended that adult day programs and similar programming located within long-term care or personal care facilities be immediately suspended.

All other adult day programs may continue, provided they comply with the recommendations of social distancing, appropriate screening and do not exceed the recommended restriction on social gatherings of more than 50 people.