Shared Health says 36 Manitobans being treated for COVID-19 out of province

An organization connecting regional health authorities says hospitals are continuing an unprecedented trend of critically high hospitalizations.

Shared Health says more than half a dozen people were admitted to ICU in one day. 

"Seven COVID patients were admitted to ICU in a 24-hour period ending midday Monday, continuing an unprecedented trend that has seen admission numbers well above normal. These admissions are in addition to non-COVID patients who require intensive care," Shared Health says in a statement.

Three of those patients were sent to Ontario ICU units. On the same day, two Manitobans were returned to Manitoba to receive hospital care.

Thirty-six Manitobans are receiving intensive care for COVID-19 out of province as Manitoban hospitals have maxed to capacity. The 37th patient is in Saskatchewan. 

"As a reminder, these transports are necessary to help manage the ongoing surge in patient demand. Patients were sent to hospitals in London, Thunder Bay and Sudbury." 

In two weeks since May 18, 43 Manitobans have been transferred out of the province for care. Six of those have returned to Manitoba. 

Currently, there are 305 people in Manitoban hospitals being treated for COVID-19 including 229 people in hospital with active COVID-19 cases and 79 who are no longer infectious.

Of those in Manitoba hospitals, 72 are in critical care, including 51 people with active cases of COVID-19. The pre-pandemic total number of ICU beds was 71. 

The province is declaring COVID-19 outbreaks in three hospital units.

Several hospital units are the newest sites of COVID-19 outbreaks including:

• Grace Hospital's 3 South
• Health Sciences Centre's GD4
• Surgery Unit at the Dauphin Regional Health Centre

Beacon Hill Lodge Personal Care Home in Winnipeg is also the site of an outbreak. 

All four have been moved to Critical (Red) on the #RestartMB Pandemic Response System.

Health officials are announcing  232 new cases Tuesday and three deaths.

Deaths include:

• a female in her 50s from the Winnipeg health region
• a male in his 60s from the Winnipeg health region, linked to the B.1.1.7 variant of concern
• a female in her 80s from the Winnipeg health region, linked to the B.1.1.7 variant of concern

As of Tuesday, 1,056 Manitobans who had COVID-19 have died.

Manitoba's five-day COVID-19 test positivity rate is 12 per cent. Winnipeg's is 13.5 per cent.

New cases include:

• 168 cases in the Winnipeg health region
• 36 cases in the Southern Health–Santé Sud health region
• 13 cases in the Northern health region
• 10 cases in the Interlake-Eastern health region
• five cases in the Prairie Mountain Health region

There are 45,927 recoveries and 4,333 active cases. After a data correction of six cases, there is a total of  51,316 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Manitoba.