As COVID-19 case numbers dipped below 200 for the first time since mid-November, Health Minister Cameron Friesen repeatedly turned to winter solstice symbolism to provide a message for Manitobans.
“Today it is the winter solstice. It is the shortest daylight day of the year and the Manitobans … Today is the darkest day. The thing about the winter solstice is it does represent that darkest day, but it also represents a turning point,” Friesen said Monday.
He joined Dr. Jazz Atwal, Manitoba’s acting deputy chief public health officer, and Lanette Siragusa, provincial lead of health system integration and quality and chief nursing officer for Shared Health, for the COVID-19 update.
“It represents a turning of the tides, where the days begin to become long. That creates hope for a lot of Manitobans … I think about that and apply it to where we are in this pandemic path. I would also say that today represents a turning point. We have seen in the last few weeks a turning, both in numbers and the promise and arrival of vaccine …”
The lower case number comes almost six weeks after the first level red restrictions were announced in the province.
Atwal also provided the lowest number of deaths reported on any day since mid-November – four.
Friesen went on to list how every step – from swab transportation to result notification to contact tracing – has been tightened up and become more effective.
“From swabbing to the test result being known, we’ve optimized our workflows to happen under 48 hours total turnaround time. And we hit that target a while ago. These days, we’re regularly seeing total turnaround times of 24 hours or less,” Friesen said. “We also just launched a new SMS service, whereby Manitobans can now get a text element what their test results are. No more waiting endlessly at the phone or the computer.”
The minister also noted the province increased tests sites from 15 to 29 since Oct. 1, with a collective total daily capacity of 4,000 swabs. The online booking system has eliminated lineups.
He said these improvements and others helped round the corner at the solstice.
“Manitobans are starting to be immunized. But, of course, just like the solstice is a turning point, we know that it’s going to take a lot more time for many people to get the vaccine,” Friesen said.
“The first week of COVID immunizations, I can say, was successful. We had 900 health-care workers able to book an appointment. We will have more vaccines produced and delivered to Manitoba and more people will receive that COVID immunization.”
Combined, restrictions and vaccines mean there is a sense of hope and optimism in the province, Friesen said.
But, he said, that’s not to make light of the challenges this holiday season presents.
“We know that there’s a lot of Manitobans who are at home today, who understand that these gathering limits mean that they can’t visit, or get together with the people they really want to at this time of year,” Friesen said.
“Many people are struggling with loneliness. Retailers and small business owners and employees are struggling with knowing that they can’t do business the way they normally would. There are elderly people feeling that they are shut in and isolated and cut off. This is a major change to the way we normally enter into this holiday season.”
Then he returned to the solstice metaphor.
“The change takes time to become perceptible, but the change is there. We are making plans right now for what comes next, or what comes after this current shutdown and these restrictions,” he said. “But in the meantime, Manitobans can know that the days will get longer.”
Atwal’s main message to Manitobans was to remember to self-isolate with even the mildest symptoms.
“In public health, we’re hearing more reports of people attending work or school with mild symptoms. There seems to be some confusion around when you should stay home sick and go for a COVID test,” Atwal said.
The following symptoms should result in self-isolation, and stay home from work or school: fevers or chills, sore throat or a hoarse voice, shortness of breath, loss a taste or smell, vomiting, or upset stomach for more than 24 hours.
The same applies with two or more of the following symptoms: runny nose, muscle aches, fever, pinkeye, headache, skin rash, poor feeding in babies, nausea or loss of appetite.
“Even mild symptoms can be COVID. Please, don’t put others at risk because you didn’t take your minor symptoms seriously, Atwal said.
He also emphasized that Monday’s improved numbers do not mean Manitobans should stop being vigilant.
“We can’t let these lower numbers lull us into a false sense of security. Numbers could spike again if we get together at the holidays. We need to make the sacrifices this year to make sure that next year, we’re able to celebrate with all our loved ones safely gathered together,” he said, adding that means celebrating within households only.
“Stay at home and join me this year in celebrating apart together.”
Manitoba is currently the only province in Canada currently on a downward trend with COVID-19 case numbers, Friesen said.
MONDAY’S PROVINCIAL COVID-19 NUMBERS
Dr. Jazz Atwal, Manitoba’s acting deputy chief public health officer, reported four additional deaths Monday, none from the Prairie Mountain Health region.
That brings total deaths to 572 — 2.48 per cent of the 23,025 lab-confirmed cases Manitoba has seen since the beginning of the pandemic.
(A death of a person with a probable COVID-19 diagnosis was reported Saturday, Dec 19. On Dec. 20, the Provincial Information Management and Analysis team was notified that the client’s swab was negative and they were not a COVID-19 case. That case and death has been removed from the case totals.)
The five-day provincial COVID-19 test positivity rate is 11.5 per cent provincially, while Winnipeg’s is 10.5 per cent.
There were 167 new cases of the virus.
• nine cases in the Interlake-Eastern region
• 25 cases in the Northern region
• seven cases in the Prairie Mountain Health region
• 43 cases in the Southern Health-Santé Sud region
• 83 cases in the Winnipeg health region.
There are 5,736 active cases and 16,717 recovered.
There are a reported 298 active cases in the Prairie Mountain Health region, with 1,145 recovered and 29 deaths. There are three patients in ICU in the region and six are hospitalized.
Brandon reportedly has 144 active cases.
Three hundred and ten people are in hospital in Manitoba, with 42 people in intensive care due to COVID-19.
Laboratory testing numbers show 1,949 tests were completed Sunday, bringing the total number since early February to 405,724.
» Source: Province of Manitoba
PRAIRIE MOUNTAIN HEALTH OUTBREAK NUMBERS
As of Dec. 17, the status of COVID-19 outbreaks in Prairie Mountain Health were as follows:
• Brandon Correctional Centre: 107 total cases, 89 inmates infected, 18 staff infected, 85 active cases, 22 recovered, no deaths.
• Fairview Personal Care Home: 107 total cases, 41 staff infected, 66 non-staff infected, 41 active cases, 55 recovered, 11 deaths.
• Gilbert Plains Personal Care Home: 41 total cases, 17 staff infected, 24 residents infected, one active case, 31 recovered, nine deaths.
• Grandview Personal Care Home: 36 total cases, 11 staff infected, 25 residents infected, nine active cases, 24 recovered, three deaths.
• Hamiota Health Centre, acute care unit: four total cases, three staff infected, one non-staff infected, one active case, three recovered, no deaths.
