Information about COVID-19 in Manitoba is updated weekdays at 12:30 p.m. on these DataMB dashboards:

• Case data: https://geoportal.gov.mb.ca/apps/manitoba-covid-19/
• COVID-19 vaccination coverage:
  https://geoportal.gov.mb.ca/apps/manitoba-covid-19-vaccinations-dashboard-1/

Based on provincial data, public health officials are highlighting the following trends for the week ending Jan. 13. Over the past week, Manitoba saw:

• 335 new hospitalizations, a 40.2 per cent increase from the previous week;
• 37 new ICU cases, a 85 per cent increase from the previous week; and
• 7,032 cases, a 51.7 per cent decrease from the previous week.

Key Updates

Only symptomatic individuals or those advised by public health should visit a COVID-19 provincial testing site. Rapid antigen tests will continue to be used for the majority of people visiting a provincial testing site. Those who are at higher risk of severe illness as well as some groups who have tested positive on a rapid antigen test will still be eligible for PCR testing. Detailed information on updated COVID-19 testing eligibility can be found at https://gov.mb.ca/covid19/testing/index.html.

Deaths

Public health officials advise 20 new deaths in people with COVID-19 are being reported today:

• a male in his 50s from the Winnipeg health region (reported Saturday);
• a female in her 40s from the Winnipeg health region (reported Saturday);
• a male in his 100s from the Prairie Mountain Health region (reported Sunday);
• a male in his 90s from the Prairie Mountain Health region (reported Sunday);
• a male in his 60s from the Winnipeg health region (reported Sunday);
• a male in his 70s from the Prairie Mountain Health region (reported Sunday);
• a female in her 60s from the Winnipeg health region (reported Sunday);
• a female in her 90s from the Winnipeg health region (reported Sunday);
• a male in his 50s from the Winnipeg health region (reported Sunday);
• a female in her 90s from the Winnipeg health region and linked to the outbreak at West Park Manor personal care home (reported Sunday);
• a female in her 90s from the Winnipeg health region and linked to the outbreak at Actionmarguerite St. Vital (reported Sunday);
• a female in her 90s from the Winnipeg health region and linked to the outbreak at Prairie View Lodge personal care home in Crystal City (reported Sunday);
• a male in his 80s from the Winnipeg health region and linked to the outbreak at Misericordia Health Centre, TCU C2 (reported Sunday);
• a male in his 50s from the Winnipeg health region (reported Sunday);
• a male in his 90s from the Winnipeg health region (reported Monday);
• a female in her 90s from the Winnipeg health region (reported Monday);
• a male in his 80s from the Winnipeg health region and linked to the outbreak at Actionmarguerite St. Boniface (reporter Monday);
• a female in her 70s from the Winnipeg health region and linked to the outbreak at Oakview Place  personal care home (reported Monday);
• a male in his 70s from the Winnipeg health region (reported Monday); and
• a female in her 60s from the Southern Health-Santé Sud region (reported Monday).

Outbreaks

Outbreaks have been declared at:

• St. Boniface Hospital, unit B5ME, Winnipeg;
• Riverview Health Centre, Winnipeg;
• Deer Lodge Centre, Lodge 6 East, Winnipeg;
• Seven Oaks General Hospital, unit 3U4-7, Winnipeg;
• Victoria General Hospital, 5 South, Winnipeg;
• Lions Prairie Manor personal care home, Portage la Prairie;
• Nisichawayasihk Personal Care Home, Nelson House;
• Ochekwi Sipi Cree Nation Personal Care Home, Fisher River; and
• Rosewood Lodge personal care home, Stonewall.

Outbreaks have been declared over at:

• Riverview Health Centre, 4 West, Winnipeg; and
• Pinawa Hospital, Pinawa.

Vaccine

The National Advisory Committee on Immunization, the Manitoba Pediatric Vaccine Advisory Committee and Manitoba public health continue to recommend an eight-week interval between first and second doses for children ages 5 to 11. Service delivery organizations will continue to follow this guidance. The interval can be shortened to a minimum of 21 days in some circumstances. Parents should discuss this with their health care provider in advance and vaccine clinic staff will also discuss this with parents who request an early second dose for their child.

As of today, a total of 64,910 first doses have been given to children ages five to 11, or 52.7 per cent of that age group.

When attending a vaccine appointment, people are reminded to bring their completed consent form (available online at https://protectmb.ca), wear a short-sleeved shirt, wear a well-fitting mask and bring their health card or other form of identification. To help support good physical distancing on site, people should arrive no more than 15 minutes before their scheduled appointment time.

Manitobans are encouraged to get their second and third doses as quickly as possible. While COVID-19 vaccine appointments continue to be available at regional or provincial vaccine clinics, for many people the fastest way to be immunized is at a nearby medical clinic, pharmacy or urban Indigenous clinic. Check the online vaccine finder or a medical clinic or pharmacy near you that provides the COVID-19 vaccine to find the next available opportunity to be immunized. The timeline between second and third doses and eligibility criteria information can be found at https://manitoba.ca/covid19/vaccine/eligibility-criteria.html.

Eligible individuals can book their appointments online, by calling (toll-free) 1-844-626-8222 (1-844-MAN-VACC) or by contacting their local pharmacy or medical clinic directly. Visit www.gov.mb.ca/covid19/vaccine/finder.html for some of the available options.