Manitoba Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Brent Roussin reports nearly 750 new cases of COVID-19 today. He says this is resulting in a backlog at their testing centers and putting significant strain on our health care system.  He notes we are still learning about the Omicron variant and what effect it will continue have on our health care system so people have to adjust their gathering plans. He explains now more than ever Manitobans need to continue to follow the public health orders, the capacity limits, we need to limit our contacts with others.  He says many people were having multiple gatherings planned this weekend so we need to adjust that, if you’re going to three or four gatherings this weekend this should be down to one, if you’re having ten people over we should limit that number further, we need to adjust our plans on the go here because we’re seeing rapid transmission of Omicron throughout the province.

Roussin emphasized anyone at high risk of severe outcomes should not be attending events or visiting crowded places.