Manitoba public health reported 80 new cases of COVID-19 this afternoon bringing the five day test positivity rate down to 5.3 percent.  They also reported three additional deaths with one each in Prairie Mountain, Winnipeg and Southern health regions. Of the new cases 53 are in the Winnipeg region and 16 in Northern health with single digits in other regions.  The number of active cases in the Flin Flon, Snow Lake, Cranberry Portage, Sherridon District is 17.

The Medical Lead for the Vaccine Implementation Task Force Dr. Joss Reimer says the age for vaccine eligibility has been changed so people aged 59 and older and First Nations aged 39 and older are now eligible to make an appointment to get the vaccine.  She wants to assure Manitobans that they are also looking closely right now to determine how they can best protect people at risk of COVID-19.  She notes they already know that certain areas of the province are seeing higher case counts and rates of transmission.

Reimer says she wants to see everyone in the province vaccinated and they are reviewing the use of pop-up clinics.

Of the total 35,539 reported cases 1439 are active and 33,146 individuals have recovered.  The total variants of concern cases reported is now 560.