Manitoba public health reported 247 new cases of COVID-19 this afternoon bringing the five day test positivity rate to 14.3 percent.  Of the new cases 99 are in Winnipeg with much lower numbers in other regions except for 103 in the Northern region where active cases are down to 1071 including 24 in Flin Flon Snow Lake Cranberry Portage Sherridon, 57 in Thompson Mystery Lake and 80 in The Pas OCN Kelsey district.  Of the total 133,745 reported cases in the province 4213 are active, 127,809 people have recovered and 395 are in hospital with 17 in intensive care.

 In their weekly report Saskatchewan health reported 832 new cases were confirmed the week of March 6^th to 12^th about four fifths of the new cases reported the week before. As of March 16^th 299 people are in hospital down 40 from the previous report with 18 in intensive care down six from the previous report.  Ten new cases have been confirmed in the Far Northeast zone.