Discussions

This is the eighth part of an ongoing thread on the COVID-19 pandemic and verified facts relating to impacts on the community. After a little more than three months, the the previous facts thread reached a length where it was becoming less-efficient to browse and so have started a new thread.
 
You can access and review the seventh thread as well as previous threads any time at:  
https://ebrandon.ca/messagethread.aspx?message_id=1065046&cat_id=14  
 
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This thread should NOT be seen as a substitute for direction or advice from health authorities, physicians and levels of government. Relevant links are included below for details from each of the province, country and WHO.  
 
Government of Manitoba page relating to the virus, including details on the number of tests conducted in the province:  
https://www.gov.mb.ca/covid19/index.html  
 
Government of Canada page relating to the virus, with updates, advice, information on how to be prepared and information on prevention, symptoms and treatment:  
https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/coronavirus-disease-covid-19.html  
 
World Health Organization page on the virus  
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019  
 
I will be using this as a place to post relevant updates that I come into awareness of. I’d invite others to do the same. In an effort to ensure that folks’ replies are factual, if posting a fact and claiming it as such, you are asked to wherever possible &#105:nclude a link to a reputable source which may include one of the above, a reputable media outlet or the website or social media account of local entities being discussed.  
 
I should be clear that this isn’t a place for conspiracy theories or a place to get into an online battle over information from proper authorities. This thread should not be seen as one’s sole place for local information on the virus and no guarantees are made as far as accuracy of information within.  
 
Thanks for your understanding and cooperation

The Province has issued Friday’s daily COVID-19 bulletin at:  
https://news.gov.mb.ca/news/?archive=&item=51126  
 
A local perspective on data released alongside today’s update is below:  
 
BRANDON:    
Total cases on dashboard: 1044 (+2)  
Active cases on dashboard: 19 (+2)    
Recoveries on dashboard: 1002 (no change)  
Deaths: 23 (no change)     
 
PRAIRIE MOUNTAIN HEALTH REGION:  
Reported new cases: 6  
Total cases on dashboard: 2303 (+6)  
Active cases on dashboard: 82 (-6)  
Recoveries on dashboard: 2166 (+12)  
Deaths: 55 (no change)  
Active Hospitalizations: 4 (no change)  
ICU Active patients: 2 (no change)  
 
In Manitoba as a whole, the province is reporting 127 new cases of COVID-19 and a five day test positivity rate of 5.1% in Manitoba.

At today's media briefing, it was stressed just how important it is that Manitobans are right now following the orders and the spirit of the orders and limit interactions... pointing to the present state of the pandemic in Ontario. Changes are being reviewed to public health orders with more information on that outcome to come early next week. 

The Province has issued Sunday’s daily COVID-19 bulletin at:  
https://news.gov.mb.ca/news/?archive=&item=51132  
 
A local perspective on data released alongside today’s update is below:  
 
BRANDON:    
Total cases on dashboard: 1047 (+2)  
Active cases on dashboard: 20 (+2)    
Recoveries on dashboard: 1004 (no change)  
Deaths: 23 (no change)     
 
PRAIRIE MOUNTAIN HEALTH REGION:  
Reported new cases: 18  
Total cases on dashboard: 2331 (+18)  
Active cases on dashboard: 96 (+10)  
Recoveries on dashboard: 2179 (+7)  
Deaths: 56 (+1)  
Active Hospitalizations: 3 (-1)  
ICU Active patients: 2 (no change)  

Of note, 35 of PMH's cases are listed as being in the Porcupine Mountain district. The next-highest is Brandon at 20 and then Souris River at 12. You can find the map of districts at https://www.prairiemountainhealth.ca/covid-19-find-your-district-in-prairie-mountain-health
 
In Manitoba as a whole, the province is reporting 170 new cases of COVID-19 and a five day test positivity rate of 5.6% in Manitoba.

Manitoba has made the AZ change official.

Anyone 40 and over can book an appointment, effective immediately.

&mdash: Bartley Kives (@bkives) April 19, 2021

The Province has issued Monday's daily COVID-19 bulletin at:  
https://news.gov.mb.ca/news/?archive=&item=51139  
 
A local perspective on data released alongside today’s update is below:  
 
BRANDON:    
Total cases on dashboard: 1050 (+3)  
Active cases on dashboard: 18 (-2)    
Recoveries on dashboard: 1009 (+5)  
Deaths: 23 (no change)     
 
PRAIRIE MOUNTAIN HEALTH REGION:  
Reported new cases: 10  
Total cases on dashboard: 2341 (+10)  
Active cases on dashboard: 100 (+4)  
Recoveries on dashboard: 2185 (+6)  
Deaths: 56 (no change)  
Active Hospitalizations: 3 (no change)  
ICU Active patients: 2 (no change)  
 
In Manitoba as a whole, the province is reporting 108 new cases of COVID-19 and a five day test positivity rate of 5.7% in Manitoba.

The Province has issued Tuesday’s daily COVID-19 bulletin at:  
https://news.gov.mb.ca/news/?archive=&item=51147  
 
A local perspective on data released alongside today’s update is below:  
 
BRANDON:    
Total cases on dashboard: 1054 (+4)  
Active cases on dashboard: 22 (+4)    
Recoveries on dashboard: 1009 (no change)  
Deaths: 23 (no change)     
 
PRAIRIE MOUNTAIN HEALTH REGION:  
Reported new cases: 27  
Total cases on dashboard: 2368 (+27)  
Active cases on dashboard: 117 (+17)  
Recoveries on dashboard: 2194 (+9)  
Deaths: 57 (+1)  
Active Hospitalizations: 4 (no change)  
ICU Active patients: 2 (no change)  
 
Of active cases in PMH, 53 are in the Porcupine Mountain region. Brandon has the next-highest at 22 followed by Souris River at ten.  
 
In Manitoba as a whole, the province is reporting 211 new cases of COVID-19 and a five day test positivity rate of 6.0% in Manitoba.

From the City, an individual who tested positive was on Brandon Transit Route 23 on April 12. Please see link for more specifics:  
https://www.brandon.ca/public-notices-details?var=6104  
 
From BSD, two school exposures reported Monday:  
 
Crocus Plains, Grade 9, April 12:  
https://www.bsd.ca/news/pages/confirmed-covid-19-case-at-crocus-plains-regional-secondary-school-(april-12-2021).aspx  
 
Ecole New Era, Kindergarten, April 12:  
https://www.bsd.ca/news/pages/confirmed-covid-19-case-at-ecole-new-era-(april-12-2021).aspx

The Province has issued Wednesday’s daily COVID-19 bulletin at:  
https://news.gov.mb.ca/news/?archive=&item=51152  
 
A local perspective on data released alongside today’s update is below:  
 
BRANDON:    
Total cases on dashboard: 1052 (-2)  
Active cases on dashboard: 21 (-1)    
Recoveries on dashboard: 1008 (-1)  
Deaths: 23 (no change)     
 
PRAIRIE MOUNTAIN HEALTH REGION:  
Reported new cases: 27  
Total cases on dashboard: 2387 (+19)  
Active cases on dashboard: 132 (+15)  
Recoveries on dashboard: 2198 (+4)  
Deaths: 57 (no change)  
Active Hospitalizations: 6 (+2)  
ICU Active patients: 2 (no change)  
 
Of active cases in PMH, 62 are in the Porcupine Mountain region. Brandon has the next-highest at 21 followed by Souris River at 11.  
 
In Manitoba as a whole, the province is reporting 164 new cases of COVID-19 and a five day test positivity rate of 6.3% in Manitoba.

The Province has issued Thursday’s daily COVID-19 bulletin at:  
https://news.gov.mb.ca/news/?archive=&item=51155  
 
A local perspective on data released alongside today’s update is below:  
 
BRANDON:    
Total cases on dashboard: 1053 (+1)  
Active cases on dashboard: 21 (no change)    
Recoveries on dashboard: 1009 (+1)  
Deaths: 23 (no change)     
 
PRAIRIE MOUNTAIN HEALTH REGION:  
Reported new cases: 10  
Total cases on dashboard: 2397 (+10)  
Active cases on dashboard: 114 (-18)  
Recoveries on dashboard: 2225 (+27)  
Deaths: 58 (no change)  
Active Hospitalizations: 4 (-2)  
ICU Active patients: 2 (no change)  
 
Of active cases in PMH, 43 are in the Porcupine Mountain region. Brandon has the next-highest at 21 followed by Souris River and Turtle Mountain at 9 each.  
 
In Manitoba as a whole, the province is reporting 261 new cases of COVID-19 and a five day test positivity rate of 6.4% in Manitoba. 159 of those new cases today are in Winnipeg.

Starting to see more instances of variants of the virus in PMH.  
From the school cases map, one case of "variant of concern" at each of New Era and Crocus as well as four at Virden Collegiate and one at Virden jr high:  
https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/6e7af13b3ffb447a99734b0119b169d3/page/page_3/?views=view_10  
 
It isn't stated which variant the cases are. I understand the Brandon Sun is looking further into.

63 new variant cases were reported today in the Province, as per:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/covid-19-update-manitoba-april-20-1.5994624

The Province maintains a page on variants at the link below where they give a breakdown of the different variants. So far 80.7% are the B.1.1.7 variant (United Kingdom), 2.2% are B.1.351 (South Africa) and 0.2% are P.1 (Brazil). 16.9% are shown as unspecified:  
https://www.gov.mb.ca/covid19/fundamentals/variants.html

The Province has issued Friday’s daily COVID-19 bulletin at:  
https://news.gov.mb.ca/news/?archive=&item=51160  
 
A local perspective on data released alongside today’s update is below:  
 
BRANDON:    
Total cases on dashboard: 1057 (+4)  
Active cases on dashboard: 23 (+2)    
Recoveries on dashboard: 1011 (+2)  
Deaths: 23 (no change)     
 
PRAIRIE MOUNTAIN HEALTH REGION:  
Reported new cases: 19  
Total cases on dashboard: 2414 (+17)  
Active cases on dashboard: 125 (+11)  
Recoveries on dashboard: 2231 (+6)  
Deaths: 58 (no change)  
Active Hospitalizations: 4 (no change)  
ICU Active patients: 2 (no change)  
 
In today’s update, a possible exposure to the B.1.1.7 variant is reported at Sioux Valley Community Church at 11 a.m. on April 11 .  
 
Of active cases in PMH, 46 are in the Porcupine Mountain region. Brandon has the next-highest at 23 followed by Turtle Mountain at 11.  
 
In Manitoba as a whole, the province is reporting 181 new cases of COVID-19 and a five day test positivity rate of 6.5% in Manitoba.  
 
In today’s vaccine update, it is said that 398,302 vaccine doses have been administered. That number is the sum of first and second doses. Data shows that 29.9% of Manitobans age 18 and over have been vaccinated so far.  
 
You can read the full update at https://news.gov.mb.ca/news/?archive=&item=51159  
 
The province regularly posts vaccine updates that can be seen on the Gov website at https://www.manitoba.ca/vaccine  
Though I won’t be regularly posting those updates here, I’d strongly encourage people to keep informed on developments relating to how wide the vaccine efforts have reached so far and who is eligible.

The Province has issued Saturday’s daily COVID-19 bulletin at:  
https://news.gov.mb.ca/news/?archive=&item=51163  
 
A local perspective on data released alongside today’s update is below:  
 
BRANDON:    
Total cases on dashboard: 1060 (+3)  
Active cases on dashboard: 25 (+2)    
Recoveries on dashboard: 1012 (+1)  
Deaths: 23 (no change)     
 
PRAIRIE MOUNTAIN HEALTH REGION:  
Reported new cases: 34  
Total cases on dashboard: 2448 (+34)  
Active cases on dashboard: 154 (+29)  
Recoveries on dashboard: 2235 (+4)  
Deaths: 59 (+1)  
Active Hospitalizations: 4 (no change)  
ICU Active patients: 1 (-1)  
 
Of active cases in PMH, 49 are in the Porcupine Mountain region. Brandon has the next-highest at 25 followed by Aggasiz Mountain at 23.  
 
In Manitoba as a whole, the province is reporting 276 new cases of COVID-19 and a five day test positivity rate of 6.8% in Manitoba.

The Province has issued Sunday’s daily COVID-19 bulletin at:  
https://news.gov.mb.ca/news/?archive=&item=51165
 
A local perspective on data released alongside today’s update is below:  
 
BRANDON:    
Total cases on dashboard: 1069 (+9. This is the biggest single-day increase in the Brandon total case dashboard stat line since January 30)  
Active cases on dashboard: 28 (+3)    
Recoveries on dashboard: 1018 (+6)  
Deaths: 23 (no change)     
 
PRAIRIE MOUNTAIN HEALTH REGION:  
Reported new cases: 25  
Total cases on dashboard: 2475 (+27)  
Active cases on dashboard: 166 (+12)  
Recoveries on dashboard: 2250 (+15)  
Deaths: 59 (no change)  
Active Hospitalizations: 4 (no change)  
ICU Active patients: 1 (no change)  
 
Of active cases in PMH, 55 are in the Porcupine Mountain region. Brandon has the next-highest at 28 followed by Aggasiz Mountain at 24.  
 
In Manitoba as a whole, the province is reporting 259 new cases of COVID-19 and a five day test positivity rate of 7.1% in Manitoba. This is the first time the reported provincial positivity rate has reached 7% since February 2. The rate has increased daily since April 15th’s 5.0%.

An additional Brandon entry on the potential exposures page...  
 
Good Life Fitness, 1570-18th St.,  
April 19, 2021  
April 19 and 20: 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.  
https://www.gov.mb.ca/covid19/prs/prairie_mountain/index.html#exposure

From the school cases page, of note is the Pilot Mound School with ten cases in the two weeks prior to April 20 at a school that's listed as having 128 students total.

Virden Collegiate schowing 6 cases over the same timespan. 

All recent school cases listed at:
https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/6e7af13b3ffb447a99734b0119b169d3/ 

Brandon School Division reporting a case at Ecole Harrison in the Grade 5/6S Classroom on April 20, 21 & 22, 2021:  
https://www.bsd.ca/news/pages/confirmed-covid-19-case-at-école-harrison.aspx

The Province has issued Monday’s daily COVID-19 bulletin.  
The government website appears to be down, but the link will be:  
https://news.gov.mb.ca/news?archive=&item=51170  
 
A local perspective on data released alongside today’s update is below:  
 
BRANDON:    
Total cases on dashboard: 1071 (+2)  
Active cases on dashboard: 27 (-1)    
Recoveries on dashboard: 1021 (+3)  
Deaths: 23 (no change)     
 
PRAIRIE MOUNTAIN HEALTH REGION:  
Reported new cases: 19  
Total cases on dashboard: 2493 (+18)  
Active cases on dashboard: 178 (+12)  
Recoveries on dashboard: 2256 (+6)  
Deaths: 59 (no change)  
Active Hospitalizations: 6 (+2)  
ICU Active patients: 1 (no change)  
 
Of active cases in PMH, 55 are in the Porcupine Mountain region. Aggasiz Mountain at has the next-highest at 29 followed by Brandon at 27.  
 
In Manitoba as a whole, the province is reporting 210 new cases of COVID-19 and a five day test positivity rate of 7.6% in Manitoba.

An announcement is underway on new public health measures that are to be in place for four weeks through May Long Weekend. Will post when that info is available.