Manitoba reported 13 more deaths from COVID-19 on Dec. 10, bringing the total so far to 451, but saw the number of hospitalizations drop below 300 and the number of new cases remain below 300.
Across the province, 293 new cases of the virus were reported on Thursday and there were 298 people in hospital with the disease, 43 of them in intensive care.
The Northern Regional Health Authority saw 41 new cases reported, through the online dashboard counts 44 additional positive tests since yesterday. Twenty-two were in the Shamattawa/York Factory/Tataskweyak/Split Lake health district, which now has 126 active cases according to provincial data, through Churchill-Keewatinook Aski NDP MP Niki Ashton said in a Dec. 9 press release that the community of Shamattawa itself now has 291 total cases identified by rapid testing and that 80 per cent of people being tested are receiving positive results.
Ashton said Wednesday that she appreciated that a reconnaissance mission was being sent into the community and asked Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during question period if he would do whatever it takes to saves the lives of people in Shamattawa First Nation.
Trudeau noted that Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller spoke with Shamattawa First Nation Chief Eric Redhead over the weekend to confirm that the Canadian Rangers would be providing support and that more was being done.
“An evacuation of vulnerable community members has already begun with efforts underway to increase the isolation capacity within the community,” said Trudeau. “We will be there for them.”
Manitoba chief public health officer Dr Brent Roussin said at his Dec. 10 press conference that the situation in Shamattawa is concerning.
“We’re quire concerned at the level of transmission and the number of cases we’ve seen.”
Other northern health districts reporting new COVID-19 cases on Thursday including Island Lake, with eight new positive tests, and Thompson/Mystery Lake, with four.
There are 18 northern residents in hospital due to the virus, three of them in intensive care.
Speaking on the first day Hanukkah, Roussin urged people to abide by public health restrictions on gatherings during December holiday.
“Everyone should celebrate with members of their household only,” he said. “We need to not let our guard down this holiday season.”
