WINNIPEG — The Manitoba government is extending its COVID-19 public health orders for an additional week in order to let health officials gauge whether the worst of the current pandemic wave has passed.
The rules, which include a cap on public gatherings and limits on guests in private homes, were due to expire next Tuesday, but will run until Feb. 8.
"Based on several data points, it appears that (the) Omicron wave may have peaked or is in the process of peaking or plateauing in Manitoba," Manitoba's chief public health officer, Dr. Brent Roussin, said Friday.
"Another week of data and review of our information is going to give us a bit more clarity."
Health officials reported nine COVID-related deaths Friday. The number of patients in hospital with the virus rose slightly to 715.
The number of people in intensive care, including non-COVID patients, has remained relatively stable in recent days but at 110 was still well above the pre-pandemic normal capacity of 72. Many non-urgent surgeries and diagnostic tests have been cancelled.
The government has been working to expand intensive care capacity in order to avoid having to ship intensive care patients to other provinces, as it did last spring. But many acute-care patients have consistently had to be transferred to other areas of the province in order to free up beds — 253 in the last three months and 39 in the past week alone.
The government promised new financial aid to relatives and other supporters of those patients. Each relocated patient will be allowed to designate one supporter, who will be entitled to meal vouchers, transportation funding, and up to $70 a night for accommodations.
The province initially said the program would start next month and not be retroactive, but later said it would take effect immediately and alsobe made available to supporters of patients who had been relocated earlier.
Health Minister Audrey Gordon said Manitobans can expect to soon see a path to easing the public health orders. The Progressive Conservative government will reveal next week a plan to "reopen" the province and provide more support for businesses and arts organizations affected by rules, she said.
"This is not to say that we're out of the woods — not at all — but there is light at the end of the tunnel," she said.
Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont said it's too early to look at easing public health orders.
"I'm extremely concerned that the health minister is essentially promising to reopen the provincewide, especially after Manitoba has had the worst (COVID-19) mortality rate outside of Quebec and some of the worst hospitalization rates in the country," Lamont said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 28, 2022.
Steve Lambert, The Canadian Press
