COVID-19 hospitalizations drop by 12 as Manitoba reports 5 deaths
CBC
The number of people in hospital after getting COVID-19 dropped by 12 on Thursday, as Manitoba reported five new deaths linked to the illness on the province's online coronavirus dashboard.
There are a total of 424 Manitoba COVID-19 patients in hospital. The number of them in intensive care is now 22, the dashboard says, a drop of one.
The latest deaths bring the total number reported in the province to 1,708.
Patients with COVID-19 now make up just under one-quarter of the total number of patients in Manitoba's intensive care units.
As of midnight, there were 93 patients in intensive care in the province, said an email from a spokesperson for Shared Health, which oversees health-care delivery in the province.
Before the pandemic, the critical care program's baseline capacity was 72 patients, the spokesperson said.
Manitoba also reported 200 new cases of COVID-19 on the dashboard Thursday, but that's believed to be a significant undercount, because the province is still limiting access to PCR testing and does not track rapid test results done at home.
Another 1,051 COVID-19 PCR tests were completed on Wednesday, the dashboard says, while Manitoba's five-day test positivity rate dropped to 12.7 per cent from 13 per cent.
As of Thursday, 86.3 per cent of eligible Manitobans had at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, the province's website says. The proportion of those with two doses is now 82.3 per cent, while 44.2 per cent have three doses.
A claim by New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt that petroleum refiners will be paying the $1 million per week cost of a gasoline price cut that her government orchestrated last weekend does not appear to be unfolding that way.
Sonia Bélanger, junior health minister and the minister responsible for senior and social services, is expected to be sworn in as early as Friday as Quebec's new health minister, according to sources at Radio-Canada.
A growing number of Manitoba's MRI machines now use artificial intelligence, with a plan to have more than half using the technology by spring.
A mobile unit the Saskatchewan government bought in 2002 for providing mammograms to Saskatchewan women will soon retire.
The Prince Edward Island government is rolling out the province’s first-ever policing standards, which officials say will make police services more consistent, transparent and better supported.
Residents in Niagara Falls, Ont., continue to wait for news on the future of Marineland’s property and dozens of animals, including up to 30 belugas and four dolphins — nearly two months after the federal government turned down the theme park's request to export the mammals.
Canadian travellers hoping for a new year without having to worry about a labour dispute may be out of luck, as 2026 will see most major airlines from this country facing off with unions across the bargaining table.
Food prices are soaring. Food prices keep climbing. Food prices are defying cooling inflation.
WARNING: This story contains distressing details.
Ontario legislation that mandated air conditioning in all resident rooms in long-term care (LTC) homes has saved dozens of lives, according to a new study.
Gusty winds, rapid fall in temperature prompt special weather statement for Waterloo region and area
The mid-week warmup in Waterloo region, Guelph and area will abruptly come to an end on Friday, Environment and Climate Change Canada warns.
Water in two more schools in the N.W.T. show lead levels above Health Canada's guidelines for drinking water, according to the territorial government.
Ontario's ethics watchdog says it will investigate whether the province's labour minister contravened any laws in his handling of a controversial training fund.