Provincial Respiratory Surveillance Report

COVID-19 and Seasonal Influenza

2022-2023


This weekly report provides a current epidemiological update on the intensity and severity of respiratory activity in Manitoba including laboratory confirmed activity of both COVID-19 and seasonal influenza. Surveillance data include syndromic indicators, laboratory testing, associated hospitalization and mortality, and outbreaks. Updates around immunization coverage in COVID-19 and seasonal influenza are also included.

Data are reported with a one-week delay for increased data accuracy, completeness and reliability. More analyses continue to be conducted and will be added to this report as available. It is published online at approximately 10:00am every Friday.

Week 8 (February 19 – February 25, 2023)

About epidemiological week

Data extracted up to 1:00 am on March 2, 2023
Next reporting date: March 10, 2023


COVID-19 vaccination / Seasonal Influenza vaccination

COVID-19: Increased Activity

COVID-19 activity in week 8 increased from the previous week. There were increases in cases and testing positive rate. COVID-19 associated hospital admissions also increased. Note that the incidence rate in people aged 80 years and older increased in the last two weeks. Overall, laboratory detection continue to decrease from the fall of 2022. Older adults continue to have higher risk for COVID-19 infection, associated hospital admissions, and fatalities.

As of February 25, in all Manitoba residents, 77.9% have received at least two doses of COVID-19 vaccines. Additionally, 22.2% have received at least one dose within the last six months.

Wastewater surveillance data up to February 21 indicated sustained activity of COVID-19 in Winnipeg and Brandon at lower levels.

Cases

About cases

  • Cases this week: 124
  • Total cases: 7,998
More Analyses

Testing

About testing

This week

  • Average daily specimens: 193
  • Weekly positivity rate: 12.6%

Total

  • Tested people: 44,379
  • Population tested: 3.2%
  • Specimens tested: 69,789
  • Positivity rate: 18.3%
More Analyses

Severity

About associated severity

Severe outcomes this week

  • Hospital admissions: 56
    • ICU admissions3: 9
  • Deaths: 3

Total severe outcomes

  • Hospital admissions: 2,612
    • ICU admissions: 336
  • Deaths: 362
More Analyses

Outbreaks

About outbreaks

COVID-19 outbreaks this week

  • In long-term care facilities:
  • In hospitals: 0
  • In other settings: 0

Total COVID-19 outbreaks

  • In long-term care facilities: 217
  • In hospitals: 89
  • In other settings: 1
More Analyses

Seasonal Influenza: Similar Activity

Influenza activity level in week 8 continued to be low. This week, there was almost no laboratory confirmed activity. The activity level observed nationally was also low. The predominant circulating strain is influenza A (H3N2). This season, only four influenza B cases have been reported. Overall, influenza activity this season had an early start and also decreased earlier than would be expected. Currently it remains low at levels typically seen in late spring/early summer.

Other respiratory viruses continue to co-circulate. The RSV detection and positive rate in week 8 were similar to the previous week.

Cases

Cases this week

  • Influenza A: 1
  • Influenza B: 0

Total cases

  • Influenza A: 2,626
  • Influenza B: 4
More Analyses

Testing

Influenza testing this week

  • Average daily specimens: 139
  • Influenza A positivity rate: 0.1%
  • Influenza B positivity rate: 0.0%

Other respiratory pathogens this week

  • RSV4 positivity rate: 5.7%
  • RSV detections: 56
More Analyses

Severity

Severe outcomes this week

  • Hospital admissions: 0
    • ICU admissions: 0
  • Deaths: 0

Total severe outcomes

  • Hospital admissions: 691
    • ICU admissions: 6
  • Deaths: 59
More Analyses

Outbreaks

Influenza outbreaks this week

  • Influenza A: 0
  • Influenza B: 0

Total influenza outbreaks

  • Influenza A: 37
  • Influenza B: 0
More Analyses

Syndromic Indicators: Similar Activity

In week 8, there appeared to have sustained activity in all syndromic indicators at reduced levels. Data fluctuations in ILI related visits to sentinel physicians were observed due to a small number of submitting sentinel physicians.

Weekly respiratory related visits to emergency departments/urgent care in week 8 slightly increased compared to the last week.

FluWatchers

About FluWatchers

Participants reporting this week: 524

Reporting fever and cough: 3.2%

More Analyses

Physician Visits

About sentinel physicians

Influenza Like Illness (ILI) Visits to sentinel physicians this week: 0%

More Analyses

Antiviral

About Antiviral

Units of antiviral dispensed from pharmacies this week: 1

More Analyses

ED Visits

About emergency room visits

Respiratory visits to emergency department (ED) this week: 1369

More Analyses

Important Notes

  1. Data about COVID-19 and influenza cases are extracted from PHIMS.
  2. Numbers are subject to change. Missed events in the current report due to reporting delays will be included in later reports when data become available. Cumulative totals include all events from start of the current season to end of the reporting week.
  3. ICU admissions were included in hospital admissions, and include adult and pediatric cases.
  4. RSV - Respiratory syncytial virus.

COVID-19

Cases

Figure 1. Weekly Cases of COVID-19 by Season, Manitoba, 2020 – 2023 (July through June)

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Figure 2. Sex and Age Distribution of COVID-19 Cases, Manitoba, July 3, 2022 – February 25, 2023

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Figure 3. Incidence Rate (/10,000 Population) of COVID-19 Cases by Age Group and Week of Public Health Report Date, Manitoba, July 3, 2022 – February 25, 2023

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Figure 4. Cases of COVID-19 by Health Region and Public Health Report Date, Manitoba, July 3, 2022 – February 25, 2023

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Table 1. Cases of COVID-19 and Incidence Rate (/10,000 population) by Health Region, Manitoba, July 3, 2022 – February 25, 2023

Helath region Total cases Cases this week Incidence rate this week Age-standardized incidence rate* this week
Winnipeg RHA 4770 66 0.8 0.8
Southern Health-Santé Sud 825 26 1.2 1.4
Interlake-Eastern RHA 815 9 0.7 0.6
Prairie Mountain Health 1074 18 1.0 0.9
Northern Health Region 513 5 0.6 1.1

Note: * Age-standardized rates are used to account for differences in the age structure in health regions. The whole Manitoba population is used as the standard population.

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Testing

Figure 5. Average Daily Testing Volume and Positivity (%) for COVID-19 by Week of Specimen Receiving Date, Manitoba, July 3, 2022 – February 25, 2023

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Severity

Figure 6. Severe Outcomes of COVID-19 by Week of Outcome Date, Manitoba, July 3, 2022 – February 25, 2023

Note. ICU admissions are not included in the hospital admissions.

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Figure 7. Age Distribution of Severe COVID-19 Cases This Week Compared to All Cases, Manitoba, July 3, 2022 – February 25, 2023

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Outbreaks

Figure 8. Weekly COVID-19 Outbreaks, Manitoba, 2020 – 2023

Note: All respiratory outbreaks include COVID-19 outbreaks, influenza outbreaks and the other respiratory outbreaks with known or unknown pathogens.

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Vaccination

Table 2. Coverage of COVID-19 Vaccinations, Manitoba, February 25, 2023

Age group (years) At least 1 dose At least 2 doses At least 1 dose within the last 6 months At least 1 dose of Bivalent
.5-04 10.4% 5.6% 8.4% 0.1%
05-11 54.5% 41.9% 7.2% 1.4%
12-17 82.2% 77.2% 8.1% 7.2%
18-29 87.8% 84.8% 7.1% 7.9%
30-39 84.2% 81.7% 10.9% 12.9%
40-49 87.8% 85.9% 14.9% 17.6%
50-59 86.8% 85.4% 21.9% 23.8%
60-69 >=95.0% 93.8% 39.4% 42.8%
70-79 100% >=95.0% 52.6% 58.0%
80+ >=95.0% >=95.0% 51.4% 58.8%
ALL 81.2% 77.9% 19.4% 20.4%

For more information, please visit COVID-19 vaccination coverage in Canada - Canada.ca

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Seasonal Influenza

Cases

Figure 9. Weekly Cases of Influenza by Season, Manitoba, 2019 – 2023 (July through June)

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Figure 10. Incidence Rate (/10,000 Population) of Influenza Cases by Age Group and Week of Public Health Report Date, July 3, 2022 – February 25, 2023

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Table 3. Cases of Influenza and Incidence Rate (/10,000 population) by Health Region, Manitoba, July 3, 2022 – February 25, 2023

Helath region Total cases Cases this week Incidence rate this week Age-standardized incidence rate* this week
Winnipeg RHA 1194 1 0 0
Southern Health-Santé Sud 357 0 0 0
Interlake-Eastern RHA 332 0 0 0
Prairie Mountain Health 477 0 0 0
Northern Health Region 234 0 0 0

Note: * Age-standardized rates are used to account for differences in the age structure in health regions. The whole Manitoba population is used as the standard population.

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Table 4. Antiviral Susceptibility of Isolates by Influenza Type and Subtype, Canada, September 1, 2022 – February 25, 2023

Oseltamivir
Zanamivir
Area Strain Resistant Susceptible Resistant Susceptible
Canada A(H3N2) 0 266 0 266
A(H1N1) 0 26 0 26
Manitoba A(H3N2) 0 193 0 193
A(H1N1) 0 19 0 19
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Table 5. Strain Characterization of Influenza Isolates, Canada, September 1, 2022 – February 25, 2023

Strain Canada Manitoba
Influenza A (H3N2)/Darwin/6/2021-like 302 215
Influenza A (H1N1)/Wisconsin/588/2019-like 30 20

Notes: A/Darwin/6/2021-like virus is the H3N2 virus selected for the 2022/23 Northern Hemisphere Influenza vaccine. A/Wisconsin/588/2019-like virus is the recommmended H1N1 component for the 2022-2023 Northern Hemisphere influenza vaccine.

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Testing

Figure 11. Average Daily Testing Volume and Positivity (%) for Influenza by Week of Specimen Receiving Date, Manitoba, July 3, 2022 – February 25, 2023

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Figure 12. Number of Positive Respiratory Virus Tests by Week of Specimen Receiving Date, Manitoba, July 3, 2022 – February 25, 2023

Note. Other respiratory viruses include adenovirus, enterovirus/rhinovirus, human coronavirus (seasonal), human metapneumovirus and human parainfluenza virus.

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Severity

Figure 13. Severe Outcomes of Influenza by Week of Outcome Date, Manitoba, July 3, 2022 – February 25, 2023

Note. ICU admissions are not included in the hospital admissions.

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Figure 14. Age Distribution of Severe Influenza Cases in All Cases, Manitoba, July 3, 2022 – February 25, 2023

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Outbreaks

Figure 15. Weekly Respiratory and Influenza Outbreaks, Manitoba, 2018 – February 25, 2023

Note: All respiratory outbreaks include COVID-19 outbreaks, influenza outbreaks and the other respiratory outbreaks with known or unknown pathogens.

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Vaccinations

Table 7. Coverage of Influenza Vaccinations, Manitoba, September 1, 2022 – February 25, 2023

Age group Does Coverage percentage
0-4 16712 19.8%
5-17 36681 15.8%
18-49 94468 15.5%
50-64 82151 31.6%
65+ 145094 59.7%
All 380446 26.6%

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FluWatchers

Figure 16. Weekly FluWatchers Participants and Percentage Reporting Fever and Cough, Manitoba, 2019 – February 25, 2023

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Physician Visits

Figure 17. Weekly Percentage of ILI Related Visits to Sentinel Physicians, Manitoba, 2018 – February 25, 2023

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Antiviral

Figure 18. Weekly Units of Antiviral Dispensed from Pharmacies, Manitoba, 2018 – February 25, 2023

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ED Visits

Figure 19. Weekly Respiratory Visits to Emergency Department, Manitoba, 2017 – February 25, 2023

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