Manitoba tightens COVID-19 restrictions

WINNIPEG—The Manitoba government is tightening rules aimed at controlling the spread of COVID-19 amid the growing threat posed by variants of the virus.

People will be considered contacts of a case — and be required to undergo testing and self-isolation — if they have been in close range of an infection for 10 minutes. The previous time frame was 15 minutes.

Manitoba is also ending an exemption allowing some household members of a positive case to avoid self-isolation. Going forward, everyone in the same home as a positive case will selfisolate and get tested.

The province’s COVID-19 numbers continue to plateau after a sharp spike last fall and a drop in December and January.

Health officials reported 97 new cases Monday and two deaths.

Dr. Brent Roussin, chief public health officer, said he expects case counts may increase slightly as the provincial government recently relaxed some restrictions on businesses.

Restaurants, gyms, museums, tattoo parlours and many other establishments were given the green light to open their doors again, at 25 per cent capacity, earlier this month. People are also allowed to have a maximum of two visitors in their homes, but they must be the same two for the duration of current public health orders.

The government also announced Monday it is extending an advertising campaign that reminds Manitobans to follow public-health guidelines. The $455,000 campaign includes ads on television, radio and digital platforms.

In addition, the province is bumping up funding — to $5 million from $3 million — for its Safe at Home program. The money is given to cultural events, fitness instructors, culinary chefs and others who provide free livestreams of programming that people can enjoy at home.