There's been a 21st COVID-19 related death in Manitoba.

According to public health, the latest is a man in his 70s from the Winnipeg Health Region and is a previously announced case connected to Parkview Place.

As well, 43 new cases of the virus were announced Friday in the province, 29 of which are in the Winnipeg Health Region. Seven additional cases are in the Prairie Mountain Health Region; six in the Interlake–Eastern Health Region; and one in Southern Health-Sante Sud.

In addition, the public is being advised of a series of possible exposures.

• Sept. 21 – West Jet flight 147 from Winnipeg to Edmonton, rows four to 10. Individuals in the affected seats on this flight are advised to self-isolate for 14 days following the flight and monitor for symptoms. Passengers on this flight, but not in the affected seats, should self-monitor for symptoms and self-isolate if they develop.

• Bar Red Sea, 268 Portage Ave. in Winnipeg on Sept 19 from midnight to 3:30 a.m.;
• CF Polo Park, 1485 Portage Ave. in Winnipeg on Sept. 19 with visits to Foot Locker in the late morning and Famous Wok at lunchtime; and
• Boston Pizza, D24-1450 Main St. in Dauphin on Sept. 13 from approximately 3:30 to 6 p.m.

• Hugh John Macdonald School in Winnipeg on Sept 28: based on the public health investigation, this exposure was assessed to be low risk and the infection is not believed to have been acquired at the school.
• Lindenwood Childcare Centre in Winnipeg from Sept. 23 to 25 and Sept. 28 to 29: the cohort is self-isolating and based on the public health investigation, this exposure was assessed to be low risk and the infection is not believed to have been acquired at the centre.
• Les enfants précieux child-care centre in Winnipeg of additional confirmed cases of COVID-19 present in the daycare since Sept. 18: based on the public health investigation, this exposure was assessed to be low risk and the infection is not believed to have been acquired at the school or at the child-care centre.

People who attended any of the above locations on the dates/times listed should self-monitor for symptoms and immediately isolate if they develop and seek testing.

Meantime, a COVID-19 outbreak has been declared at the Carberry Personal Care Home in Carberry. As a result, the province says the site is moving to Critical (Red) on the #RestartMB Pandemic Response System.

However, the outbreak at Fairview Personal Care Home in Brandon has been declared over by public health officials. The site has returned to Caution (Yellow) on the #RestartMB Pandemic Response System.

As of Friday, there are 652 active cases of COVID-19 in Manitoba and 1,399 individuals have recovered. Eighteen people in hospital with seven in intensive care. The province's total COVID-19 case count is now at 2,072.

1,454 tests were completed Thursday, bringing the total number of lab tests completed in Manitoba since early February to 188,098. The current test positivity rate is 2.3 per cent.

With Thanksgiving around the corner, public health is providing guidelines for how to enjoy fall holidays and celebrations while reducing the potential spread of COVID-19.

The Health Canada COVID Alert app is now available to Manitoba residents and provides digital COVID-19 exposure alerts once the app is downloaded to a smartphone. It is available at no cost in the Apple and Google Play app stores. 

The chief provincial public health officer strongly encourages Manitobans to reduce the number of close contacts outside their household, and avoid closed-in or crowded spaces. In addition, they should focus on these fundamentals to help stop the spread of COVID-19:

• Stay home if you are sick. 

• Wash/sanitize your hands and cover your cough. 

• Physically distance when you are with people outside your household.

• If you cannot physically distance, wear a mask to help reduce the risk to others or as required by public health orders. 

 Unless recommended by public health officials, only individuals experiencing COVID-19 symptoms should go for testing. Individuals with symptoms are asked to seek testing as soon as possible once symptoms are present. Employers are asked to only send employees for testing if they have symptoms or if testing has been recommended by public health officials.