Manitoba officials have announced three additional cases of COVID-19.
A man in his 70s and two women, one in her 50s and one in her 70s, have tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
There are now a total of seven cases in Manitoba. Four have been confirmed in the National Microbiology Lab in Winnipeg.
Chief public health officer Dr. Brent Roussin said most cases in Canada, including in Manitoba, are connected to international travel.
He said all international travel should be cancelled or postponed, and anyone who is returning should self-isolate and self-monitor for symptoms for 14 days.
“By having people self-isolate we are taking more cautions to limit the spread of this virus in our communities,” he said.
Earlier this week the Manitoba government announced that schools will be closing for three weeks starting on March 23.
There are four dedicated testing sites for COVID-19 in Winnipeg.
The Health Sciences Centre has also started restricting the number of public entrances to the hospital to ensure all visitors are screened for the novel coronavirus before they are allowed in.
Similar measures are being considered for other health-care facilities and long-term care homes.
“Right now the risk remains relatively low,” Roussin said. “But we know that is going to increase with time.”
The spread of the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 continues, with more cases diagnosed in Canada. The Globe offers the dos and don'ts to help slow or stop the spread of the virus in your community.
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