‘Misconception of security’: Health Minister issues COVID-19 warning to Winnipegers

WINNIPEG – As the number of cases rises to new highs, Manitoba Health Minister Winnipegs was given a message on Tuesday that COVID-19 precautions should be taken seriously.

“I think after a few weeks and weeks people have fallen into the wrong sense of security. We are now seeing that Cameron Friesen’s response is not enough,” he told reporters in the Manitoba Legislature.

The province recorded 124 new cases on Tuesday, with the COVID-19 count reaching three digits in a single day.

Those ninety-five infections are in Winnipeg.

Most of the province’s 1,248 active cases are in the capital region.

Frysen said young people are less susceptible to the effects of the virus, which puts others at risk if they do not take the necessary steps.

“People who fall into that group of young people who are getting more and more together should stop doing that. It’s time they take this seriously,” Frysen said.

The Winnipeg area is currently under Code Orange, the second highest level in the province’s color coded pandemic response system.

“That’s all we’re doing right now to avoid the lockdown idea,” Frysen said.

Health Minister Winnie the Pooh has been asked to be patient with the Code Orange measures that came into force two weeks ago. “Give this time to work.”

Friesen said Winnipeg could learn lessons from Brandon, who was placed under Code Orange in August.

The city has been able to reduce the number of infections in the Prairie Mountain Health Region after making provincial masks mandatory and limited collection sizes.

“That system was put to the test in the early days at Brandon,” Frysen said. “We closed some things and we saw those numbers coming back in line.”