There are concerns that reports of confirmed COVID-19 tests here in the north don’t always jibe with the news that comes from the province.

 

CEO of the Northern Health Region, Helga Bryant explains the reporting process here to provide clarification.

 

“The minute that positive result lands in the message box of Public Health, either one of our MOH’s or our public health nurses, they immediately connect with the case and begin to do the contact tracing.     So, that can sometimes go on even for two to three days before there’s even a formal reporting, because the important thing is to ensure that the case and the contacts are interviewed and that they are supported.”

 

Bryant said that positive rapid response or point-of-care testing results are considered presumptive positives only until they are confirmed by Cadham Laboratory in Winnipeg.

 

That process can take a matter of a few days, depending on how quickly the tests can be transported to the Lab.

 

Bryant says the best source of information and updates for COVID-19 in the province is the government website, manitoba.ca.  

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