WINNIPEG — Manitoba health officials are expecting the demand for intensive care beds to soon reach a record level due to rising COVID-19 numbers.

Health officials report 120 patients, including non-COVID cases, in intensive care beds across the province.

That is nine shy of the record set last December during the second wave of the pandemic.

Lanette Siragusa, the province’s chief nursing officer, says she can’t say how high the numbers will get.

She says surgeries are being delayed and staff are being redeployed from other areas to help with the workload.

Manitoba is reporting 430 new cases of COVID-19 and one death.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 17, 2021

The Canadian Press