Five new cases of COVID-19 have been identified in Manitoba, bringing the total to 262.

Currently, seven people are hospitalized, including two in intensive care. 174 individuals have recovered, while the number of deaths remains at six.

Manitoba's Chief Public Health Officer Brent Roussin says they're continually expanding the capacity of the Province's healthcare system and encouraging physical distancing strategies for now.

However, he says they're looking at ways to start lifting restrictions and safely reopen certain non-essential businesses in the coming weeks. "We need to do this in a guarded fashion, and follow our numbers very closely as we begin to open things."

"Any of these changes will be introduced slowly... it will not be a return to normal. We'll still need to have restrictions in place to ensure physical distancing strategies can managed in the places that we open," Roussin explains. "But we are moving forward. We are going to see loosening of these restrictions, but we're going to do it very cautiously."

As of yesterday, an additional 327 laboratory tests were performed, bringing the total to 21,387.

There are 13 lab confirmed cases in the Prairie Mountain Health region.