WINNIPEG — The Manitoba government says it is closing schools for three weeks because of COVID-19.

Education Minister Kelvin Goertzen says classes will be suspended starting March 23.

Schools will be open next week to give parents and teachers time to prepare, and the week of March 30 was spring break anyway.

He says the decision was made for the health and well-being of all Manitobans.

He says officials want to stay ahead of the virus that has caused a world-wide pandemic.

Manitoba is dealing with three presumptive cases of COVID-19, all of which appear to be travel-related.