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Prairie Mountain Health officials are giving an update on their testing locations heading into the weekend.
The site in Swan River will be open Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. You can call 1-855-268-4318 or click here to book an appointment.
The Van Horne location in Brandon will remain open with regular weekend hours from 8:45 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. No appointment is required.
Brandon’s Keystone Centre site remains open this weekend from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Brandon’s walk-in Health Access Centre location will be open on Saturday from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
As per the regular schedule, Dauphin’s COVID-19 testing site will be closed for this weekend.
To view directions and regular hours of operation at PMH testing sites, visit the PMH website.
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- Contributed by Tess Kovach
Some more potential exposures in Yorkton have been reported by the Saskatchewan Health Authority.
Public health officials advise that anyone who was at these locations on the specified times/dates should self-monitor for 14 days, and seek testing if COVID-19 symptoms develop.
- October 18
- Heritage Baptist Church, 345 Darlington Street East, 10:30 to 11:30 p.m.
- Kinsmen Arena, 227 Prystai Way, 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.
- October 21
- Westland Arena at the Gallagher Centre, 455 Broadway Street West, 5 to 6 p.m.
- Kinsmen Arena, 227 Prystai Way, 5 to 6 p.m.
- October 23
- A&W, 275 Broadway Street East (east location), 12 noon to 1 p.m.
- Walmart, 240 Hamilton Road, 1 to 2 p.m.
- Dr. Rogoza Optometrist, 11 2 Avenue North, 3 to 4:30 p.m.
- Dollar Tree, 239 Hamilton Road, 1:30 p.m. to 1:45 p.m.
- Bulk Barn, 275 Broadway Street East, 1:45 to 2 p.m.
- Yorkton Public Library, 93 Broadway Street West, 3 to 3:15 p.m.
- October 24
- Access Communications Water Park, 455 Broadway Street West, 10 to 11 a.m.
- October 25
- Kinsmen Arena, 227 Prystai Way, 10:15 to 11:15 a.m.
This news follows an update from earlier this week outlining several other possible exposures in Yorkton.
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- Contributed by 730 CKDM
A special weather statement is in effect for Southern Manitoba, including the Parkland.
Strong wind gusts of 80 km/h or more are expected Saturday across the southern part of the province.
(grey areas are included in the special weather statement, while red areas are under a snowfall warning)
Increasing southerlies tonight will switch to strong northwesterly winds with gusts over 80 km/h by Saturday morning or afternoon.
Wind warnings may be required as the system continues to develop.
The strong winds will diminish Saturday evening.
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- Contributed by 730 CKDM
Public health officials announced 480 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday, along with some big updates to the Pandemic Response System for health regions across Manitoba.
An outbreak has been declared at the Grandview Personal Care Home, which has been moved to Critical (red). Health officials have explained that even a single case in a care home constitutes an outbreak. There have been no other details provided by the province at this time.
Back To The Orange ‘Restricted’ Level
Prairie Mountain Health — along with the Southern Health and Interlake-Eastern health region’s — will be moved to orange on the Pandemic Response System starting Monday. These regions now join in the Northern health region in the orange ‘restricted’ level.
The measures will be in effect for a minimum of 2 weeks. The following restrictions will be in place beginning Monday, November 2:
- Public and private group gathering sizes limited to five, in addition to household.
- Capacity limited to 50 percent at restaurants and bars, with group sizes limited to five.
- Reduced retail capacity to 50 percent, encouraging limiting those who go shopping from each household.
- Blended learning for grades 9 to 12, voluntary blended learning temporarily available for kindergarten to Grade 8, encouraging as much physical distancing as possible.
- Personal services have no change and stay at 50 per cent capacity.
- Reduced spectators at sports and recreation facilities to 25 per cent.
- Gyms and fitness centres require contact information for all attendees and mask use at all times, except when exercising.
- Faith-based gatherings are reduced to 20 per cent or 250 people, whichever is lower.
480 New Cases Announced Friday, Partly Due To Backlog
Of the 480 news cases, two were identified Sunday, four were identified Monday, 44 were identified Tuesday, 193 were identified Wednesday and 237 were identified Thursday.
Of today’s 480 new cases, the data shows:
- 42 cases in the Interlake-Eastern health region;
- 25 cases in the Northern health region;
- 10 cases in the Prairie Mountain Health region;
- 94 cases in the Southern Health-Santé Sud health region; and
- 309 cases in the Winnipeg health region.
There are 2,737 active cases in Manitoba, and 2,572 people have recovered.
There are 104 people in hospital and 19 people in intensive care. The number of deaths due to COVID-19 is 65.
The following Parkland health districts have active cases: Swan River (4), Porcupine Mountain (2), Asessippi (8), and Whitemud (4). Dauphin no longer has any known active cases, with all 9 listed as recovered. Brandon has 7 active cases.
The Eriksdale-Ashern health district has 20 cases considered active.
Winnipeg Moving To Red
Effective Monday, November 2, the Winnipeg Metro Region will move to the Critical level (red) on the #RestartMB Pandemic Response System. This includes the following changes:
- Bars and restaurants will be closed except for take-out and delivery.
- Most retail will be reduced to 25 per cent capacity.
- Sports and recreation programming will be suspended.
- Gyms and fitness centres will have reduced capacity to 25 per cent and masks will be mandatory, even when exercising.
- Movie theatres and concert halls will close.
- Personal services have no change and stay at 50 per cent capacity.
- Non-urgent and elective surgeries and diagnostics will be suspended. Scheduled surgeries in a number of essential and time-sensitive areas will continue to be performed including cancer, cardiac and trauma. Patients will be contacted directly if their scheduled surgeries are affected.
- Visitation at all hospitals in the Winnipeg Metro Region has been suspended, with exceptions made on a case-by-case basis for patients receiving end-of-life care, in labour and delivery, as well as in pediatrics.
- Faith-based gatherings are reduced to 15 per cent or 100 people, whichever is lower.
For more information on COVID-19 in Manitoba, click here.
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- Contributed by Matt Hamel
You can expect to see a full moon in the sky this Halloween.
It’s known as a Blue Moon, meaning it’s the 2nd full moon in a calendar month.
If the skies are clear, you’ll also be able to see a bright red spot near the moon in the night sky — that’s Mars.
A blue moon on Halloween happens only every 19 years.
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- Contributed by 730 CKDM
Don't forget to set your clocks back by one hour on Sunday morning.
Daylight saving time ends on the first Sunday in November.
This year, the official change back to standard time will occur at 2 a.m., Sunday, November 1 — at which time clocks should be set back to 1 a.m.
There’s a growing sentiment in some parts of the country to do away with daylight saving time — but it doesn’t appear the practice will end in Manitoba anytime soon.
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- Contributed by 730 CKDM
Using tongs to hand out candy, wearing a mask, and staying home if you feel sick are just some of the recommendations from the province to make trick-or-treating as safe as possible.
And while Parklanders are asked to take extra precautions this year, others say they won’t be participating at all, so CKDM wanted to find out what your plans are this Halloween.
Mavis from Dauphin is okay with handing out candy this year, as long as everyone follows the recommendations laid out by the province.
“If everybody follows the rules, it’ll be okay. Do what you can and give out packages that are already sealed.”
Tiffany says it’s important to make room for some fun, while taking public health advice into consideration.
“We don’t hold back on other things, so I don’t think we should hold back on the fun things either.”
Some Parklanders, like Rob, just aren’t comfortable with the increased number of contacts presented by trick-or-treating.
“If it’s done safely definitely, but this year with the way things are going I just don’t feel comfortable with going out or taking my granddaughter out.”
Leading up to Halloween, Dr. Brent Roussin has stressed the importance of limiting your number of close contacts – something Jordan from Dauphin will be taking into consideration with her child.
“Well I’m going to go out with my daughter, but she’s very small so we’re only going to my mom’s and my sisters.”
For a full list of provincial health guidelines for Halloween, click here.
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- Contributed by Tess Kovach
A recent campaign looking into radon levels in the RM of Dauphin showed 71% of homes tested had levels above Health Canada’s guidelines.
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas and is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers, according to the national organization Take Action On Radon.
The results from last winter’s testing campaign show another 17% of homes tested in the RM of Dauphin had radon gas levels that were close to exceeding the recommended safe zone.
There are a number of ways to reduce radon gas levels, including increasing ventilation, sealing cracks, and installing a radon mitigation system.
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- Contributed by Matt Hamel
Health officials have identified 193 new COVID cases and one more death in Manitoba today.
The most recent death is a man in his 80’s from the Southern-Health Santé Sud health region, bringing the number of deaths due to COVID-19 in Manitoba to 62.
Today’s data shows:
- 21 cases in the Interlake–Eastern health region;
- 10 cases in the Northern health region;
- four cases in the Prairie Mountain Health region;
- 19 cases in the Southern Health–Santé Sud health region; and
- 139 cases in the Winnipeg health region.
The following Parkland health districts have active cases: Swan River (1), Porcupine Mountain (2), Asessippi (8), Whitemud (2). Dauphin has 0 active cases. Brandon has 5 active cases.
In the Interlake, the Eriksdale/Ashern health district has 14 active cases.
There is a total of 4,894 cases across the province, 2,409 are considered active, and 2,423 are recovered.
There are 97 people in hospital and 17 in intensive care.
Health officials are advising of an outbreak at the Bethesda Regional Health Centre in Steinbach, which has been moved to critical (red) on the Pandemic Response System.
The province is encouraging all Manitobans that are taking part in Halloween festivities this weekend to follow public health guidelines.
For more information on COVID-19 in Manitoba, click here.
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- Contributed by Tess Kovach
A hydro pole has been knocked down following a collision east of Dauphin.
RCMP, EMS, and the Dauphin Fire Department responded to the scene around 11:50 a.m on Thursday on Whitmore Ave E, near Gardewine and Norwex.
Traffic was slowed through the area while crews were on the scene, but the area has now fully reopened. RCMP say there were no serious injuries.
There's been no indication from Manitoba Hydro if there have been any service disruptions as a result of the damaged pole.
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- Contributed by 730 CKDM
Manitobans will have to pay more for their natural gas starting Sunday, November 1st.
The Public Utilities Board announced that it approved Centra Gas Manitoba Inc.’s increase from $0.0932/m3 to $0.1081/m3.
This is set to raise the average customer’s bill by $31 per year.
Customers that have fixed-term fixed-price contracts with either Centra or a private broker won’t be affected.
The Public Utilities Board will review primary gas rates again on February 1st.
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- Contributed by Tess Kovach
