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A confirmed case of COVID-19 at MacKenzie Middle School in Dauphin was announced by the Mountain View School Division on Sunday.
Public health officials advise the positive case was in the school on Monday, November 9th and Tuesday, November 10th, but wasn't acquired in the school.
The exposure risk has been deemed low following the investigation by public health.
Close contacts have been notified and advised to self-isolate.
MVSD can't reveal the name or any identifying information about the confirmed case to any member of the school, community, or media.
The school is following division procedures for a positive COVID case, including additional cleaning and disinfecting protocols.
MacKenzie Middle School joins Gilbert Plains Elementary (confirmed case reported October 14) as the only MVSD schools where a confirmed case has been reported.
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- Contributed by Isaac Wihak
A record 494 new cases of COVID-19 were announced on Sunday, along with 10 more deaths.
The province says the 10 deaths were recorded between Nov. 3 to 14 — and include 9 individuals from Winnipeg (7 linked to Maples Long Term Care Home) and a woman from the Southern Health region in her 70s.
The current five-day COVID-19 test positivity rate is 12.4 per cent provincially and 13.1 per cent in Winnipeg
The total of lab-confirmed cases in Manitoba to 10,947.
Today’s data shows:
• 28 cases in the Interlake–Eastern health region;
• 30 cases in the Northern health region;
• 34 cases in the Prairie Mountain Health region;
• 136 cases in the Southern Health–Santé Sud health region; and
• 266 cases in the Winnipeg health region.
The Prairie Mountain Health region has 196 active cases, 613 recoveries, and 4 deaths.
Dauphin Adds Two More Active Cases
Two more active cases have been added in the Dauphin health district — where the province’s data now shows 4 active cases.
The following Parkland health districts have active cases: Dauphin (4), Riding Mountain (6), Swan River (10), Porcupine Mountain (4), Duck Mountain (2), Asessippi (11), Little Saskatchewan (9), Whitemud (19), and Agassiz Mountain (1).
In the Interlake, the Eriksdale/Ashern health district has 76 active cases. The Fisher/Peguis health district has 147 cases.
The province’s data also shows 6,715 active cases in Manitoba, with 4,070 individuals who have recovered from COVID-19.
There are 220 people in hospital with 41 people in intensive care.
The number of deaths due to COVID-19 is 162.
The chief provincial public health officer urges Manitobans to not socialize with people from outside their household, to significantly reduce the number of close contacts and avoid closed-in or crowded spaces. In addition, they should focus on these fundamentals to help stop the spread of COVID-19:
• Stay home if you are sick, or when any member of your family is sick.
• Physically distance when you are with people outside your household.
• If you cannot physically distance, wear a mask to help reduce the risk to others or as required by public health orders.
Public health officials are also advising that anyone who is symptomatic, or has a household member who is symptomatic, the entire household needs to self-isolate pending COVID-19 test results.
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- Contributed by Matt Hamel
Peguis First Nation leadership is extending a strict lockdown measure, which appears to have been effective in bringing down the community’s caseload.
The lockdown — which went into effect on Sunday, November 1 — featured 14 days of an enforced 24-hour curfew. Every fourth day is a “relaxed lockdown” where residents are permitted to travel to shop for essentials.
On November 14, Manitoba’s largest First Nation announced it’s extending the COVID-19 Community Lockdown until November 24 at 12:00 a.m.
A release from Peguis Public Health reads:
“The Community Lockdown is working great and numbers have been decreasing. Peguis Public Health recommends continuing the lockdown until numbers reach 0 or single digits.”
Peguis Public Health says the lockdown can be extended at any time.
On the first day of the lockdown in Peguis First Nation (Sunday, Nov. 1), the community had 76 cases considered active.
As of Saturday, November 14, the active case count in Peguis First Nation was down to 25.
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- Contributed by 730 CKDM
A large group of protestors gathered in a southern Manitoba community on Saturday to protest the latest public health restrictions ushered in earlier this week.
It's estimated at least 100 people were at the event in Steinbach, organized by the Hugs Over Masks group. Some attendees were seen not wearing masks and others were noticed not practicing social distancing.
Several speakers at the rally addressed the crowd — including Lewis Weiss, reeve for the R.M. of La Broquerie. Reports say he was issued a fine by provincial officials.
Manitoba Public Health orders currently cap gatherings at any indoor or outdoor public place at 5 people.
The current fine for an individual breaking a public health order is $1,296. Businesses can be fined $5,000.
Manitoba RCMP was on the scene blocking access to the rally but did not issue any tickets. Provincial environment and health officers issued fines to some of the protestors in attendance.
RCMP spokesperson Const. Julie Courchaine says "the RCMP used a measured approach during today's event and will be working with Manitoba Public Health to further investigate breaches of the public health order,” and added, “the RCMP respects individuals charter right to peacefully assemble while balancing that with the safety of the public.”
Steinbach is a COVID-19 Hotspot
Steinbach is home to one of the highest infection rates in the country.
On Saturday, the city of roughly 15,000 people had 263 active cases of COVID-19, 199 people recovered, and 14 deaths.
A nurse at the Bethesda Regional Health Centre in Steinbach told media the site is overcapacity, and that healthcare staff are facing an unsustainable workload.
The union representing nurses says some patients are being triaged in their cars due to a lack of space in the emergency department.
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- Contributed by Matt Hamel
Fusion Credit Union is reporting that an employee at their Ethelbert branch has tested positive for COVID-19.
In a Facebook post, the company says they learned of the positive test on November 14 — six days after the employee was last in a Fusion branch.
The company says they have processes in place to ensure the employee and any potential close contacts are self-isolating and following the guidelines set by Manitoba Public Health.
As per Public Health guidelines, Fusion Credit Union is conducting the cleaning and sanitization process at the Ethelbert branch and plans to be open for business as usual on Monday.
Part of the message from the company reads:
“Our #1 priority is the health, safety, and wellbeing of our employees, our members, and our communities. You may rest assured that we will continue to comply with physical distancing and the Manitoba Public Health orders to ensure the ongoing safety of our people and communities. Thank you for your understanding.”
Fusion is waving the service charges for transfers and bill payments by phone, as well as eTransfers, until further notice.
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- Contributed by 730 CKDM
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- Contributed by Alec Woolston
Provincial health officials announced 239 new cases of COVID-19, as well as the highest single-day increase in deaths.
Fifteen more deaths due to COVID-19 have been reported, which the province says range from Nov. 2 to 13.
Eleven are residents from the Maples Long Term Care Home in Winnipeg, the site of the largest outbreak in a Manitoba care home. The other four deaths announced Saturday include a man in his 80s from the Winnipeg health region linked to the outbreak at St. Boniface hospital, and three men from the Southern Health region all at least 70 years of age.
The current five-day COVID-19 test positivity rate is 12.4 per cent provincially and 13.1 per cent in Winnipeg
This brings the total of lab-confirmed cases in Manitoba to 10,453.
Today’s data shows:
• 11 cases in the Interlake–Eastern health region;
• 16 cases in the Northern health region;
• nine cases in the Prairie Mountain Health region;
• 40 cases in the Southern Health–Santé Sud health region; and
• 163 cases in the Winnipeg health region.
There are 6,410 active cases and 3,891 individuals who have recovered from COVID-19. Prairie Mountain Health has 165 active cases.
There are 228 people in hospital with 34 people in intensive care; and the number of deaths due to COVID-19 is 152.
A Closer Look At The Parkland
The latest possible exposures in the Prairie Mountain Health region include:
The following Parkland health districts have active cases: Dauphin (2), Riding Mountain (4), Swan River (10, down from 11), Porcupine Mountain (4), Duck Mountain (2), Little Saskatchewan (9), Asessippi (8), Agassiz Mountain (1), and Whitemud (18). Brandon has 59 active cases.
In the Interlake, the Eriksdale/Ashern health district has 76 active cases. The Fisher/Peguis health district has 154 cases, down from 165.
The chief provincial public health officer urges Manitobans to not socialize with people from outside their household, to significantly reduce the number of close contacts and avoid closed-in or crowded spaces. In addition, they should focus on these fundamentals to help stop the spread of COVID-19:
• Stay home if you are sick, or when any member of your family is sick.
• Physically distance when you are with people outside your household.
• If you cannot physically distance, wear a mask to help reduce the risk to others or as required by public health orders.
Public health officials are also advising that anyone who is symptomatic, or has a household member who is symptomatic, the entire household needs to self-isolate pending COVID-19 test results.
The symptomatic individual needs to stay in their own room and, if possible, use their own bathroom and not use common areas. Exemptions are in place for asymptomatic household members if they are an essential worker required to wear PPE while at work such as health-care workers, first responders or teachers and educational assistants.
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- Contributed by Matt Hamel
Conservation officers in Manitoba are continuing enforcement against illegal night hunting and illegal hunting in moose conservation closure areas.
On Wednesday, November 11, two men were charged in the Minto area in relation to illegally killing a bull moose.
An investigation determined the moose was shot off a municipal road on private land.
Both men were issued a restitution notice for $2,500 for the moose.
A rifle was seized, and the moose was dropped off at Killarney Meats who will process the moose meat-free of charge so it can be donated to local food banks.
Conservation Officers On Patrol
Since Oct. 10, conservation officers have conducted patrols to enforce Manitoba’s new Wildlife Amendment Act (Safe Hunting and Shared Management), resulting in:
• charges or appearance notices to 20 individuals for serious wildlife offences;
• warnings to 17 individuals for night hunting without a permit or for hunting in a moose conservation closure area;
• charges to six individuals for possessing illegally taken wildlife;
• seizures of six vehicles;
• seizures of seven firearms, and;
• restitution orders totalling $14,000.
Night hunting is now illegal in Manitoba on all private land.
In northern Manitoba, Indigenous hunters may hunt at night on Crown land and do not need to apply for a permit, though it is subject to a three-kilometre safety buffer around occupied sites and provincial roadways.
In southern Manitoba, night hunting is prohibited except with a permit that allows rights-based hunting on Crown land, subject to terms and conditions establishing where it can be done safely.
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- Contributed by 730 CKDM
Manitoba is currently facing outbreaks at several hospitals and in many long-term care homes.
The situation is most dire in Winnipeg — as of November 12, Winnipeg’s Parkview Place has had 153 cases of COVID-19 and 23 deaths, while the Maples Personal Care Home has had 197 cases and 22 deaths.
On Friday afternoon, Manitoba's Health Minister Cameron Friesen announced an expert advisor will conduct a review of the situation at Maples Care Home.
Last weekend, Friesen declared the province would launch an investigation into Maples Care Home, following a concerning shocking situation in which eight residents died there in a 48 hour span, as paramedics had to be called in to assist care home staff.
In Friday's update on COVID-19, health officials announced an outbreak at the Gilbert Plains Personal Care Home — elevating it to critical red on the Pandemic Response System — but provided few other details.
The province says an outbreak at the Swan Valley Health Centre and attached Swan Valley Personal Care home announced on October 25 has resulted in five staff infections and four “non-staff” infections.
The province’s latest figures provided on November 12 regarding the Grandview Personal Care Home outbreak shows one confirmed case of a staff member.
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- Contributed by 730 CKDM
There are now 2 active cases in the Dauphin health district, as public health officials announced 437 new cases and five more deaths due to COVID-19 Friday.
Health officials are also reporting an outbreak at the Gilbert Plains Personal Care Home. The site has been moved to critical (red) on the Pandemic Response Level.
Today’s data shows:
- 33 cases in the Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority;
- 28 cases in the Northern health region;
- 20 cases in Prairie Mountain Health;
- 96 cases in Southern Health-Santé Sud; and
- 260 cases in the Winnipeg health region.
Of Manitoba’s 10,216 total cases, 6,307 are considered active and 3,772 are recovered. There are 231 people in hospital with 34 in intensive care.
The provinces most recent deaths due to COVID-19 include:
- a female in her 40s from the Northern health region;
- a female in her 60s from the Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority;
- a male in his 60s from the Winnipeg health region;
- a female in her 80s from the Winnipeg health region and linked to the outbreak at Maples Long Term Care Home; and
- a male in his 80s from the Winnipeg health region.
There have been a total of 137 deaths due to COVID-19 in Manitoba.
The following Parkland health districts have active cases: Dauphin (2), Riding Mountain (3), Swan River (11), Porcupine Mountain (4), Duck Mountain (1), Little Saskatchewan (9), Asessippi (8), Agassiz Mountain (2), and Whitemud (17). Brandon has 56 active cases.
In the Interlake, the Eriksdale/Ashern health district has 76 active cases. The Fisher/Peguis health district has 165 cases.
For more information about COVID-19 in Manitoba, click here.
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- Contributed by Tess Kovach
A new business offering a range of services has opened up in Dauphin.
Located at 17 3rd Ave. NE, Parkland Collaborative Legal Options (PCLO) has been open since early September.
Desiree Dorion, a partner at PCLO, says they offer mediation, arbitration, collaborative family practice, and parenting plans.
“We also do child protection defence and what would be called limited scope work, so that would be, like, if people need assistance drafting, we won’t go to court for them, but we will assist them with drafting if they need help drafting documents for contested litigation. So that’s in a nutshell, what we do.”
Mediation is an assisted negotiation by a neutral third party to help disputing parties voluntarily reach their own mutually acceptable settlements.
Arbitration is a process that allows each party to provide their own evidence and an arbitrator renders a decision after hearing the evidence. Under the Arbitration Act of Manitoba, arbitrators are empowered to make the decisions and they are legally binding.
A parenting plan is a required document in contested litigation. Dorion says people sometimes need help facilitating a parenting plan that works for their family. A parenting plan is a written document that outlines how both parents will raise their children after separation or divorce.
Dorion says they primarily focus on those going through separation or divorce.
“What we would do is we would have a meeting with that client and just find out more information from them and whether their case would be suited more to collaborative law, whether their case would be suited for mediation, maybe they just need a parenting plan, if there are no other issues that need to be resolved, that might be a case that would be suited to meet with our parenting plan facilitator. We assess it by a case-by-case basis and in consultation with our clients, would figure out what option is best suited for them.”
Dorion did arbitration training and her partner, Melanie Beaudry did the mediation training, both through the ADR Institution of Canada. Kate Roberts is the parenting plan facilitator.
The phone number for PCLO is (204) 701-7256, they also have a website, and Dorion says they’re on Facebook and Instagram as well.
“We’re just looking forward to serving the Parkland. We’ve had some good discussions with folks in the community and people who are curious about what we’re doing. Maybe you don’t want to proceed with anything at this time, but you might be interested in learning more, and so, if that’s the case, feel free to give us a call, we’re happy to talk to anybody about the services we’re providing.”
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- Contributed by Isaac Wihak
