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Manitoba public health officials identified 24 additional cases of COVID-19 in today's update.

The total number of cases in the province is now 127. There are 9 confirmed cases in the Prarie Mountian Health region.

Four individuals are listed as recovered, and there are currently 3 individuals in intensive care.

The total number of deaths in Manitoba remains at 1.

Today there will be new screening procedures implemented for staff working in acute and long-term care facilities. The new measures require all staff to arrive an hour before their shift to have their temperature taken, and answer questions about any symptoms or possible exposures to the virus. 

The chief provincial public health officer also has a message for non-critical businesses, and how they could still operate during the state of emergency. All non-exempt businesses may:

•continue to operate where customers can order goods online or by telephone; however, customers cannot attend the businesses’ premises or property to order goods;
•continue to sell goods to customers where those goods can be picked up ‘curbside’ or delivered to customers; however, customers cannot pick up goods at businesses’ premises or on its property;
•allow staff to attend the businesses’ premises, without a limitation on the number of staff, as long as staff take measures to keep social distancing of one to two metres apart from each other; and
•accept delivery of goods and may allow services, such as construction, repairs, maintenance and cleaning to occur at their premises and on their property.

More information for businesses can be found at EngageMB.ca.

The province is also continuing the call for donations of the following supplies: 

•    N95 respirators of various models and sizes, both hospital and industrial grade; 
•    surgical/procedure masks; 
•    gloves; 
•    disposable gowns; and
•    disinfectants and cleaners. 

For more information on donating supplies, click here, or call (toll-free) 1-833-408-0101.

There are now 16 community testing sites in Manitoba, including one in Dauphin at the MPI Service Centre. You need to call Health-Links for a referral to be tested at these sites. More information on locations and hours of operation are available here. 

Prairie Mountain Health says after going through the appropriate steps with Health Links, individuals still need to have an appointment before presenting at a designated testing site.

"They will need to wait for the official call to come from the PMH Call Centre telling them what time to come for testing."

Any person concerned about their exposure to or risk of having COVID-19 should call Health Links–Info Santé at 204-788-8200 or (toll-free) at 1-888-315-9257 to be screened to see if a test is required.

For more information and to access the online screening tool for COVID-19, visit www.manitoba.ca/covid19.

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Contributed by Matt Hamel

Published: Apr 1, 2020 - 1:31 pm

When the province announced the closure of non-essential Manitoba businesses due to COVID-19, it left some of us with more questions than answers.

That’s why the Dauphin District Chamber of Commerce is stepping up to help all local businesses navigate these uncharted waters.

Chamber executive director Stephen Chychota says the government’s long list of essential and non-critical businesses led to some confusion among business owners. For some, it's still not clear whether or not they can stay open.

Chychota says one of the most valuable resources for business owners right now is an online question-and-answer tool set up by the Manitoba government. You can check it out by clicking here.

Another valuable resource for residents and business owners is the Parkland Area Business Updates Facebook page, where you can find updated information on what local businesses are doing at this time.

Through this challenging time, Chychota wants you to know the Dauphin District Chamber of Commerce will keep working to be an avenue to important information.

If you have any questions or anything else to share, Chychota encourages you to reach out to the Chamber, who will voice those concerns for you up the chain of command. 

Any businesses that still have questions about how to react are encouraged to keep an eye on the Dauphin Chamber website, where there will be links to major suppliers of information.

The Manitoba premier announced earlier this week all non-critical businesses will have to close, from April 1st until April 14th. To view a full list of which businesses will be staying open, click here.

Once again, the online question and answer tool set up by the Manitoba government can be accessed here.

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Contributed by Matt Hamel

Published: Apr 1, 2020 - 10:42 am

After dealing with an early outbreak of COVID-19, China is now expected to begin moving some manufacturing back online.

Some reports say China has signalled it will continue to allow Canadian canola imports, even with the April 1st expiration of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

It doesn’t mean a full return of Canadian canola traded into China, but it appears we can expect some trade to continue for the time being.

China pumped the brakes on purchasing Canadian canola in early 2019, citing pest issues. Relations became a bit rocky between the two trade partners following the detainment of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver.

According to Stats Canada, as much as 40% of Canada’s canola crop used to be purchased by China. Recent estimates say Canada is now only shipping a third of that volume in canola seed to China.

Going forward, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau indicates he’s seen promising signs, and discussions between Canadian and Chinese officials will continue.

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Contributed by 730 CKDM

Published: Apr 1, 2020 - 9:31 am

A scheduled pay raise for all Members of Parliament is being condemned by a local MP.

Dan Mazier, MP for Dauphin-Swan River-Neepawa, thinks it’s inappropriate for politicians to accept a raise during the COVID-19 crisis.

“COVID-19 is not only a health crisis, it is an economic crisis that is impacting the finances of all Canadians. It’s Canadians who need support at this time, not politicians.”

MPs are required to accept the raise under current legislation, so Mazier has decided to donate his pay increase to local organizations and charities working to support the people impacted by COVID-19 in his riding. Mazier notes it’s an especially challenging time for many local charities who are dealing with decreased revenue and increased demand.

The MP for Dauphin-Swan River-Neepawa has also been virtually meeting with local businesses, industry leaders, and constituents to hear their stories, and voice their concerns to other MPs and government officials. He’s encouraging everyone to support local businesses in our rural communities during and after the pandemic.

Going forward, Mazier is encouraging community members to continue reaching out and assisting seniors, and to follow the advice of public health officials to reduce the risk of exposure to those with underlying health issues.

You can listen to Dan Mazier on 730 CKDM during “Parliament and the Parkland” this Thursday morning at 8:15am during the Al Morning Show.

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Contributed by Matt Hamel

Published: Mar 31, 2020 - 10:35 pm

The provincial government has released another Spring Thaw Outlook.

Our relatively dry winter should put us in a good position to steer clear of spring floods, although officials are saying a major storm in early April could put Manitoba at a greater risk.

The Red River Valley continues to be a focal point in Manitoba for potential high-water situations.

Water levels are expected to be similar to the spring of 2019, as forecasters are expecting a significant inflow of water from the northern United States, according to Infrastructure Minister Ron Schuler.

With the province already devoting so many emergency resources to the fight against COVID-19, the minister assures Manitobans there are contingency plans in place in the event of a high-water situation.

The entire 2020 Spring Thaw Outlook report will be available here.

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Contributed by Matt Hamel

Published: Mar 31, 2020 - 5:41 pm

The provincial government has loosened up their Spring Road Restrictions, to better support the transportation of essential commodities during the fight against COVID-19.

Infrastructure Minister Ron Schuler says this will help ensure communities continue to have access to items such as medical supplies, groceries and emergency equipment at this crucial time.

Essential commodities include groceries, medical supplies, fuel, fertilizer, bulk milk, potable water for non-industrial use, emergency equipment and materials, and mail delivery on behalf of the Canada Post Corporation. This also includes livestock and livestock feed in transit, and hay for feed in transit within Manitoba. 

Normally, spring weight restrictions are enforced on surfaced roads in Manitoba, to protect roads that are more susceptible to damage because of spring rains and thawing.

For more information on the updates to road restrictions, click here.

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Contributed by Matt Hamel

Published: Mar 31, 2020 - 4:46 pm

Environment Canada has issued a snowfall warning, calling for 10 to 20 cm.

On Wednesday morning, we’re expecting a low-pressure system that will track north out of the Dakotas, giving heavy wet snow to areas near the Saskatchewan Manitoba border. 

The snow will begin early in the morning in the south and work its way northward throughout the day.

The snowfall warning is in effect for:

• Gilbert Plains Mun. incl. Ashville
• Grandview Mun. incl. Valley River Res.
• Mossey River Mun. incl. Winnipegosis and Fork River
• Mun. of Ethelbert incl. Garland
• Mun. of Roblin incl. Makaroff Shortdale and Bield
• Mun. of Russell-Binscarth incl. Gambler Res.
• R.M. of Dauphin incl. Sifton and Valley River
• R.M. of Lakeshore incl. Ochre River and Makinak
• R.M. of Lakeshore incl. Rorketon and Toutes Aides
• R.M. of Riding Mountain West incl. Asessippi Prov. Park

Current indications are that 10 to 20 cm will fall with this system, although local amounts could be higher.

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Contributed by Matt Hamel

Published: Mar 31, 2020 - 4:34 pm

It was announced earlier today that all K-12 schools in Manitoba will remain closed and the 2019-2020 academic year will be suspended indefinitely. After that was announced by Kelvin Goertzen alongside Brian Pallister, CKDM spoke to MVSD Superintendent, Dan Ward to get his thoughts.

"We did expect that this news was coming. Dr. Brent Roussin did make some comments that the return to school on April 16 was unrealistic," said Ward. "We have been planning to go past that for quite some time."

Ward now says there are multiple steps to move forward as students will remain at home. Ward is continuing to work closely with teachers and support staff so that students continue to be supported during this tough time.

Schools remain open to staff when they need resources and connectivity. They are also working to offer a variety of alternatives and platforms so that students can access schoolwork easily.

"Schools do remain closed to all students," continued Ward.

At this point, high school students are already working through Office 365 which is a Microsoft program that has an online platform that includes a video conferencing component. That of course, is for students that do have connectivity. For those who don't, MVSD is working on a plan so that students receive print materials. 

When it comes to K-8 students, there are a variety of applications that can be used.

"The biggest thing for us right now when it comes to the younger years is us having the ability to be in touch with parents," continued Ward. 

Dan also wanted to reiterate that there is a big sense of togetherness right now despite the tough times. He says all staff has come together to put a great plan in place and the students are ready to make sure this plan works. They even put a video together called "We're All In This Together".

"Every single staff member wants to do their part to help students and to help families out," continued Ward. "We understand it's a tough time and I think that's what's going to help us moving forward, we understand that and everyone is ready to help in any way possible."

Roughly 200 grade 12 students across MVSD were set to graduate. As it was announced earlier today by Minister Goertzen, all grade 12 students that were on track to graduate will indeed do so. Ward does; however, feel bad that many students have been looking forward to a graduation ceremony and everything that goes with it and it may not happen.

"It's certainly disappointing that things aren't going the way we planned them to go," concluded Ward. "With that said, we don't know how long this will last. Schools could resume before June and graduation could happen. We're going to do everything in our power to make sure these students are celebrated for all of their accomplishments for the past 13 years."

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Contributed by Darnell Duff

Published: Mar 31, 2020 - 3:12 pm

Today we learned of a slight increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in Manitoba.

Chief provincial public health officer Dr. Brent Roussin says 7 more cases have been identified.

This brings the total number of lab-confirmed and probable cases in Manitoba to 103. Four people are listed as recovered.

The number of confirmed cases in the PMH region remains at 9.

Public health is reminding Manitobans to stay home as much as possible and limit travel to essential trips only. Anyone returning from international or domestic travel must self-isolate for 14 days and monitor for symptoms.

The chief nursing officer for Shared Health Lanette Siragusa says the province is putting out a call for more nurses to join the fight against COVID, especially those with critical care experience. 

“Specifically we are looking at registered nurses, or LPN’s, with previous adult or pediatric critical care experience, who may be looking to pick up additional shifts, or be reassigned from their current unit into the ICU" and added, “we’re also looking for nurses that may be willing to be redeployed to a different site.”

Anyone interested in these positions can get in touch by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Any person concerned about their exposure to or risk of having COVID-19 should call Health Links–Info Santé at 204-788-8200 or (toll-free) at 1-888-315-9257 to be screened to see if a test is required.

Dauphin now has a community drive-thru testing site at the MPI Service Centre. The hours of operation are from 10am - 3pm.

For more information and to access the online screening tool for COVID-19, click here.

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Contributed by Matt Hamel

Published: Mar 31, 2020 - 1:33 pm

Today Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the government is preparing for worst-case scenarios when it comes to the purchase and distribution of crucial medical equipment for COVID-19.

Thornhill Medical, Medico, and Spartans Bioscience are teaming up to manufacture more medical supplies such as respirators, surgical masks, and test kits.

Trudeau also announced that the government is allocating two billion dollars to purchase personal protective equipment for provinces and health care workers.

Trudeau encourages people to stay home to ease the demand for supplies.

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Contributed by Tess Kovach

Published: Mar 31, 2020 - 12:08 pm