All Indigenous Adults Eligible For COVID-19 Vaccine

All Indigenous people in Manitoba who are 18 and older are now eligible for COVID-19 vaccination.

First Nations, Métis and Inuit people can now make appointments at supersites, pop-up clinics, and urban Indigenous clinics.

Health and Seniors Care Minister Heather Stefanson noted that the expansion is for sites that offer the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.

Eligibility for the AstraZeneca vaccine, which is provided at medical clinics and pharmacies, will remain for people aged 40 and over or people aged 30 to 39 with certain medical conditions.

Indigenous people in Manitoba can call toll-free 1-844-626-8222 to book appointments at supersites, pop-up clinics or urban Indigenous clinics.

People can also book online.

Details: Contributed by Trillian Reynoldson; Published: May 3, 2021 - 11:14 am

Due to a confirmed case of COVID-19, McCreary School is closed today and will be closed Tuesday.

Turtle River School Division says the closure will provide an opportunity for those who are waiting for test results, and allow further consultation with school administration and public health if implementing a period of temporary remote learning will be put into effect.

The school division asks that if any student or staff tests positive, they notify the school principal immediately.

The school division says more information will become available following communication with the Medical Officer of Public Health.

Details: Contributed by Trillian Reynoldson; Published: May 3, 2021 - 9:14 am

Drug overdoses took the life of at least one person per day, on average, in Manitoba in 2020.

Between January and December of 2020, 372 people lost their lives to overdose in the province. That total exceeds all of 2019 by 87 per cent, according to data from Manitoba's Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

254 of the deaths were linked to opioids, including fentanyl. Fentanyl is a strong opioid that is similar to morphine, but it is 50 to 100 times more potent.

CKDM reached out to the minister of mental health, wellness, and recovery, and they had the following response.

"The increase in drug-related deaths in Manitoba is tragic, and our government is committed to investing in initiatives and services that connect Manitobans struggling with problematic substance use with the supports they need to preserve their long-term health and safety,"

In the Parkland, for the most part, numbers increased in 2020 compared to 2019. In 2019, there were four cocaine possession occurrences. An occurrence is where an arrest is made. That total was up 100% in 2020 with eight occurrences.

Crystal meth possession increased 18% from 2019 to 2020, with 11 occurrences in 2019 and 13 in 2020. Cocaine trafficking occurrences increased 25% from 15 occurrences in 2019 to 20 in 2020 while crystal meth trafficking occurrences increased 9% from 11 in 2019 to 12 in 2020.

Tara Seel with the Manitoba RCMP says that with restrictions due to COVID-19 in place, there were more opportunities to engage in drug enforcement investigations.

The Manitoba West District Crime Reduction Enforcement Support Team (CREST) was also created and began operation during this time period.

"CREST is one way that we are looking to reduce crime in the area," said Seel. "They executed Controlled Drugs and Substances Acts Warrants and engaged in drug enforcement investigations."

While Seel says the 87% increase in overdose deaths is tragic, she says the numbers in the Parkland aren't alarming. Seel says members of CREST continue to work extremely hard to keep drugs off the streets.

Street drugs can be very dangerous and as the statistics show, fatal as well.

"You don't know the source of these drugs so you don't know what they're cut with," ended Seel. "You may think it is cut with cocaine, but it could be cut with something much more detrimental to your health."

Details: Contributed by Darnell Duff; Published: May 3, 2021 - 5:00 am

Manitoba Public Health Officials are advising of at least one confirmed case of COVID-19 at Dauphin Regional Comprehensive Secondary School.

A letter from the school says the case was at the school on April 27th in Grade 11 classrooms when the individual may have been infectious.

The school says it is working closely with public health officials and is following their recommendations.

Close contacts have been identified and have been advised to self-isolate.

The school wants parents to know that if they haven’t been contacted by a public health official, their child has not been identified as being exposed to COVID-19 from this case.

The school will be open for in-person learning Monday.

Details: Contributed by Trillian Reynoldson; Published: May 2, 2021 - 9:50 pm

The Dauphin Fire Department says they have responded to three separate incidents over the past week.

Two of the calls were received on Thursday; the first was reported as a grass fire southeast of Dauphin, but upon arrival fire fighters met with the landowner who was conducting a control burn under permit and was following all safety regulations.

The second incident was a grass fire east of Dauphin, which might have started along the highway in the ditch and started to spread to a yard site.

The third incident happened on Saturday, when there was a report of an unattended fire in a backyard on Railway Avenue. Upon arrival fire fighters found a large bonfire in the backyard and a concerned neighbor who was trying to extinguish the flames.

After the crew finished putting out the fire, they found the tenant of the property was inside sleeping, having left the fire unattended.

Residents are reminded that backyard fires are allowed in the City of Dauphin as long as they comply with the regulations, which can be found here.

Details: Contributed by Trillian Reynoldson; Published: May 2, 2021 - 4:59 pm

There are some COVID-19 guidelines to keep in mind while out camping this year.

As campsites are considered a temporary place of living, they are being restricted to one household per site. No indoor public or private gatherings are allowed at this time, and gathering sizes are restricted to ten people outdoors.

Officials advise all Manitobans to follow physical distancing requirements at all beaches, playgrounds, and picnic areas, and to not share items such as towels, toys, blankets, and food.

The province encourages Manitobans to avoid busy areas and trail systems. Mask use is recommended in busy outdoor areas.

Travel north of the 53rd parallel is not permitted, with the exception to Manitobans who live in that region, employees of critical businesses, government officials, and health care providers.

All travelers arriving in or returning to Manitoba must self-isolate for 14 days. Out of province travelers are not allowed to self-isolate in a campground.

For more information on camping in Manitoba, click here.

Details: Contributed by Tess Kovach; Published: May 1, 2021 - 3:09 pm

A positive case of COVID-19 has been identified at Philomene Chartrand School in Camperville.

The school sent out a letter to parents confirming that at least one case was at the school on April 23^rd in each of the Grade 1/2 -cohort 3 and Grade 4/5 -cohort 4 classes.

Public health officials are working closely with the school and all close contacts have been identified and are self-isolating.

If you have not been contacted by school staff, your child has not been deemed a close contact.

Officials encourage anyone who develops any cold or flu-like symptoms to seek out COVID-19 testing and isolate themselves from others.

Details: Contributed by Tess Kovach; Published: May 1, 2021 - 8:03 am

West Region Treaty 2 and 4 Health Services will be holding a COVID-19 vaccination clinic for off-reserve members next week.

On Monday, May 3^rd from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., all off-reserve Manitobans aged 18 and older can receive a dose at the Dauphin Friendship Centre.

Trevor Thompson, Travel Nursing Officer with West Region Treaty 2 & 4 Health Services says the phone lines for the Moderna jab are currently open.

“It’s appointment-based, so it’s not just first come first serve. You need to call us. We’re going to close our phone lines to book appointments on Sunday [at 4:00 p.m.].”

All clinic-goers must bring their Manitoba health card, their Treaty card, and be 18 years or older.

To book an appointment at the clinic, you can call 204-622-9400.

Details: Contributed by Tess Kovach; Published: May 1, 2021 - 6:00 am

The Manitoba government has expanded the COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to include pregnant women aged 18 and older.

The following Manitobans aged 18 or older are eligible for a vaccine at a supersite or pop-up clinic:

pregnant woman
clients of Community Living disABILITY Services
those that work in any healthcare setting including outpatient settings (expanded from previous eligibility)
those that work in the vaccine warehouse.

All above Manitobans are able to book appointments beginning today (Friday, April 30^th).

In addition to the above list of eligible Manitobans, anyone aged 50 or older and First Nations people aged 30 and older can get a vaccine at a supersite or pop-up clinic.

The province also announced that Manitobans aged 30 to 39 with priority health conditions are eligible for the AstraZeneca Vaccine. This is in addition to all Manitobans aged 40 and older that are currently eligible.

For more information on vaccine eligibility, click here.

Pop-up vaccine clinics are coming to the following communities in Prairie Mountain Health.

Swan River Veterans Hall at 119 Sixth Avenue north: May 6^th from 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Russell George P. Buleziuk Centre at 106 Shell River Avenue south: May 6^th from 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Pop-up vaccine clinics are coming to the following communities in the Interlake-Eastern Health region:

Eriksdale Rec Centre at 2 First Avenue: May 6^th from 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Appointments can be made by calling 1-844-626-8222.

Details: Contributed by Tess Kovach; Published: Apr 30, 2021 - 1:03 pm

Manitoba health officials have identified two separate cases of variant influenza viruses in different southern Manitoba communities.

One case of human influenza A(H1N2)v and one case of human influenza A(H1N1)v have been detected.

These two flu viruses are related to influenza viruses that circulate in pigs. Officials say influenza viruses from pigs do not normally infect humans.

The affected individuals experienced mild symptoms, were tested, and then recovered. The province says the tests came back negative for COVID-19 but were later identified as influenza cases.

The province says there is no increased risk to Manitobans, Canadians, or the food supply chain at this time. There is no evidence of human-to-human transmission, and the viruses are not a food-related illness.

These cases have been reported to the Public Health Agency of Canada.

Details: Contributed by Tess Kovach; Published: Apr 30, 2021 - 11:27 am

Sean Beaulieu is facing a number of charges after the RCMP responded to a robbery in Dauphin earlier this week.

On Wednesday at about 3:35 a.m., RCMP was called to a robbery at a business on Main Street South where a male had entered the store, sprayed the employee with bear mace, stole items, and fled on foot.

The employee was able to provide a description of the suspect which led to officers locating the suspect a short distance from the business. Beaulieu was arrested without incident and was found to be in possession of bear spray.

Beaulieu, 30-years-old, has been charged with Robbery, Assault with a Weapon, Carrying a Concealed Weapon, Possession of a Weapon for a Dangerous Purpose, Unauthorized Possession of a Weapon and Fail to Comply.