Vaccine Eligibility Criteria Expanded

Over the weekend the province continued to expand the list of who’s eligible to receive the vaccine against COVID-19.

Some paramedics, home-care workers, and workers at COVID test sites and immunization clinics will now be able to book an appointment to be immunized.

As of Sunday afternoon, 9,498 vaccine doses have been administered in Manitoba.

Manitoba has received a total of 22,230 doses of the Pfizer vaccine, with another 9,360 doses expected to arrive this week. About one-third of that shipment will be used in Brandon at the new supersite opening on Jan. 18 at the Keystone Centre.

So far Manitoba has received 7,300 doses of the Moderna vaccine — with 5,300 doses being allocated for First Nations priority groups.

All of the remaining Moderna doses will be used to support the immunization campaign at personal care homes which begins this week.

Details: Contributed by 730 CKDM; Published: Jan 11, 2021 - 7:38 am

The Member of Parliament for Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa says he’s advocating for Legion Branches that have been hit hard by the COVID situation.

Dan Mazier tells CKDM that Legions play an integral role in Canada, especially in rural communities.

In a social media post, Mazier announced the Minnedosa Legion will be receiving $11,000 in financial support from Veteran’s Affairs Canada.

A total of $14-million will be distributed to Legion Branches across the country while they struggle with operating costs as a result of COVID.

Branches had until December 7 to submit their funding applications.

“They lost all their ability to have gatherings, to have lotteries or any of that kind of stuff — and I think going forward they need to be part of the recovery plan as well. I certainly will keep advocating to support of Legions,” said Mazier.

Mazier calls the financial relief “a small price to pay to save these institutions, especially when you consider the price paid by those members who served our country.”

“The smaller the community, the more important they are.”

He calls the funding for Legion Branches a good news story, but also a reminder that so many branches are going through a difficult time.

Mazier says he wants to make sure Legions aren’t forgotten in the nationwide recovery, post-COVID.

Details: Contributed by Matt Hamel; Published: Jan 10, 2021 - 4:25 pm

Health officials in Manitoba have reported 151 new cases of COVID-19 and five more deaths due to the virus.

All five deaths announced Sunday are women over the age of 70 from the Winnipeg health region. Four are related to outbreaks at healthcare facilities.

On Friday, the current restrictions were extended by two weeks until Jan. 22 — a move health officials say is related to concerns over holiday gatherings that took place against public health advice.

“We know a relatively high number of Manitobans that did gather [over the holidays],” says Dr. Brent Roussin, adding “they had no intent to transmit this virus — but you can’t avoid this virus when you gather. When you gather, this is what we see.”

The current five-day COVID-19 test positivity rate is 10% provincially and 9.2% in Winnipeg. The total number of lab-confirmed cases in Manitoba is 26,317.

There are 4,792 active cases and 20,850 individuals who have recovered from COVID-19.

There are 239 people in hospital with active COVID-19 as well as 83 people in hospital who are no longer infectious but continue to require care (322 hospitalizations in total).

There are 32 people in intensive care units with active COVID-19 as well as four people who are no longer infectious but continue to require critical care (36 ICU patients total).

The total number of deaths due to COVID-19 is 738.

Today’s COVID-19 data shows:
• 10 cases in the Interlake–Eastern health region
• 44 cases in the Northern health region
• 10 cases in the Prairie Mountain Health region
• 14 cases in the Southern Health–Santé Sud health region
• 73 cases in the Winnipeg health region

According to the province’s data, there are active cases in the following Parkland health districts: Dauphin (8), Riding Mountain (3), Swan River (1), Porcupine Mountain (72), Duck Mountain (3), Asessippi (6), Little Saskatchewan (5), Whitemud (3), and Agassiz Mountain (39). Brandon has 58 active cases.

In the Interlake, the Eriksdale/Ashern health district has 56 active cases, while Fisher/Peguis has 43.

Public health advise Manitobans to stay home when experiencing even the mildest of cold/flu-like symptoms, and seek guidance on whether or not to get tested.

Details: Contributed by Matt Hamel; Published: Jan 10, 2021 - 1:50 pm

Public health officials have announced 203 new cases of COVID-19 and seven more deaths this afternoon.

Today’s COVID-19 data shows:
• seven cases in the Interlake-Eastern health region;
• 54 cases in the Northern health region;
• 38 cases in the Prairie Mountain Health region;
• 19 cases in the Southern Health–Santé Sud health region; and
• 85 cases in the Winnipeg health region.

In Dauphin, the active case number has dropped by one compared to yesterday, to eight.

Throughout the Parkland there are active cases in Riding Mountain (3), Swan River (2), Porcupine Mountain (72), Duck Mountain (2), Asessippi (8), Little Saskatchewan (5), Whitemud (3), and Agassiz Mountain (32).

Brandon has 59 active cases and an outbreak has been declared at the Samaritan House Ministry Safe and Warm Shelter in the city. The site has been moved to Critical (red) on the #RestartMB Pandemic Response System.

In the Interlake, the Eriksdale/Ashern health district has 51 active cases, while Fisher/Peguis has 43.

The current five-day COVID-19 test positivity rate is down from yesterday, 9.9 per cent provincially and 9.4 per cent in Winnipeg.

The total number of cases in Manitoba is 26,166, while the provincial data shows the active cases are at 4,664 and 20,769 people have recovered.

229 people are in hospital with active COVID-19 as well as 84 people in hospital with COVID-19 who are no longer infectious but continue to require care, for a total of 313 hospitalizations.

There are 33 people in intensive care units with active COVID-19 as well as four people with COVID-19 who are no longer infectious but continue to require critical care for a total of 37 ICU patients;

The total number of deaths due to COVID-19 is 733.

Public health officials have announced seven more deaths due to COVID-19.

a male in his 50s from the Southern Health–Santé Sud health region
a male in his 40s from the Winnipeg health region
a male in his 60s from the Winnipeg health region
a female in her 80s from the Winnipeg health region
a female in her 90s from the Winnipeg health region, linked to the outbreak at Saul and Claribel Simkin Centre
a female in her 90s from the Winnipeg health region, linked to the outbreak at Deer Lodge Centre
a female in her 100s from the Winnipeg health region, linked to the outbreak at Oakview Place Personal Care Home

Details: Contributed by Isaac Wihak; Published: Jan 9, 2021 - 3:29 pm

More details have been released about the $5 million Dine-In Restaurant Support Program, as well as applications opening up.

Executive Director of the Dauphin and District Chamber of Commerce, Stephen Chychota, says it’s a rebate program trying to offset food delivery costs for restaurants that were dine-in and had to switch their model.

“It also applies to restaurants that already had occurring delivery programs, but with those ones, they would be more on a percentage base and then the ones that have had to create the whole delivery program themselves or sign up to get into delivery programs like Skip or Dash, there’s rebates for the fees associated or for the costs the restaurants would take on.”

Restaurants or bars that had to create a delivery service or have a delivery service are eligible for the program.

Chychota says the program covers the time period a region was under code red measures. So, that means the program doesn’t cover the full year, just when code red started, Chychota adds that when code red ends, that’s when the program will stop.

The amount of money a business gets from the program will vary.

“It varies depending on which region you’re from. Some areas like Winnipeg vs the rest of the province went into it at different start dates. So just depending on where everyone’s located, you’ll have to watch for when the rebates would start kicking in.”

Chychota encourages local restaurants to look into the program because every little bit helps.

If you’d like to go to the application, click here.

Details: Contributed by Isaac Wihak; Published: Jan 9, 2021 - 6:00 am

A local bylaw official wants the community to know he’s not responsible for issuing tickets to COVID rule breakers.

Jack Bremner is a councillor for the R.M. of Dauphin and is also a bylaw control officer, and says the calls he’s been getting reporting health order violations should be directed to the appropriate channels, and not him.

“There’s a rumour going around that I’m the COVID police.”

Bremner says that although he is a bylaw control officer — who deals with things like messy yards, dogs running loose, building on land without a permit — he is not responsible for giving out COVID tickets.

“It’s all over town,” he said, adding “I’ve had three phone calls from people wanting me to go out and write a ticket.”

He says the first call he received was from a councillor in another municipality wanting Bremner to write a ticket to someone breaking the rules. He later received a call from a blocked number asking him to deal with someone having a party in the community.

Bremner tells CKDM he also got a third phone call to see if he would issue a ticket to someone else reportedly breaking the rules.

Although the province has enabled municipal bylaw enforcement to issue COVID-related public health orders, both the R.M. of Dauphin and City of Dauphin have elected not to have bylaw enforcement issue tickets.

“I don’t know who started the rumour. Maybe it’s because the bylaw officer in Winnipeg, Brandon and Portage are writing tickets, but not here. I know the guys here that are [writing tickets] and they’re civil servants that were told this is going to be their job.”

Current code red restrictions in Manitoba limit social contacts to people in the same household, and limit all gathering sizes to a maximum of 5. Non-essential businesses and churches must close under the current public health orders, and masks have to be worn in indoor public places.

“I’m really [ticked] off at people who break the rules, because they’re putting us all in danger.”

Bremner suggests people report COVID rule-breakers in the community to the appropriate channels.

Reporting Health Order Violations

Manitobans can report compliance and enforcement issues by visiting the online reporting tool, or by calling 204-945-3744 or 1-866-626-4862 (toll-free) and pressing option three on the call menu.

Since enforcement efforts began in April, a total of 1,962 warnings and 672 tickets have been issued, resulting in more than $984,000 in fines to Manitoba businesses and individuals.

Fines for not wearing a mask in indoor public places are $298, while fines for individuals violating public health orders have been set at $1,296, and $5,000 for tickets issued to corporations.

Details: Contributed by Matt Hamel; Published: Jan 8, 2021 - 4:51 pm

RCMP have made another arrest in connection to the death of a Métis woman last seen in Portage la Prairie.

36-year-old Tamara Benoit (Norman) was reported missing on July 10. Her remains were located in the RM of Portage la Prairie on September 3.

A 15-year-old male from Winnipeg was arrested on Tuesday, Jan. 5, and released without charges.

On Wednesday, Jan. 6, 37-year-old Ryan Peters from Long Plain First Nation was arrested and charged with second-degree murder.

On Thursday, Jan. 8, 36-year-old Tova Jeanie Peters was arrested and charged with second-degree murder and accessory after the fact to murder.

Both Ryan and Tova Peters remain in custody.

Details: Contributed by 730 CKDM; Published: Jan 8, 2021 - 3:53 pm

The boil advisory for all Eclipse water co-op members has now ended.

A boil water advisory was issued earlier this week for Eclipse water co-op members located along highway 20, east of Ecoil Recycling.

The advisory ended as of 1 p.m. on Friday.

Details: Contributed by Tess Kovach; Published: Jan 8, 2021 - 1:00 pm

On Friday health officials announced 222 new cases of COVID-19 and nine deaths due to the virus.

It was also a day on which a two-week extension to the lockdown restrictions was announced.

The measures — first put into effect November 12 — have closed non-essential businesses, gyms, restaurants, casinos, recreation facilities, movie theatres, concert halls, libraries, and churches.

Current public health orders also limit close contacts to people within the same household, and cap indoor and outdoor gathering sizes at 5 people.

Looking ahead, Dr. Roussin has been seeing improvements in our numbers, but says health officials are concerned about a possible spike related to the holidays.

Officials say 355 current cases in Manitoba are linked to holiday gatherings, with nearly 1,900 contacts as a result. Roussin says public health is aware of one holiday gathering of more than two-dozen people.

Today’s Numbers

The current five-day COVID-19 test positivity rate is 10.1% provincially and 10.3% in Winnipeg. The total number of lab-confirmed cases in Manitoba is 25,963.

There are 4,582 active cases and 20,655 individuals who have recovered from COVID-19.

There are 227 people in hospital with active COVID-19 as well as 88 people in hospital who are no longer infectious but continue to require care (315 hospitalizations in total).

There are 31 people in intensive care units with active COVID-19 as well as four people who are no longer infectious but continue to require critical care (35 ICU patients in total).

The total number of deaths due to COVID-19 is 726.

Today’s COVID-19 data shows:
• 16 cases in the Interlake–Eastern health region
• 69 cases in the Northern health region
• 27 cases in the Prairie Mountain Health region
• 13 cases in the Southern Health–Santé Sud health region
• 97 cases in the Winnipeg health region

According to the province’s data, there are active cases in the following Parkland health districts: Dauphin (9, up from 6 yesterday), Riding Mountain (1), Swan River (2), Porcupine Mountain (72), Duck Mountain (2), Asessippi (8), Little Saskatchewan (5), Whitemud (3), and Agassiz Mountain (24). Brandon has 40 active cases.

In the Interlake, the Eriksdale/Ashern health district has 51 active cases, while Fisher/Peguis has 44.

Public health officials advise nine additional deaths in people with COVID-19 have been reported today including:
• a male in his 70s from the Northern health region
• a female in her 70s from Prairie Mountain Health, linked to the outbreak at Fairview Personal Care Home
• a female in her 90s from Prairie Mountain Health, linked to the outbreak at Fairview Personal Care Home
• a female in her 90s from Prairie Mountain Health
• a male in his 50s from the Winnipeg health region
• a male in his 50s from the Winnipeg health region
• a female in her 50s from the Winnipeg health region, linked to the outbreak at Health Science Centre GH4
• a female in her 60s from the Winnipeg health region, linked to the outbreak at the Southeast Personal Care Home
• a female in her 80s from the Winnipeg health region

Public health officials have declared several outbreaks across the province today, including one at Lions Prairie Manor in Portage la Prairie. The site has been moved to Critical (red) on the #RestartMB Pandemic Response System.

Details: Contributed by Matt Hamel; Published: Jan 8, 2021 - 12:51 pm

Manitoba’s code red restrictions will remain in effect for another two weeks, the province announced today.

The measures — that have closed non-essential businesses and limited close contacts to people within the same household — have been in effect since November 12.

One small change to the public health order will mirror what’s already been decided in some other provinces — NHL teams and their affiliated officials will be exempt from the self-isolation requirements.

These lockdown measures will be in effect for another two weeks while officials monitor possible increases to case numbers as a result of the holidays.

“Already, public health officials have seen more than 355 cases and nearly 1,900 contacts linked to holiday gatherings, and we expect to see higher numbers in the coming days,” said Manitoba’s chief provincial public health officer Dr. Brent Roussin.

“That is why we’re extending the public health orders with a minor adjustment. We need to continue to protect our families and friends by staying home as much as possible.”