COVID-19

Manitoba's public health team and front-line healthcare workers are being inducted into the Order of the Buffalo Hunt.

On Tuesday morning, Chief Public health Officer Dr. Brent Roussin and Chief Nursing Officer Lanette Siragusa stand in the Legislative Building's Rotunda, listening to the echoing of praises.

“Manitoba’s public health team and our front-line healthcare workers have shown extraordinary dedication, hard work and perseverance to keep Manitobans safe through the COVID-19 pandemic,” Premier Brian Pallister says in a statement.

Nurses, teachers, and others are among those who will need to be fully immunized against COVID-19 in Manitoba, or be subject to frequent COVID-19 testing.

Manitoba's Chief Public Health Officer, Dr. Brent Roussin and Premier Brian Pallister say front-facing government employees, including all MLAs, require COVID-19 vaccinations or will need to undergo regular testing.

"It is not a condition of employment," says Roussin, who says anyone who does not get vaccinated will undergo frequent testing, up to three times a week for full-time employees.

Starting Sept. 13, 2021, proof of vaccination will be required in B.C. for people attending certain social and recreational settings and events.

This important step will continue to increase the vaccination rate across the province and provide confidence to fully vaccinated people that those around them are also fully vaccinated.

The COVID-19 numbers for Grande Prairie and area saw a big jump over the weekend. As of Monday, August 23, 2021, the City of Grande Prairie now has 363 active cases of the virus, and the County of Grande Prairie is at 148. 

Cases of COVID-19 across the rest of the province also remain high. Alberta now has 7,777 active cases of the virus. 

Hospitalizations have risen to 244, and a total of 54 Albertans are in intensive care receiving treatment. 

As of August 22, 2021,

Since Friday, August 20, Alberta has recorded 1,972 new cases of COVID-19.

Friday, August 21 there were 821 new cases reported.

Saturday, August 22 saw 678 new cases.

Sunday, August 23 added 478 new cases of that total, 333 or 69.81 per cent of the people infected were unvaccinated, 53 were partially vaccinated, and 91 were fully vaccinated.

The province now has 7,777 active cases with a positivity rate of 8.33 per cent.

Since Friday, hospitalizations have risen by 65 to a total of 244.

Dr. Brent Roussin will be giving more guidance regarding the Fourth Wave of COVID-19.

In a Monday afternoon press conference, Manitoba's Chief Public Health Officer says Tuesday will bring an announcement, strongly hinting at new Public Health Orders. The doctor would not say what is to come but gave strong signals as to what is to come. 

The current orders expire on September 7.

Roussin says watching other jurisdictions, he says a fourth wave of the virus is coming.

Two COVID-19 vaccine super sites are set to close by next week.

The Leila super site will host its last appointments on Monday. 

"The Vaccine Implementation Task Force would like to recognize and thank the staff and volunteers who have dedicated their time to support the vaccine rollout at this location, as well as the City of Winnipeg and Winnipeg Soccer Federation for their support of the site," the province says in a statement.

Leila staff will be given the option to work at the RBC super centre or other immunization clinics.

The Northwestern Health Unit (NWHU) has reported one new case of COVID-19 in the District of Rainy River.

The active case count has fallen from eight active cases this past Friday to four active cases today. There are two cases in the District of Rainy River and one case in each of the Dryden/Red Lake and Sioux Lookout districts. There is a case of COVID-19 assigned to the Kenora region, but the NWHU says that case is currently isolating outside of the region.

Football is returning this fall as an agreed schedule has been made for the three high schools in the Keewatin Patricia District School Board.

Teams will not compete in the Winnipeg High School Football League this year.

Each team will play each other twice with the first game being on September 17, 2021, where Dryden High School visits Fort Frances.

Beaver Brae opens up their season the following week against Fort Frances.

The COVID-19 numbers for Thursday, August 19 saw another 749 new cases reported in a 24-hour period.

Hospitalizations also increased by 23 more cases for a total of 221.

ICU admissions rose by five for a total of 48.

Of those currently in hospital, 179 people, or 81.0 percent haven't been vaccinated at all, 11 or 4.98 percent are partially vaccinated and 31 people or 14.03 percent are fully immunized.

One additional death has been reported for a total of 2,343.