COVID-19

The Ministry of Health has released new self-isolating guidelines regarding fully vaccinated and unvaccinated people.

A fully vaccinated person does not have to self-isolate if a household member is awaiting COVID-19 test results. If symptoms are discovered and the COVID-19 test comes back negative, no self-isolation is required as long as symptoms are improving after 24 hours. 

Un-vaccinated people still need to self-isolate while awaiting test results. 

If exposed and a person declines a COVID test, a mandatory 10 self-isolation is required. 

Anyone who booked their COVID-19 vaccine appointment using the provincial booking system must rebook their 2nd dose through the Northwestern Health Unit. The large clinics for previously scheduled second doses have been cancelled. If you were scheduled into one of the clinics below and still need your second dose, please book a new appointment.

To rebook:

• Call the health unit at 1-866-468-2240 or

• Go to www.clinicreservation.com/book-now/northwestern-health-unit

The Northwestern Health Unit has confirmed zero new positive COVID-19 test results in the region.

Currently, there are four active cases in the NWHU catchment area. Three active cases in the Kenora Health Region and one active case in the Rainy River Health Region. The NWHU has confirmed that one case each from the Kenora and Rainy River Health Region is isolating outside of the health region.

A total of 112,237 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered across the area.

The next NWHU COVID-19 update will be on Monday morning.

There were 550 new cases of COVID-19 reported in Alberta on August 11, making two days in a row the province has added over 500 new cases of the virus.  

The case count exceeds the 501 reported the day before, which was the highest in the province since May 27.  As Alberta plans to wind down testing, isolating and tracing starting Monday, the active cases in the province rose by 332 to 4,101.    

The federal government announced on Wednesday that they are moving forward with proof of vaccination certificate for Canadian’s returning home from traveling internationally.

The proof of vaccination allows the border agents the ability to assess each traveler and make sure they meet public health requirements to be able to return back from travel.

MP Eric Melillo hopes that regardless of Canadian’s vaccine status or type of vaccine one got will still allow for Canadian’s to travel internationally.

A large COVID-19 testing clinic is closing in Winnipeg.

The Thunderbird House COVID-19 testing site is closing this weekend. This site was created to serve the residents and visitors in the Point Douglas areas of Winnipeg. Many people in the area experience various degrees of homelessness and seek support from nearby centres, making the centre an ideal location. Now that testing volumes have gone down, Thunderbird will not be hosting a testing clinic. This is a stark contrast to 11 months ago, when Manitoba saw a jump in cases, overwhelming the facility.

The Northwestern Health Unit has discovered three new positive COVID-19 test results in the district.

The newly discovered cases are all from the Kenora Health Region.

Follow up with the person involved and their contacts has started according to protocol. Anyone who is identified as a contact for this case will be contacted directly.

Some border restrictions were lifted earlier this week, making travel by air easier for some.

Fully vaccinated travellers who are American citizens or permanent residents of the United States are being welcomed into Canada for discretionary travel as of Aug. 9.

Andy Davis, the senior director of terminal operations at the Calgary International Airport, says travel is not as easy as it used to be and that changes to restrictions are ongoing.

The province recorded 501 new cases of COVID-19 on August 10th bringing the number of active cases in Alberta to 3,769.  

The new cases were found in 8,613 tests done which brought our provincial positivity rate to about 5.8 percent.  

Five more Albertans are hospitalized because of the virus for a total of 138 with one more reported in the ICU for a total of 31.  Another person has passed away making the death toll since the beginning of the pandemic in Alberta now 2,331.

This Friday the 13th one of the bright lights in Winnipeg’s Arts scene will re-open its doors for the first time in a long while.

The Cinematheque Theatre on the corner of Bannatyne and Arthur Street in the Exchange District will open its doors to the public and resume its showing of first-rate independent films.