COVID-19

Tyson Vennard is Mini-VP for the Cochrane Generals and is helping the team in their quest to win the HJHL championship.

He can now add to his memory book the night he dropped the puck in the opening ceremony of the league's best-of-seven north final in Cochrane, Mar. 3.

A little over a month ago, the 11-year-old was invited to a Gens game by team president Rick Richards. Tyson was given some roles to play. He quickly rolled up his sleeves.

When Rick picked him up one night, Tyson was wearing a shirt and tie and was looking rather smart.

At the end of the first week of most health mandates being lifted, COVID-19 numbers continue to trend down.

Cochrane's active COVID-19 case count has dropped to 51.

According to the AHS website, Cochrane has recorded 14 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic. 

Rocky View County is reporting 56 active cases and a total of 13 COVID-19 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic. 

In the past 24 hours, 502 lab-confirmed cases were reported. 

There are 7,646 active cases in the province identified through PCR tests.

Public health officials advise 11 new deaths in people with COVID-19 are being reported today:

The Northwestern Health Unit isn’t considering implementing regional COVID-19 restrictions at this time but will continue to monitor the trends and statistics.

Dr. Kit Young Hoon, Medical Officer of Health for the NWHU says currently the trends have seen a slight increase, but not enough to warrant regional restrictions.

“It’s not rapidly increasing, we’re not seeing a sudden surge or a sudden increase,” said Young Hoon. “Hospitalization numbers have seen a small recent increase but it’s hard to tell how stable those numbers are.”

City councillors in Dryden have passed and approved a tough municipal budget for 2022, which includes a 3.91 per cent tax increase for the community, but it wasn’t an easy discussion.

Overall, Dryden’s 2022 Municipal Budget includes no service level reductions with about $7.65 million in capital spending and another $850,000 of planned Capital work through taxation, over $600,000 will flow to city reserves and $1.06 million will go towards debt servicing costs.

The Ontario government is investing over $30 million to train 800 new nurses and personal support workers across the province, including those in northwestern Ontario.

Ontario has announced a $34 million investment over four years to increase enrollment in nursing and PSW programs at six Indigenous institutes, including funding for Seven Generations Education Institute – which operates campuses in Kenora, Sioux Lookout and Fort Frances.

Alberta Health Services is offering COVID-19 pediatric immunization walk-in appointment times in Cochrane.

There will be walk-in immunization clinics for children aged five to 11:

Manitoba has plans to end its self-isolation requirements on March 15th. This is one more step in Manitoba's effort to remove all COVID-19 restrictions.

As of Tuesday, the province has eliminated any requirements for proof of vaccine. The province had already indicated that on March 15th, the mask mandate would be lifted. Today, Deputy Chief Provincial Public Health Officer Dr. Jazz Atwal went one step further and announced the potential change for self-isolating.

More vaccination opportunities are being given to young Albertans.

Alberta Health Services (AHS) will temporarily open walk-in appointment times for the COVID-19 vaccine in the Edmonton Zone, for children aged five to 11. 

The goal is to provide additional opportunities for families who wish to vaccinate their children.

Starting Wednesday (Mar.2) until Mar.16, several local AHS vaccination clinics will stay open weekday evenings until 8 p.m., on Saturdays until 6 p.m. and until 4:30 p.m. on Sundays.

Northwestern Ontario’s Kenora Chiefs Advisory is receiving new funding from the province to help address mental health and addictions in their home communities.

The Ontario government is investing $667,000 through their new Addictions Recovery Fund to help add and enhance specialized addictions treatments in northwestern Ontario.

“Our government recognizes the importance of making substantial investments in high-quality addictions care across Northwestern Ontario,” Kenora-Rainy River MPP and Minister of Indigenous Affairs, Greg Rickford.