COVID-19

The community came together yesterday at the Seven Generations field to celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day. The community event was put together by The All Nations Health Partners and was called Steps to Truth and Reconciliation.

“Today is a very special day, we celebrate all Nishnawbe people and the Metis. It's a really important day for us as Nishnawbe people, hosting a Powow to celebrate who we are, where we come from, and to pass on the teaching to the young children that are here today,” said Reno Cameron Cultural Coordinator for Kenora Chiefs Advisory.

Alberta recorded 60 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, June 21. The lowest count reported in a 24 hour period in months.

The positivity rate is at 2.1 per cent. 

There are now 2,003 active cases in the province with Rocky View County accounting for 16 of those cases and Cochrane 12.

There are 214 people are in the hospital with an increase of three admissions to ICU bringing that total to 56.

Another two deaths have been reported bringing the total in the province to 2,292.

Manitoba will see changes to the current COVID-19 restrictions coming this weekend, but what they will be is still being discussed.

As of Monday morning, Manitoba has reached its first COVID-19 vaccination targets first announced as part of the 4-3-2 One Great Summer Reopening Path. 

Manitoba has reached its first COVID-19 vaccination goal.

As of Monday, 71.5 per cent of all Manitobans have received their first COVID-19 vaccine, and 25.4 per cent their second. Manitoba needed to reach 25 per cent for second doses to announce reopenings.

To date, 1,156,966 doses of vaccine have been administered.

Second-dose eligibility

Those who got their first COVID-19 vaccine on or before May 25 can now book their second vaccine. On Tuesday, that will open further for people who got their vaccine on or before May 29.

For the second day in a row, the Northwestern Health Unit has reported no new cases of COVID-19 in the district.

There are currently two cases in the Kenora Region, one case in the Sioux Lookout region and one case listed in the Kenora region, but that case is currently outside of the NWHU catchment area.

Northwestern Ontario’s economy got a boost this past weekend due to a large part of the Manitoba/Ontario border opening. Tourists and cottage owners were finally allowed back into sunset country and bringing with them added revenue to Northwestern Ontario.

MP Eric Melillo talked with Q104’s morning show last Friday about the matter of the border re-opening.

Manitoba residents and cottage owners have flooded into Northwestern Ontario as the Manitoba/Ontario border restrictions were lifted last Wednesday.

Kenora-Rainy River MPP Greg Rickford addressed the media last week on the re-opening of the border.

“Hopefully we can just enjoy and celebrate with family, friends, and fellowship of the people of Manitoba and borders beyond across the country, and that everyone will be safe in enjoying what we have here,” said Rickford

The class of 2021 at St. Thomas Aquinas High School will be graduating tomorrow.

Unlike last year, things will look closer to normal as there will be two in-person graduation ceremonies. The Northwestern Health Unit, Ministry of Health, and government of Ontario have approved outdoor graduation ceremonies, with capacity limits

The school will be hosting two separate graduation ceremonies to ensure all COVID-19 safety protocols are being observed.

Cochrane is now sitting with 12 active cases.  

Rocky View County had a bit of an anomaly as active cases there actually increased for the first time in a while, rising to 16 from Friday's 14 cases.

The province is reporting 100 new cases on Sunday and 127 new cases on Saturday with another drop in active cases from 2,336 on Friday to 2,170 on Saturday and 2,127 on Sunday. 

There are 214 people in the hospital a drop from 221 on Saturday.  ICU patients saw an increase from Saturday to 53 on Sunday.

The Northwestern Health Unit has no new cases of COVID-19 to report today.