COVID-19

If you plan on hitting the slopes this winter, you'll need need to bring more than your winter gear with you.

Many of the nearby ski resorts are jumping on board with the Restrictions Exemption Program (REP), and some have taken it one step further.

On Monday, Resorts of the Canadian Rockies (RCR) announced that anyone over the age of 12 is required to show their proof of vaccination to access all chair lifts and indoor facilities at their resorts this winter.

Alberta's vaccination numbers are on the rise, as of Nov.1, 80 per cent of eligible Albertans are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19 -- over 3.2 million people.

Over 87 per cent of eligible Albertans have received at least one dose.

It should be noted that these numbers only refer to Albertans aged 12 and older, with the full vaccination rate for the province's total population sitting at 67.9 per cent (as of Oct. 28).

More than 3.2 million Albertans are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19 after receiving two doses. 

Alberta Health Services says that since September 15, approximately 264,000 Albertans have received the first dose of vaccine, and 293,000 have received a second dose. 

Premier Kenney says, "More and more Albertans are choosing to be protected against COVID-19 because of the undeniable fact that vaccines work and they save lives. It’s great news that we’ve reached this milestone that will also help to ease the pressure on our health-care system in the future.”

First Nation communities across the province will see over $36 million in targeted, culturally appropriate and community-led mental health and addictions supports through a provincial investment.

Kenora-Rainy River MPP Greg Rickford, who also serves as the Minister of Indigenous Affairs and Minister of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry, helped make the $36 million announcement on Friday afternoon.

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

Manitoba's five-day test positivity rate is increasing, jumping from 3.9 per cent to 4.6 per cent in one week.

Out of the 483 new COVID-19 cases from Friday to Monday, 266 cases are from Southern Health. There is now a total of 63,688 confirmed cases with 1,273 of those being active cases.

New cases by health region include:

The Northwestern Health Unit has reported two new COVID-19 cases since their last update. 

The new cases have been found in the Rainy River and Dryden/Red Lake Health Regions. 

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

The new cases put the active case count in the NWHU catchment area to two.

For nearly 20 months we've gotten used to having bolder COVID health and safety measures imposed before holidays and special occasions.

Heading into our second pandemic Halloween, provincial leaders and health officials reiterated the messaging of limitations on the size of gatherings, social distancing, masking and hand hygiene.

For the second year, the province's Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Deena Hinshaw asked Albertans to get creative with candy distribution to avoid high touch and we were reminded of the consequences of not adhering to the rules.

It was the beginning of June, and we had a full summer ahead of us when we last checked in for a crime report update. The months have flown by and as we head into winter, CochraneNow checked in with Corporal Savinkoff of the Cochrane RCMP for an overview of the summer and fall of 2021.

High school students across Ontario could soon be moving back to a more normal in-person class structure.