Dryden

The possibility of a return of COVID-19 restrictions, such as masking could become a reality as Ontario continues to battle the 6th wave, which is predominantly driven by the BA.2 variant.

Dr. Kieran Moore, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health at a media briefing last week said, that residents should be prepared for the possibility of the mask mandate coming back.

The IISD-Experimental Lakes Area just west of Kenora is relishing following a $9.5 million provincial investment made last week.

The funds will go towards supporting much-needed vital research and having secure and stable funding to help the ELA become more financially self-sufficient.

If you are a residential school survivor, you are able to contact the 24-hour National Crisis Line at 1-866-925-4419 for support. Indigenous people can also access the Hope for Wellness Help Line at 1-855-242-3310 or online chat at www.hopeforwellness.ca.

Governments should consider extreme heat a natural disaster as climate change raises the risk of soaring summer temperatures in much of Canada, a new report says.

Irreversible Extreme Heat, penned by experts at the Intact Centre on Climate Change at the University of Waterloo, says "Canadian alarm bells should be ringing" about the risk of intense heat.

"Extreme heat is kind of a disaster waiting to happen," said lead author Joanna Eyquem, managing director of climate−resilient infrastructure at the Intact Centre.

Mother nature is ruling down with an iron fist yet again, as more snow is in the forecast.

Environment Canada, says the region will see around 5 to 10 cm of rain and snow hit the ground, starting Tuesday night (April 19, 2022) into Wednesday morning (April 20, 2022).

Along with the snow, up to 40 km/h wind gusts will accompany the spring snow and a forecasted high of +3 degrees on Wednesday.

Dryden, Sioux Lookout, and Red Lake, like Kenora, are all expected to get the hit with the same quick blast of winter.

Hospitals across Canada are facing a resurgence of patients with COVID-19 that some health officials say will likely continue for another month.

Latest data from the Public Health Agency of Canada shows hospitalizations due to COVID-19 rose about 18 per cent across Canada between April 4 and April 11 — to 6,020 people needing beds from 5,109.

In the last week, Quebec, Ontario, Nova Scotia and the Prairies have all reported an increase in hospitalizations from the virus and intensive care admissions have also inched slightly upwards in some provinces.

Four years later and despite an election promise from the Premier, work still hasn’t started on 76 long-term care beds for the Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win Health Centre.

Over $15 million is making its way to northwestern Ontario to help provide clean drinking water to eight communities in the area.

Kenora-Rainy River MPP Greg Rickford announced the $15.5 million in joint provincial and federal Green Stream funding on April 14, saying the funds will head to Kenora, Rainy River, Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation, Emo, Fort Frances, Chapple, Machin and the Ojibways of the Onigaming.

The All-Nations Hospital, a project that has been in the works since before the COVID-19 pandemic began, is almost through the first phase of planning.

Ray Racette, Lake of the Woods District Hospital President, and CEO says they prioritized the project through COVID-19.

“We’ve been working on it throughout the pandemic,” says Racette. “We expect to have the first phase of our planning pretty well signed to the extent it can be within the next small number of weeks.”

Mask mandates could be extended for Ontario’s highest-risk settings.

Last week, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Kieran Moore, said provincial officials were actively discussing a possible extension of Ontario’s COVID-19 mask mandate for public transit settings, shelters, jails, long-term care homes and hospitals, which is currently in effect until April 27.