Staff

It’s exactly the forecast we didn’t want heading into the weekend. For the third time in April, a Colorado low is targeting the region with yet another round of significant rainfall.

“We need to be on guard this weekend for overland flooding, and rapid rises in creeks and streams,” said CMOS Accredited Weathercaster Chris Sumner. “The ground is saturated, and in many areas is still relatively frozen. It simply doesn’t have the capacity to absorb any additional moisture.”

The province has expanded the availability of Paxlovid treatment to everyone who tests positive (via PCR or rapid test) with mild or moderate COVID-19 symptoms who are immunocompromised or at least 70 years old with designated risk factors, regardless of vaccination status.

People between 18 and 54 years of age that are not fully vaccinated but have a medical condition that puts them at high risk for severe outcomes are still eligible. The same goes for everyone between 55 and 69 who is not fully vaccinated.

The number of people with COVID-19 in Saskatchewan hospitals decreased in Thursday's weekly update from the province.

And the number of deaths over the most recent week's data was lower than the previous week's.

Hospitalizations fell from 417 to 409 from April 20 to April 27. There were 14 new deaths, compared to 20 the previous week.

The positivity rate in lab-confirmed cases stayed at 11.7 per cent.

Omicron accounted BA.2 accounted for 69.7 per cent of variants of concern.

The Saskatchewan government has expanded eligibility for fourth doses of COVID-19 vaccinations to all residents that are 50 or older.

The fourth dose - or second booster - is recommended, as long as four months or longer have passed since receiving the third dose.

The fourth dose had been limited to people 70 or older, those 50 years and older living in First Nations and Métis communities or in the Northern Saskatchewan Administration District, all residents in long-term and personal care homes, and those with designated health conditions.

A detour is in place on a section of Highway 32 just south of Winkler this morning.

The Winkler Fire Department posted on its social media last evening that a portion of the highway at Winkler's south dike, south of the Village of Schanzenfeld is blocked.

Rushing water in the city's south spillway is causing a potential for a washout of the highway in that area.

Crews have been on the scene monitoring the situation closely.

Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure’s Hydrologic Forecast Centre has issued a flood warning for the Red River Valley from Emerson to the Red River Floodway inlet just south of the city of Winnipeg.

An overland flood warning has been issued for much of southern Manitoba as a Colorado low prepares to bring plenty of moisture to the region this weekend.

Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure’s Hydrologic Forecast Centre has issued an overland flood warning for southern Manitoba from the Saskatchewan border eastward to Provincial Trunk Highway (PTH) 12 and from the United States border northwards to PTH 1. The warning could extend north of PTH 1 between PTH 5 and PTH 16, and north of PTH 1 between Portage la Prairie and Winnipeg.

Hockey Gives Blood announced Monday that Regina Pats captain Logan Nijhoff has won the 2022 Dayna Brons Honorary Award.

The Dayna Brons Honorary Award recognizes an individual from Canada’s hockey community who exhibits outstanding dedication towards patients who rely on blood and stem cell products in Canada.

The Winnipeg Police Service (WPS) says that a missing man who had not been seen in 10 days has been safely located.

Edwin Babisky, 63, was last seen on April 11, in the Transcona area of Winnipeg. Police had put out a missing person alert for him on Tuesday.

Police had been concerned for Babisky's well-being, encouraging people to check outbuildings on their properties.

Shortly after midnight on April 21, the WPS sent out a release that Babisky has been found safe.

Two grieving moms of homicide victims are making an emotional plea for help in solving the case from 2021. The bodies of a man and woman were found in the ashes of a house fire on September 9, 2021.

The incident took place on Northlands Denesuline First Nation, claiming the life of Brent Denechezhe, 31, and Leona Tssessaze, 24. The RCMP declared their deaths a homicide.