COVID-19

The province has announced that COVID-19 bulletins will only be issued on Thursdays. With that in mind, PembinaValleyOnline will also move to publishing COVID-19 updates only on Thursdays, to coincide with the adjustment to the release schedule.

Public health officials advise 18 new deaths in people with COVID-19 are being reported today:

Gas prices in the Kenora region continue to hit all-time highs skyrocketing 30 cents in the last week.

Some fuel stations in Kenora and Dryden are now selling a litre of regular gasoline for 185.9, up four cents since Monday.

Prices in Sioux Lookout remain unchanged, according to GasBuddy.com.

Kenora resident Mikael Baranyi says he feels bad for businesses that base their company around driving.

The Northwestern Health Unit is finally seeing the gradual decrease in some COVID-19 statistics and trends the rest of the province has seen for weeks now.

“What we’re seeing is that the case numbers are declining slowly,” said Dr. Kit Young Hoon, Medical Officer of Health for the NWHU. “We’ve been seeing it for roughly three weeks. There is a somewhat consistent trend of decreasing case numbers.”

The health unit is reporting a total of 205 active cases, 156 of those cases are in the Sioux Lookout Health Region.

Mennonite Brethren Collegiate Institute (MBCI) hosted their first concert with people in the audience yesterday since 2020. 

Andrew Klassen teaches concert band and jazz band at MBCI.

"We're very excited," says Klassen. "Our jazz bands and vocal jazz ensembles did a concert called An Evening of Jazz at MBCI. What's exciting is that we haven't done this concert in two years. We were in preparation to go to the Brandon Jazz Festival but it shut down."

Another teacher that was a part of yesterday's concert was the vocal teacher at MBCI, Scott Riemer. 

Ontario is ending its mask mandate in most indoor public settings and schools on March 21, 2022,  which was announced Wednesday (March 9, 2022) by Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Kieran Moore

"Removing the mask mandate does not mean the risk is gone, COVID-19 transmission is still occurring across the province and masks can help protect you and others from becoming infected from COVID-19," said Dr. Moore. 

Leadership in northwestern Ontario is fighting to change COVID-19 travel restrictions ahead of the summer season.

The Ontario government is investing in nurses across the province by providing a lump sum retention incentive.

Ontario is investing $763 million, which will work out to a $5,000 one-time payment per nurse to help retain nurses across the province and stabilize the workforce.

“A strong nursing workforce is going to be critical to supporting the province's recovery in the months and years ahead,” said Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “Simply put an investment in our nurses is an investment in our future.”

Heading abroad?

Janice Thys, the owner of Expedia Cruises Sherwood Park, says the biggest change as of recent is the option to take a rapid antigen over a mandatory PCR test.

There are currently three types of COVID-19 tests international travellers are allowed to use:

• Negative rapid antigen test mentioned within a day of travel
• Negative PCR test within 72 hours of return to Canada
• Positive PCR test from 10 to 180 days from the date of your return

The antigen test is significantly cheaper in Canada and abroad.

The Ontario government is still unsure on when exactly they will be removing the mask mandate that’s been in effect for the majority of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Kieran Moore said last week he still doesn’t have a timeline, but hopefully, it will be soon.

“Because the trends look so good that we can anticipate if the trends continue removing mandatory masking by the end of March,” said Dr. Moore.

For the last two years, the Kenora region has faced harsh restrictions, lockdowns, sickness, and many other things, battling the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sense normalcy can be felt as Ontario removed capacity limits, and proof of vaccination almost a week ago meaning it could be a somewhat normal summer.

For Kenora Mayor, Dan Reynard, he’s excited not just for the people of the community but for all residents in the region following additional lifted measures.