COVID-19

Winnipeg cases make up more than half of the new COVID-19 cases Wednesday as cases spike in most of the province.

There are 400 new COVID-19 vases in Manitoba, bringing the total number of cases to 72,283.

New cases include 309 people who are fully vaccianted, 72 people who are not vaccianted, and 19 people who are partially vaccianted. 

Dr. Jazz Atwal, Manitoba's deputy public health officer estimates that between one-quarter to one-third of Wednesday's new cases is omicron variants, but says they need to wait for the lab results to say for sure.

Today, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, announced a $30-million top-up for the Emergency Food Security Fund, bringing total funding under the Fund to $330 million.

This additional investment is aimed at addressing the increased demand and fewer resources faced by food banks and local food organizations, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Food insecurity rates increased over the pandemic, with one in seven Canadian households who have experienced food insecurity over a one-month period during the pandemic.

The Manitoba government is introducing the Sector Support Program to provide up to $22 million in further support for businesses affected by the most recent COVID-19 public health orders, Economic Development and Jobs Minister Jon Reyes and Finance Minister Scott Fielding announced today.

More business supports are rolling out in Manitoba in preparation for what financial challenges the current health orders could bring.

Manitoba's Finance Minister Scott Fielding and Economic Development and Jobs Minister Jon Reyes say a new Sector Support Program with $22 million in available funds is in direct response to the new public health orders ordering reduced capacity in various sectors, including restaurants.

All the planning put into this year's Mac's AAA midget world tournament in Calgary has been for not.

The tournament was cancelled last night due to the rise in Omicron COVID-19 cases.

The Fort Saskatchewan Rangers were one of the 30 teams scheduled to participate.

"With the rising cases and constantly changing environment of the COVID-19 pandemic, we feel it is not appropriate to executive the tournament as planned," officials stated in an announcement last night. "The decision was made after weighing all options and is based on many factors."

The Northwestern Health Unit has reported 23 new cases of COVID-19.

Eight of the new cases are in the Red Lake Health Hub, five cases are in the Dryden Health Hub, seven cases are in the Kenora Health Hub and there is one case in each of the Emo, Fort Frances, and Sioux Lookout  Health Hubs.

This brings the active case count in the region to 115.

The health unit is also reporting that six people are currently hospitalized with COVID-19 in the region.

The province of Ontario reported 4,383 new cases of COVID-19 today.

Kindergarten to Grade 12 students in Manitoba are getting an extra four days off as part of their Winter Break. 

The Province announced today that it will delay the return to school for students to Jan. 10, 2022, to give public health officials additional time to assess the risk of the omicron variant in Manitoba and what changes might be needed on the return to school in early January, Education Minister Cliff Cullen announced today.

Schools across the province will be having a slightly longer break than usual this year as the province takes time assessing the risk of the omicron COVID-19 variant.

Instead of the expected January 6 return to class for most students in Kindergarten to Grade 12, Public Health is asking for schools to resume the next Monday, on January 10. 

The much anticipated World Juniors will have far fewer fans in the stands following yesterday's provincial announcement.

Hockey Canada's Chief Executive Officer, Tom Renney and President and COO, Scott Smith released a joint statement addressing fan capacity at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship which is set to kick off on Boxing Day.

They say that a 50% reduced capacity will be in effect for all games and the event ticketing team is currently addressing the implementation and will be in contact with all ticket holders by the end of the day on Thursday, December 23.

On Monday, third dose eligibility expanded to those over the age of 18, and now mass immunization clinics are filling up fast into the new year.

Previously, eligibility was only open over the age of 50 if it's been over 24 weeks, or 168 days, since their second dose.

KenoraOnline was able to speak to a local resident on his decision-making to get his third dose.