COVID-19

The provincial government reported this week three fines had been issued for violating the public health orders that have been put in place with an aim of curbing the spread of COVID-19. One of those fines issued was for a Weyburn business. 

In a release issued Tuesday, the provincial government stated Iron Bar Fitness was fined $14,000 for failing to screen for proof of COVID-19 vaccination or negative test. 

Ontario has passed a new bill to protect the rights of workers across the province.

On November 30, the Ontario government announced that it had officially passed the Working for Workers Act of 2021, which aims to promote a healthier work-life balance.

The passing of the bill makes Ontario the first jurisdiction in Canada to make it easier for employees to relax when not working, and the first jurisdiction in Canada to ban non-compete agreements.

The province is expanding eligibility for third doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Starting Thursday (Dec.2), all Albertans aged 60 and older can book appointments for a booster dose of mRNA vaccine six months after receiving their second doses. Appointments will be available beginning Monday.

All other Albertans over 18 will be notified once the next age group can book appointments, which the province hopes to announce "as quickly as possible."

Dr. Joss Reimer is encouraged by the number of children who have their first COVID-19 vaccine appointment booked.

As of Wednesday morning, 14,101 children between the ages of five to 11 have received their first COVID-19 vaccine, and roughly 10 thousand more appointments have been booked. Roughly seventeen thousand of those total appointments have been booked at urban Indigenous clinics and regional clinics.

Canada’s first two cases of the Omicron COVID-19 variant of concern were confirmed Sunday in Ottawa. The variant – which may be more transmissible – was first identified in South Africa, where it coincided with a recent spike in COVID-19 cases, but it’s unclear where it first emerged.

Here’s what we know about it so far:

WHAT IS OMICRON?

No cases of the B.1.1.529 (omicron) variant have been detected in Manitoba at this time and the province can confirm that all positive travel-related specimens are being sequenced.

The province continues to monitor the situation and work with federal officials in the fight against COVID-19 and its variants. Federal travel restrictions can be found here https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid.

Public Health says there are 1,383 active COVID-19 cases.

There are 124 new COVID-1 cases Wednesday, including 63 people who are not vaccinated, 55 people who are fully vaccinated, and seven people who are partially vaccinated. 

Manitoba's five-day test rate is 5.2 per cent. 

New cases by health regions include:

The Northwestern Health Unit says recent cases of COVID-19 in the region have come from travel to high-risk areas, and leadership is recommending against travel to the United States at this time.

“Since the U.S. border reopening, we have seen a number of cases in people who have recently travelled to Minnesota,” said Medical Officer of Health with the Northwestern Health Unit, Dr. Kit Young Hoon, in her weekly conference with regional media members on November 30.

Canada’s first two cases of the Omicron COVID-19 variant of concern were confirmed Sunday in Ottawa. The variant – which may be more transmissible – was first identified in South Africa, where it coincided with a recent spike in COVID-19 cases, but it’s unclear where it first emerged. Here’s what we know about it so far:

WHAT IS OMICRON?

Ten countries are now on the travel ban list by the federal government of Canada amid growing concerns over the discovery of a new COVID-19 variant.

According to a press release from the federal Minister of Health, "Effective immediately, foreign nationals who have been in any of these countries within the previous 14 days will not be permitted entry into Canada: