NDP, Tory leaders hit Manitoba byelection campaign trail

A pair of federal party leaders were in Manitoba on Friday, campaigning with local candidates ahead of upcoming June 19 byelections.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh both stopped in the capital city and were headed to the Winkler area to back their parties’ candidates in the Winnipeg South Centre and Portage—Lisgar ridings.

Both described the Liberal minority government as “out of touch” and made their pitches for how they’d each lead the country, if elected to do so.

In Winnipeg South Centre, a seat the Liberals have held for the better part of three decades, Poilievre was showing support for Conservative candidate Damir Stipanovic.

New tech to make provincial election appearance

Provincial election results are expected to be announced more quickly after polls close this fall, thanks to electronic vote counting.

Elections Manitoba is using the technology for the first time in the 2023 provincial election.

Instead of going into a regular ballot box, votes will be put through a counting machine at advance polling stations and on election day (expected Oct. 3). The machines could cut in half the time it takes to count, verify and report the election results.

Shipra Verma, chief electoral officer for the province of Manitoba, said it typically takes three or four hours to count the ballots, on average. This year, it is expecting the manual count to be wrapped up in one or two hours. Many of the ballots will be counted by machines.

Radio host Wheeler drops 2018 wrongful dismissal lawsuit

A wrongful dismissal case involving a Winnipeg radio morning show host has concluded.

Health task force pushes back against privatization criticism

Concern about the use of private contracts to clear Manitoba’s pandemic surgical backlog has created harmful rhetoric around the provincial task force’s work, one of its leaders says.

Ed Buchel, provincial surgery specialty lead for Shared Health, pushed back Wednesday on what he described as rhetoric that falsely compares Manitoba’s agreements with private clinics to privatization of the health-care system.

“It is publicly funded, with public oversight, and it is privately delivered. We just need to be really clear, because the emotions run crazy high when we talk about privatizing our system. We are all heavily invested in our system. We are the system,” Buchel said at a news conference at Victoria Hospital. It was also attended by David Matear, executive director of the province’s Diagnostic and Surgical Recovery Task Force, and Dr. Peter MacDonald, chairman of the task force’s steering committee.

“So, the rhetoric around that is harmful,” Buchel said.

Red Cross to help First Nation with mental-health crisis

A Red Cross crisis team is set to travel to a remote northern Manitoba First Nation after two suicides and five suicide attempts among teenage girls.

The Red Cross team is expected to arrive in York Factory within the next two weeks.

It’s working with Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak and the Keewatin Tribal Council “to provide comfort and support to the community members impacted by these tragic events,” stated Jason Small, the Manitoba spokesman for the Canadian Red Cross.

He said the organization doesn’t duplicate efforts, so it won’t arrive in the community while other crisis teams are on site.

Province urged to halt private sleep studies

The provincial government has been asked to stop pursuing private contracts for sleep disorder studies.

The Manitoba Health Coalition, the Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals and sleep specialist Dr. Nancy Porhownik has called for an “immediate moratorium” on private sleep-study contracts, greater public accountability and oversight of existing agreements, and regulatory limits to protect patients from out-of-pocket costs and conflicts of interest in the private sleep-study market.

They said Tuesday the polysomnography technician workforce is under-staffed and spends too much time trying to fix sleep-assessment equipment that needs to be replaced.

Less expensive sleep-disorder assessments, they said, could be provided within the public system if the sleep disorder lab at Misericordia Health Centre had more funding for additional staff and updated equipment.

Electoral reform group stuffs byelection ballot with candidates

Activists for electoral reform have set their sights on Winnipeg South Centre.

Funding needed to pursue ‘great interest’ in psilocybin: researcher

More scientific research has been called for into medical use of so-called magic mushrooms — and University of Manitoba Prof. Lynda Balneaves is one of the Canadian researchers trying to answer those questions.

“I think we need to remain non-judgemental, try to remove the stigma from it, be open to the potential,” Balneaves said.

“We need more research, we need more funding for it and we need more education, just to ensure that the Canadian public is kept safe and they’re using this appropriately for any health conditions that they may be interested in using it for.”

Balneaves, a registered nurse who holds a PhD and has a background in medicinal cannabis research and cancer care, said Wednesday research interest in psilocybin — a psychedelic component of magic mushrooms — has grown over the past couple of years.

Transit union, mayor to meet on security plan

The rush-hour stabbing last week on a Winnipeg Transit bus is just the latest violent attack that underscores the need for onboard security, its drivers’ union says.

Chris Scott, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1505, said he is scheduled to meet June 1 with Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham to discuss the city’s plan to hire and train peace officers for its buses before the end of the year.

The union has been getting more reports of passenger-on-passenger violence across the city, he said. “It just goes to strengthen our call for a security team.”

On May 19, an adult male passenger riding the No. 15 route was stabbed in the area of Sargent Avenue and Balmoral Street around 5:15 p.m.

‘In the path of our ancestors’: Indian Horse Relay closes annual Manito Ahbee festival

With his one-year-old son on his shoulders, smiling, Toby Bear stands up against the fence at the front of the race track, taking in the action.

“There they go!” he exclaims, as a clatter of hooves batter the dirt track a few feet away. Riding bareback, without saddles, young racers coral horses painted with traditional designs. At each leg of the race, they swiftly and carefully dismount and hand off the horse to another rider to continue the relay, aiming for as seamless a transition as possible.

Bear raises his arms up to cheer, and his toddler does the same. Behind them, more than a hundred spectators are focused on the second annual Indian Horse Relay at Assiniboia Downs, the last event of the 18th Manito Ahbee Festival, which wrapped up Monday.

“This is my second time here, and I enjoy it. It’s really cool,” said Bear, a Winnipeg resident, as he gestured to his contented son, also named Toby. “This is his second time, too.”

Riding in style for a good cause

Wearing their finest fitted suits, buttoned vests and flat caps, a group of bikers cruised through the city Sunday afternoon raising more than $14,000 for men’s health and turning heads along the way.

Winnipeg’s ninth annual Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride for prostate cancer research and men’s mental health brought together about 50 motorcyclists and some classic bikes on a dapper 10-kilometre charity ride that was just as much about camaraderie as it was about raising awareness.

Longtime friends Gerald Huhtala and Barry Leschinsky were among the gentlemen changing the image of leather-clad bikers, hoping their finery would catch enough attention for a good cause.

“It’s a bit of a spectacle,” Huhtala said with a smile. “I think people will remember (and support Movember).”

MPI names new interim CEO, Herbelin out

MPI has a new leader following the unceremonious departure of the Crown corporation’s former CEO.

The new interim president and chief executive officer of Manitoba Public Insurance is now Marnie Kacher, appointed by MPI’s board of directors to take over the role immediately, the board announced in an unexpected statement Sunday afternoon.

“Effectively (sic) immediately, (former CEO) Mr. Eric Herbelin is no longer employed with Manitoba Public Insurance,” board of directors chairman Ward Keith stated.

The board is recruiting for a permanent president and CEO.

Chief of isolated northern Manitoba First Nation sounds mental-health alarm

Recent youth suicides and suicide attempts in a northern Manitoba First Nation have prompted its chief to call for urgent action from federal and provincial governments to address growing isolation in the community.

York Factory First Nation Chief Darryl Wastesicoot is raising the alarm about the mental-health effects of the lack of transportation, infrastructure and resources in the community about 850 kilometres north of Winnipeg.

“Our youth are very much in trouble right now,” Wastesicoot said Friday.

He said five teenage girls are currently receiving counselling outside the community following their attempts to take their own lives earlier this month.

Pain clinic backlog symptom service not improving: patient

Every three months for the past five years, Judith Perras has had regular treatments at Health Sciences Centre’s pain care clinic.

Former Guess Who drummer on life support, family calls for return of mask requirements at health-care centres

Last month, Vance Masters was at home, on a treadmill, exercising in preparation for his first evening out since the pandemic began.

Now, the 77-year-old internationally recognized musician is on life support in an intensive care unit, after contracting COVID-19 inside a health-care centre.

His family is speaking out about the lack of protection for vulnerable patients in Manitoba, particularly in the wake of rescinded mask mandates in hospitals and long-term care settings.

Bev Masters and the couple’s two adult children are in the process of making heart-rending decisions about how long to continue his life support.

Trauma surgery delay highlights health-care system woes: patient

A week after being seriously hurt in a car crash, a Winnipeg man is still waiting for surgery amid hospital and ambulance delays.

“I feel lucky to be alive, and I really want to start healing and getting past this,” said Zach Fleisher.

He’s been on a will-call list for surgery since May 2, and is required to fast daily on a 16-hour cycle from midnight to 4 p.m., in case he can get into surgery last-minute.

Until then, he’s waiting at home on painkillers.

Norwegians among group researching elder-care reform touring Manitoba health facilities

A group of Norwegian researchers, health-care providers and managers is touring Manitoba’s personal-care homes and urgent-care centres this week as part of long-term, international research on elder-care reform.

They’re learning about the effect of the provincial government’s 2017 consolidation of ERs and health-care services as they examine how to improve care for older adults.

The group of 20 Norwegians, eight Albertans and 12 Manitobans are in Winnipeg until Friday for an International Network to Enhance Older Adult Care Transitions (iNET) workshop. They’re focusing on how to improve transfers for elderly patients, between their homes to hospital, or from hospitals to long-term care homes, and learn more about programs that aim to keep people living independently longer.

Frode Fadnes Jacobsen, a university professor and research director at the Centre for Care Research in western Norway, and Malcolm Doupe, associate professor in the University of Manitoba’s Rady faculty of Health Sciences, are co-principal investigators of the iNET project.

Manitoba touts health hires, unable to say how many departures, vacancies

The provincial government has announced that 900 health workers have been hired since November 2022, as part of Health Minister Audrey Gordon’s promise to hire 2,000 additional staff.

However, the government refuses to say how many workers have left since that time, and how many vacancies remain.

In a statement attributed to Gordon Thursday, the province said it had recently hired 82 allied-health providers, 32 physician and clinical assistants, 438 health-care aides, 259 nurses and 73 physicians.

It could not provide vacancy data to show how many positions in each of those fields remain unfilled.

Mask mandate to be lifted in Manitoba hospitals, health facilities

The last COVID-19 restriction in Manitoba is about to be lifted: masks won’t be required in hospitals, care homes and most health-care facilities as of May 10.

Shared Health announced the lifting of health-care mask mandates Wednesday, stating most visitors and patients won’t have to wear masks, but will be asked to wear a mask if they are sick. Exceptions include visits to cancer or organ-transplant programs where immune-compromised patients are regularly present.

‘Desperate’ shortage of psychologists causing critical delays in youth care

A longstanding shortage of psychologists in Manitoba has resulted in particularly long wait lists for children and desperate need in rural and northern areas.

“We’re desperate for child and adolescent psychologists in the public system, and there’s so little access in the rural regions,” said Julia Riddell, a registered clinical psychologist and communications director for the Manitoba Psychological Society.

Manitoba still has the lowest per capita number of psychologists compared with other provinces, according to 2021 data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information.

There are a total of 280 registered psychologists working in Manitoba, a rate of 20.2 per 100,000 people. The national average rate is about 54 per 100,000, although some provinces didn’t report any data for 2021.

U of M breast milk study expected to have global impact

University of Manitoba researchers have received a prestigious US$2.5-million grant to study how breast milk affects health outcomes.

“There’s many mysteries to unlock, I think, in breast milk that could have applications well beyond infant health, although certainly in our projects, infant health is the main priority,” said study lead Meghan Azad, a professor of pediatrics and child health who holds the Canada Research Chair in developmental origins of chronic disease.

A team of 12 researchers at U of M is working on this study, and Azad co-directs the U of M’s Thrive Discovery Lab with Natalie Rodriguez. They’re examining breast milk as a biological system and trying to better understand all of its components. The research could have implications, Azad hopes, for public policy that supports breastfeeding mothers and makes babies healthier.

The work is being funded by a U.S. government research agency, the National Institutes of Health, because of the Manitoba team’s access to thousands of breast milk samples, research network, and years of expertise that could translate into a better understanding of breast milk science around the world.

Province pledges to triple Grace ICU capacity

The province is promising to nearly triple intensive-care capacity at the Grace Hospital by spending $30 million on renovations the premier said Sunday will “support a higher standard of care overall.”

Premier Heather Stefanson said her government’s contribution to an expansion of the Grace ICU is expected to add 33,000 square feet of space, add up to 20 beds to the existing 10-bed unit, and upgrade its outdated design. The $30-million in provincial funds will be combined with $5 million pledged by the Grace Hospital Foundation for capital. A total budget for the project, including ongoing operational costs, has yet to be determined. Construction is expected to begin in summer 2024. No anticipated completion date has been announced.

The project’s design, operational budget and plans to staff up the expanded ICU still have to be figured out.

“This expansion project will ensure the Grace and its dedicated health-care professionals can continue to provide the highest standard of care to more Manitobans,” Stefanson said during a news conference at Grace Hospital on Sunday afternoon. She said the funding comes as part of a commitment she made last fall to continue to collaborate with the hospital foundation after the province put $6 million toward upgraded diagnostic imaging equipment for the Grace.

‘It’s just unfair that my son had to die’

Joseph Fourre says he owes it to his son to tell people about how kind and loving he was.

Harlan Fourre died at 2:29 p.m. Friday after being taking off life-support; the 31-year-old had overdosed while he was with friends in The Pas last weekend.

“He was a generous young man who had a zest and love for life,” Fourre said, adding his son’s last act was to be a candidate for organ donation.

It was important for Harlan’s family to speak publicly about his death after being so open in his last days, his father said. Fourre, an addictions worker, said he doesn’t want to see another family deal with tragedy.

$30-M surgical centre tabbed for Steinbach

Three new operating rooms are expected to be up and running in Steinbach in 2025, as part of an expansion to the Bethesda Regional Health Centre.

On Friday, Justice Minister Kelvin Goertzen was in Steinbach to announce the $30-million surgical centre, with three ORs, a new lab space, and 12 patient spots for pre- and post-operative care.

The surgical expansion follows a 2021 announcement of a new renal program, 15 new acute-care beds, and eight new surgical beds for the Steinbach hospital, which will serve as the hub for patients in southeastern Manitoba.

The project is being supported with $8 million being raised by the Bethesda Foundation, its largest donation. The total capital investment for the project is now at $64 million.

Cut Manitoba-North Dakota surgery agreement: health coalition

The Manitoba Health Coalition is calling on the provincial government to stop sending patients across the U.S. border for surgery, in the wake of anti-transgender legislation passed this week in North Dakota.

The contract for spinal surgeries at Sanford Health’s clinic in Fargo, N.D., should be rescinded and the province should review all of its contracts for surgeries and diagnostic testing in the United States to make sure Manitobans aren’t being sent to sites with “discriminatory health-care laws,” said coalition provincial director Thomas Linner.

“From a moral standpoint, should we be giving states that are currently in the process of restricting the medical rights of their citizens based on discriminatory politics rather than medical care the kind of cover that having a contract with a Canadian province would give them?”

In 2022, the province’s diagnostic and surgical recovery task force signed an agreement with Sanford Health to perform spinal surgeries in Fargo for eligible Manitobans.

Researchers call for provincial action on youth eating habits

Nutrition researchers are recommending Manitoba form a task force to encourage healthy eating habits, after a pre-COVID-19 pandemic study of Grade 9 students found most weren’t getting enough fruits or vegetables.

The majority of students didn’t eat enough healthy food and instead turned to processed foods high in salt and saturated fat, according to the survey of 1,587 students, results of which were recently published in a research report on Food and Nutrition Security for Manitoba Youth.

University of Manitoba researchers Joyce Slater and Alan Katz led the study.

It involved surveying students from across the province on what they ate in a day, finding most of them weren’t eating healthy even if they had access to and could afford nutritious food.

Health minister defends private ‘investments’ to reduce backlogs

Manitoba’s health minister has defended a provincial task force request for private-sector involvement in proposals to fight pandemic backlogs after two physicians went public with their decision to stop giving input to the task force.

“What I want all individuals to know who are providing input is that the task force is there to listen and to consider all the voices, and there are times, believe it or not, where I put forward an idea and they come back with an explanation as to why it might not be the best approach,” Health Minister Audrey Gordon said Wednesday, adding all ideas are “appreciated and valued” even if they aren’t acted upon.

Sleep doctors resign from backlog task force

Two sleep specialist physicians have resigned from the provincial COVID-19 pandemic backlog task force over concerns it is prioritizing privatization at the expense of patient care.

Long wait lists for sleep disorder treatment aren’t being solved and there’s been no commitment to add staff or new equipment to Manitoba’s only accredited diagnostic lab at Misericordia Health Centre, said Dr. Eleni Giannouli and Dr. Nancy Porhownik.

Lawsuit over province’s N95 mask purchase still a year from trial

It could take years to resolve the legal battle over the Manitoba government’s pandemic purchase of N95 masks.

The government is being sued for US$6 million, plus interest and damages, by a U.S. company that claims Manitoba owes it for a 2020 order of five million masks that were later deemed unsuitable for hospital use.

Cabinet minister defends province’s $45M purchase of unused PPE masks

While nearly a half-million unused respirator masks sit in storage three years after the province spent millions of dollars to get them, the cabinet minister responsible for government services defended the early pandemic purchase Tuesday.

Access to at-home sleep tests slow to rise in Manitoba

SLEEP disorder patients have accessed less than a quarter of Manitoba’s supply of at-home tests since the province contracted a private company to help clear the COVID-19 pandemic backlog for people waiting for diagnoses.

U of M chair in advance stroke research unveiled

A neurologist and research scientist has been appointed to advance stroke research in Manitoba over the next five years, thanks in part to a generous charitable donation.

Manitoba First Nations share $3.4M for fire protection

As the chief of Bloodvein joined his colleagues in demanding improved emergency services, after a 49-year-old man died in a house fire on the reserve, Ottawa revealed the annual firefighting budget for Manitoba First Nations is just over $3 million.

First Nations renew federal call for emergency services upgrades

Manitoba First Nations leaders are calling on the federal government to improve firefighting and emergency services in northern and remote communities in the wake of another fatal blaze.

RCMP lab has two-month turnaround on DNA analysis

DNA results for sexual assault investigations should be delivered within 65 days, the RCMP’s national lab says.

Storm to blow across southern Manitoba, dump up to 25 cm of snow in some areas

Up to 25 centimetres of snow is forecast to blanket parts of southern Manitoba in an early spring storm beginning Tuesday afternoon. High winds could mix with snow and cause poor visibility, making highway travel dangerous, the storm warning from Environment Canada predicts.

Ottawa promises it’s ready for influx of passport renewals

The federal government plans to keep the extra service centres it set up to clear the pandemic backlog as it prepares for an influx of passport renewals this summer.

MMIWG licence plates expected this year

Specialty licence plates in honour of murdered and missing Indigenous women and girls are expected to be available this year.

Machines dispense harm reduction supplies to front lines of need

Palm print-scanning dispensers for needles, naloxone and other medications could be the future of harm reduction work in Manitoba.

Province announces new Selkirk clinic as part of expanded Manitoba Pain Care Program

A specialized pain clinic is set to open in Selkirk later this year as part of an expanded chronic-pain health-care program.

Shot slump: COVID booster uptake waning in Manitoba

BOOSTER uptake is lagging amid a lack of information about current COVID-19 transmission, as many Manitobans manage reinfections or wait to become eligible for their next vaccination dose.

Bed bug infestation at Winnipeg hotel ‘disgusting experience,’ family says

After discovering bed bugs in his room at a Winnipeg hospital-adjacent hotel, a Teulon man drove home in the middle of the night as his young son was recovering from surgery.

Province urging high-risk residents to get spring COVID booster

COVID-19 boosters are available for high-risk Manitobans this spring, and most Manitobans will likely be eligible for their next booster in the fall.

‘Urgent action’ required to keep MDs here, Doctors Manitoba says

A doctors’ advocacy group is calling for urgent action from the province to keep physicians in Manitoba, which has one of the western world’s worst shortages.

New head of Manitoba sex assault examiner program based in Alta.

Out-of-province remote work from the newly hired head of the province’s sexual assault nurse examiner program has drawn public criticism as the project still struggles with staff shortages.

WRHA home care recruitment drive gears up with free training

The shortage of home care workers in Manitoba has prompted the WRHA to pledge to add 300 new staff via free, four-week training and no formal education requirements.

$2.1M added to tackling violent crime

A team of police and child-abuse investigators is set to receive $2.1 million from the provincial government as part of the province’s strategy to tackle violent crime.

Winnipeg spared from the brunt as weekend storm causes widespread highway closures

Up to 25 centimetres of snow hit parts of southwestern Manitoba over the weekend during a winter storm that caused widespread highway closures and long-lasting blizzard conditions in some areas.

HSC to open minor-treatment clinic officials expect will relieve pressure on ER

A new minor-treatment clinic on the first floor of the Health Sciences Centre is expected to take some of the burden off the emergency room and better serve patients coming to Manitoba’s largest hospital from northern or rural areas.

HSC hallway death deemed critical incident

The death of a patient in a hallway of the Health Sciences Centre ER early Feb. 28 has been officially deemed a critical incident.

HSC management said Thursday a full report will be completed later this spring, as required by provincial legislation.

Recommendations aimed at preventing another ER hallway death are expected to be publicly released within three months as part of the investigation.

Family of patient who died during pandemic air transfer files lawsuit

The family of an ICU patient, who died following the failed attempt to airlift her to Ontario at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic’s third wave, is suing the Manitoba government, health authorities and airline.

HSC staff continue to grapple with ER hallway death

A patient’s death in a Winnipeg ER hallway last week has caused “moral distress” for staff and continues to raise questions among politicians.

Southern chiefs unveil MMIWG2S+ family support team

A dedicated team to support First Nations families whose loved ones have been slain or gone missing has been established in southern Manitoba.

‘Probably the biggest issue that we face every day’: ER deaths national concern, doctor says

Hospital staff across the country have been raising the alarm about the number of people who die in ERs while waiting for treatment, says the president of the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians.

Prairie research hub to work on vaccines

Manitoba researchers have joined forces with other experts across the Prairies to work on vaccine development, testing, and surveillance of emerging viruses to prepare for future pandemics.

Research collaborations are being formed across the country because of a $10-million federal investment intended to speed up Canadian work on vaccines, treatments and diagnostic tests in advance of another global outbreak.

HSC ER swamped when patient died in hallway

The Health Sciences Centre ER was dealing with double the usual number of high-acuity patients when a male patient was pronounced dead in an ER hallway about an hour after arriving in an ambulance early Tuesday, hospital officials said Thursday.

The extreme backlog of patients waiting to be admitted to a hospital bed prompted the ER to enact “over-capacity protocols” later that day.

For the first time Thursday afternoon, hospital leaders publicly acknowledged the patient’s death, saying a critical incident investigation is underway.

HSC hallway death investigation to be made public: premier

An investigation into the recent death of a patient who had been waiting in a Winnipeg emergency room hallway will be made public, the Manitoba premier says.

Few details about the Health Sciences Centre event Feb. 27 have been released.

On Tuesday, Shared Health stated — in response to Free Press inquiries — the “potential critical incident” happened within a one-hour window Monday night.

Nurse-recruitment trip to Philippines a success, Manitoba’s health minister says

An international nursing recruitment mission has been declared a success for Manitoba, even as politicians face questions about the ethics of plucking highly trained health professionals from other countries amid global demand.

Emergency patient waiting for treatment dies in HSC hallway

PROVINCIAL health officials are investigating a “potential critical incident,” after an emergency room patient died overnight Monday while waiting for treatment in a hallway at Health Sciences Centre.

Home care workers back widower’s calls for change

Manitoba home care workers are speaking out, appalled by “heartbreaking” delays that kept a dying woman from receiving in-home palliative service until it was too late.

Second year of COVID saw spike in youth hospitalizations

THE second year of the COVID-19 pandemic brought a dramatic increase in hospitalizations, particularly for babies and toddlers, says a new report from the Canadian Institute for Health Information.

Incentives not enough for nurses faced with re-registering

A $10,000 bonus isn’t enough to entice retired nurses back to the profession, including some who helped out at vaccination clinics during the pandemic.

New incentives, which were announced by the Manitoba government last week, won’t help unlicensed nurses who are up against a lengthy process to re-register, two retired nurses said Wednesday.

Debate needed on bear spray: police chief

Winnipeg’s police chief says it’s time to talk about cracking down on bear spray sales and their illegal use after a series of bear-spray attacks in the West End and downtown.

Province adds to prosecutions budget to target illegal guns, organized crime

An increase in gun violence is driving a $1.4-million boost to the Manitoba Prosecution Service’s budget, the provincial government says.

International nurse program prepped ahead of Philippines recruitment

A plan to allow unlicensed international nurses to work in Manitoba while completing their registration is being finalized, and could be in place in time for the arrival of new recruits from the Philippines.

Licensing plan for international nurses still in development

A plan to get unlicensed, internationally educated nurses working under supervision in Manitoba’s health-care system is underway, but hasn’t launched yet.

Diagnosis of hope as recruited doctors on way to join MS clinic

Waiting for treatment for multiple sclerosis is like running a marathon without knowing where the finish line is, says Victoria Morningstar.

Manitoba not expanding access to PCR tests for COVID, antiviral treatment

Manitoba has no plans to return to widespread lab testing for COVID-19 despite expanding access to PCR testing and treatment in some parts of the country.

Former Ukrainian soldier, now living in Manitoba, embraces ice climbing

A former Ukrainian soldier’s warm Winnipeg welcome involved scaling a 60-foot tower of ice — and he wouldn’t hesitate to do it again.

Manitoba task force to target doctors’ paperwork burden

A new provincial task force on cutting unnecessary paperwork for physicians is expected to make a public report on its progress later this year.

Hospital staff will ask Manitobans to self-identify race in effort to reduce health-system discrimination

Starting in April, Manitoba will become the first province to ask hospital patients to identify their race.

The collection of racial data is aimed at tackling systemic discrimination of patients and health-care workers and could lead to changes in triage and worker retention, Dr. Marcia Anderson hopes.

Anderson, executive director of Indigenous affairs at Ongomiizwin, the Institute of Health and Healing within the University of Manitoba’s faculty of Health Sciences, has been working on the idea for years as an extension of the Truth And Reconciliation Commission’s call to action for the health-care system.

Flu, RSV numbers down at Children’s Hospital

Respiratory viruses are no longer causing a surge of hospitalizations among children in Manitoba after a prolonged and severe flu season.

Manitobans fighting COVID fines lose in court

Dozens of Manitobans are still fighting hefty federal fines for violating pandemic protocols, four months after Ottawa lifted COVID-19 travel restrictions at Canada’s border crossings.

Thompson resident headed back to Winnipeg for rescheduled hip surgery

A Thompson man who flew to Winnipeg and waited five hours in a hospital gown for an urgent hip replacement that didn’t happen is cautiously optimistic he won’t be disappointed a second time.

Physicians drowning in ‘soul-sucking’ paperwork, Doctors Manitoba president says

A provincial task force to save doctors from “drowning in paperwork” has yet to get off the ground.

Southern chiefs want voice in national health-care funding talks

Southern Manitoba First Nations leaders are calling out the erosion of the health system for Indigenous patients and are asking for a seat at the table when Canada’s premiers discuss health-care funding.

Health official answers sex assault nurse program critics, says fixes on the way

Manitoba health officials are again promising improvements to the province’s sexual-assault nurse examiner program after glaring deficiencies were publicly highlighted earlier this week.

Threats temporarily close three Manitoba schools

Multiple threats led to temporary closures at Manitoba schools this week.

Holy Family care home misses CUPE workers’ retroactive pay deadline

Retroactive wage increases were expected to be fully paid out to roughly 18,000 health-care support workers in Manitoba by the beginning of this week, but some personal-care home staff are still waiting.

Morale teetering at Manitoba Clinic

A doctor who works at the Manitoba Clinic says staff are trying to keep things business as usual for patients, while the site’s uncertain future weighs heavily on them.

Manitoba Clinic losing more docs, deal critical

Doctors are fleeing Manitoba’s largest private medical clinic as the desperate facility continues to seek provincial help to avoid financial collapse.

Bail denied for co-accused in library homicide

Two teen boys co-accused in the slaying of a Winnipeg man at the Millennium Library have been denied bail.

Store owner seeks social media assist to snap break-in string

A downtown storefront owner has appealed to social media after his business was targeted three times within the past month by what appears to be the same thief.

HSC replaces access screeners with private security

Local health-care facilities have been phasing out COVID-19 screeners at their entrances over the past few months. At Health Sciences Centre, the move means 32 term employees will be out of work next week.

Boosters promoted as subvariant Kraken rears head

In the face of the most contagious COVID-19 subvariant yet, Manitobans need to get up-to-date on booster shots and wear masks to protect young children from respiratory viruses, the president of Doctors Manitoba says.

Second Alberta lawyer charged after Manitoba judge followed

A second Alberta lawyer has been charged after admitting he knew about a plan to spy on a Manitoba judge while he presided over a legal challenge to provincial public health restrictions that had been launched by a group of churches.

Korbin ‘just had a big heart’; dad raises funds to buy game systems for Children’s Hospital

When his son was hospitalized for weeks at a time, Joey Halldorsson brought his video-game console from home, bought a TV and set everything up to give Korbin a virtual escape.

Home care workers file grievance over perceived contract delays

The union representing Manitoba home care workers is questioning a delay in improving working conditions, after a new contract for health support employees was agreed to in September.

Highly contagious COVID strain yet to appear in Manitoba

Manitoba health officials have not yet recorded any cases of an emerging, highly contagious COVID-19 variant that is taking over in other countries.

CancerCare Manitoba to offer life-saving therapy in spring

A specialized cancer treatment previously only available outside the province will be offered here in the spring thanks to a $6.6 million provincial government investment, CancerCare Manitoba announced Monday.

Change to how COVID deaths recorded causes spike in Manitoba stats

Manitoba recorded more COVID-19 deaths in 2022 than it did in the previous two years of the pandemic, but the province’s public health team advises against making such a comparison.

Lawyer charged in relation to spying on Manitoba judge

An Alberta lawyer has been charged with obstruction-of-justice offences nearly a year and a half after he admitted to hiring a private investigator to spy on a Manitoba judge.

Waiting for answers ‘absolute horror,’ Manitoba cancer patient says

At the beginning of 2022, Rick Wiens was diagnosed with prostate cancer. At the beginning of 2023, he’s preparing to start chemotherapy — his final treatment option.

Children’s Hospital ICU still swamped

High rates of respiratory viruses continue to cause severe illness among young children, but no cases of invasive strep have been reported in Manitoba to date.

Manitoba COVID deaths take weeks to be counted

In the past two months, fewer than 15 Manitobans have reportedly died of COVID-19 — but during that same time frame, Manitoba’s pandemic death toll has retroactively grown by 70.

Complaint filed after surgery at Grace cancelled

A Thompson man who flew to Winnipeg for a hip replacement, only to have his surgery cancelled at the last minute, has filed a complaint and is still waiting for his procedure to be rescheduled.

Disappointed, weary holiday travellers in Winnipeg grounded by miserable weather elsewhere

Hopeful holiday travellers are taking their chances at Winnipeg’s airport, despite widespread cancellations across Canada due to winter storms in many regions of the country.

NDP calls for rescue of Manitoba Clinic

The NDP is calling on the provincial government to help rescue Manitoba’s largest private medical clinic, which was granted creditor protection three weeks ago.

Man flushes ‘three grand down the toilet’ as surgery cancelled

A Thompson man is out roughly $3,000 in flights, hotel costs and lost wages after his surgery in Winnipeg was unexpectedly cancelled in early December.

Cancellation of cancer surgery opens eyes to health system woes

After speaking publicly about his unexpectedly cancelled cancer surgery, a Winnipeg man now has a new appointment and firsthand knowledge of the health-care system’s lack of capacity.

Children’s Hospital lull keeps surgery slate full

Health Sciences Centre Children’s Hospital has avoided widespread surgery cancellations thanks to a lull in critical illness.

Winnipeg police officer cleared in June fatal shooting

No charges will be laid against a city police officer who shot and killed an armed man six months ago on a North End street.

Arrest made in July assault on senior

Five months after a Winnipeg senior was shoved into oncoming traffic, police have arrested a suspect.

Flu siege, RSV force drastic action at Children’s Hospital

Children’s elective surgeries are being postponed, nurses with pediatric experience are being called in and city health-care agencies are being told to staff up as an unprecedented surge of influenza continues to strain resources.

Flu kills 17 Manitobans in 2022

Seventeen Manitobans have died of the flu so far this year, including one young person under the age of 18.

Number of fires at homeless camps rising

Freezing temperatures and an increasing number of tent shelters throughout the city have led to an increase in the number of fires sparking in temporary homeless camps.

Manitoba reports first child death of flu season

Manitoba has recorded its first influenza death of a child this flu season.

Former Oakview Place health-care aides face one assault charge each

The number of criminal charges against two health-care aides accused of abuse at a Winnipeg long-term personal care home has dwindled as the investigation continues.

Province urged to boost vaccine messaging as flu cases spike

Doctors are urging the Manitoba government to boost its messaging about the importance of the flu shot amid low uptake, including among babies and pre-schoolers, as influenza cases continue to surge.

Lower patient volumes at Children’s Hospital likely calm before expected storm, ER director says

Patient volumes at Children’s Hospital have dropped below last month’s record-high levels, but the peak of flu season has yet to come, a member of the facility’s leadership team says.

No injuries, increased concern in wake of encampment fire

At his makeshift home at a Higgins Avenue encampment, Damian woke Monday morning to the sight of flames licking up the side of a building a few metres away.

Manitoba MPs Gazan, Ashton demand action from Ottawa to stop ‘genocide’ of Indigenous women

MANITOBA members of Parliament called on the federal government to devote more resources to protect Indigenous women as a criminal investigation into an alleged serial killer continues.

Service-dog user urged to file human rights case

A service dog user, who spent years fighting for his rights at a Manitoba tribunal, says it too often falls on discriminated individuals to push for long-term change.

Flu on rise, RSV awareness spreads

Flu cases continue to rise in Manitoba, and sick children are steadily showing up in emergency rooms.

Four more teens arrested, charged in aftermath of wild East St. Paul party

RCMP have rounded up four more suspects in the aftermath of an out-of-control house party in East St. Paul last month that culminated in police officers being verbally assaulted and serious damage to their vehicles.

City lab works on tracking flu in wastewater

The National Microbiology Lab in Winnipeg is developing tests to allow Canadian cities to track flu transmission by analyzing sewage.

Hospital has handle on ‘crisis’ of sick kids

The Children’s Hospital is reassuring parents it won’t run out of space or staff despite children getting sick at an unprecedented rate.

HSC Foundation hoping Tuesday translates to giving

Manitoba’s largest hospital needs mobility aids to help recovering critically ill patients regain their strength after they’ve spent months on ventilators.

Wastewater could become new front for flu detection

Sewage surveillance for flu cases could soon be a national reality.

Online tool to track waits at private clinics in Winnipeg

Wait times at private walk-in clinics will be posted online as part of Manitoba health officials’ plans to reduce extreme waits in emergency rooms and urgent care centres.

Doctors demand province escalate efforts to attract physicians

Doctors Manitoba is calling for immediate action to tackle the worsening physician shortage, just weeks after Manitoba introduced a wide-scale human resources plan for the health sector.

Fewer Manitobans vaccinated against flu strain wreaking havoc at Children’s Hospital

Only 12.5 per cent of Manitoba children have been vaccinated against this season’s influenza strain, which is causing widespread infection and serious illness, particularly in babies and toddlers.

Province changes COVID epidemiology reporting, provides less detail

Changes to Manitoba’s provincial COVID-19 data may make it more difficult for some researchers to ascertain early warning signs at this point in the pandemic.

‘Reality is pretty bleak… for Canada’s children’s hospitals’

As upper-respiratory viruses continue to send Manitoba children and their worried parents to hospitals, there are increasing calls for health officials to come up with a plan to deal with the emergency-ward crush.

COVID threat level ‘severe’ in Manitoba

The post-Thanksgiving surge in COVID-19 transmission is just starting to simmer down, but Canadians can expect it to flare back up as winter tightens its grip on the country, a national research group says.

Fatal stabbing triggered by argument over $5: witness

A sudden argument over what sounded like $5 preceded the slaying of a 37-year-old man in Winnipeg’s Centennial neighbourhood in March 2020, a trial heard Tuesday.

Ex-workers celebrate Air Canada court victory

Ten years after they were laid off, Winnipeg aviation workers are celebrating a long-awaited legal victory.

Family of teen killed in crash fall victim to allegedly fraudulent fundraiser

A grieving family is heartbroken after an online fundraiser using the name and image of their late son collected nearly $12,000 in allegedly fraudulent donations.

Sharing child-welfare system stories helps women heal

This collection of 10 women’s stories is not an easy read, but it is a necessary one.

Homeless man off to jail after assault on senior in skywalk

A Winnipeg man who randomly attacked a disabled elderly woman in a downtown skywalk has about eight months left to spend in jail after he was sentenced earlier this month.

Polo Park ceiling collapses near second-floor food court

A structural engineer is investigating after a second-floor ceiling collapse at Polo Park mall Saturday.

Manitoba stands pat on Paxlovid prescription process

Manitoba isn’t moving to expand access to Paxlovid for individuals infected with COVID-19 via granting prescribing power to pharmacists, as has been done in other jurisdictions.

COVID-19 transmission spreading in Manitoba

COVID-19 transmission, hospitalizations and deaths appear to be on the rise in Manitoba.

Health spending projected below national average

MANITOBA’S annual health-care spending is projected to hit $11.8 billion before the end of this year, new data show, as Canada’s overall health spending climbs to $331 billion.

Rates of street-drug poisoning increasing in Winnipeg

Harm reduction advocates are raising alarm about increasing rates of drug poisoning in Manitoba and lack of political will to make changes they say would save lives.

COVID transmission spikes in Winnipeg: wastewater data

COVID-19 transmission in parts of Winnipeg nearly quadrupled over Thanksgiving weekend, recent wastewater surveillance data suggests.

New vax messaging could prevent COVID, flu crisis: expert

Heading into flu season with low uptake of bivalent COVID-19 vaccines is a reason to hit refresh on public-health communication in Manitoba, a Winnipeg epidemiologist says.

Simulation adds new level to nursing education

She’d never call herself the Ms. Frizzle of nursing education, but Sufia Turner’s approach to lessons at the University of Manitoba’s College of Nursing does draw some inspiration from the cartoon teacher aboard The Magic School Bus.

MPI helps drive brain injury research funding

A portion of Manitobans’ auto-insurance premiums are being used to further fund research into traumatic brain injuries.

Candidates duke it out at Jewish Federation forum

THE full-house audience was pre-warned not to cheer “or jeer” during a Monday night mayoral forum with the six-highest polling candidates hosted by the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg.

Heritage advocates lobby to save homes

There’s not much conservationists can do to stop fast-tracked demolition of near-century-old homes in the city’s wealthiest neighbourhoods, the executive director of Heritage Winnipeg says.

Regiment service honoured

A monument dedicated to more than a century of service from one local military regiment was unveiled Sunday during a ceremony at Vimy Ridge Park.

Three out of 8 people who go to city ERs don’t need it, CEO says

Hiring more hospital staff is the No. 1 priority for health-care administrators, who are trying to reduce long ER wait times by pointing Winnipeggers toward walk-in clinics.

Union raises alarm over rural 911 call centre staffing

When rural Manitobans call 911, they may wait more than five minutes before a dispatcher picks up the phone, according to the dispatchers’ union.

Judge rules against Skip the Dishes’ ‘unconscionable’ attempt to block class-action suit

A proposed class-action lawsuit on behalf of Skip The Dishes delivery drivers is slowly moving forward after a Manitoba judge ruled it was “unconscionable” for the company to try to take away couriers’ right to sue.

Indigenous, political leaders sign health-care anti-racism declaration

Systemic change in Manitoba’s health-care system will incorporate Indigenous culture and will no longer tolerate racism, Indigenous and provincial leaders declared Monday.

City OKs fast-tracked demolition of Wellington Crescent home

A 93-year-old home that has become a problem house in Winnipeg’s most prestigious neighbourhood will be demolished, with special permission from the city.

Interest, indifference greet latest booster expansion

An influx of eager bivalent-booster bookers headed online or phoned local pharmacies first thing Thursday to secure their latest dose of COVID-19 vaccine, but it’s not top priority for many newly eligible Manitobans.

Staffing crunch puts another ambulance on sidelines

A shortage of paramedics pulled another Winnipeg ambulance out of service Wednesday, as officials continue to warn of chronic staffing problems among first responders resulting in millions in municipal over-expenditures.

Experts warn against booster delay

Delaying a COVID-19 booster shot appointment to wait for expanded bivalent vaccine eligibility may not be the best option as transmission levels are predicted to rise this fall, a national network of COVID-19 researchers is recommending.

‘Ridiculous for health care in Manitoba’: Eriksdale ER temporary closure ramps up rural concerns

A temporary closure of an Interlake hospital ER has prompted nearby First Nations communities to express concern about the future of local health care.

Four spots added to respiratory therapist class

Four seats have been added to University of Manitoba’s most recent class of aspiring respiratory therapists as the provincial government promises to fill vacancies exposed by the pandemic.

ER hallway medicine pressure ‘every single shift’: HSC doctor

Hallway medicine for trauma patients at Winnipeg’s largest ER has become increasingly common, Health Sciences Centre emergency department staff say.

Dying patient slams hospital for charging TV fee

Television ranked low on the list of things Marvyn Cairns and his family wanted to think about after he was admitted to hospital with complications from terminal cancer.

Rural hospital shutdowns continue into fall

Summer shutdowns at some rural Manitoba hospitals have quietly extended into fall, and the uncertainty about reopening is frustrating residents.

Many gather for downtown street festival return

For the first time in two years, Winnipeggers packed downtown streets ready for outdoor concerts, carnival rides, and rows upon rows of food trucks.

Police didn’t help stop bike theft, cyclist says

A cyclist says he’s left feeling violated after Winnipeg police officers refused to help him while his bike was being stolen.

Woodstock threatened with lawsuit

A public spat between two Winnipeg mayoral candidates at a seniors forum has sparked the threat of a lawsuit.

Candidates’ clash boils over at forum

The first mayoral forum of the Winnipeg municipal election took a dramatic turn, after two participants clashed and one walked out in protest.

Health officials to update Manitobans on pediatric COVID vaccine boosters

The province is expected to release more information next week about its rollout plan for pediatric vaccine doses.

Wastewater monkeypox testing underway across Canada

Wastewater testing to detect the monkeypox virus has begun in Winnipeg and 12 other Canadian cities as scientists work to determine how accurate the tests are.

Federal officials using Winnipeg lab-developed analysis to monitor wastewater for monkeypox

Canada will soon begin monitoring wastewater to detect the monkeypox virus with new analysis methods developed at the Winnipeg-based National Microbiology Lab.

First day of paediatric vaccine eligibility ‘great day’

The long wait is over for Manitobans eager to get their babies and toddlers vaccinated against COVID-19.

Young children eligible for COVID vaccine

Manitoba children between the ages of six months and four years are, as of Friday at 9 a.m., eligible to receive their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Volunteer-powered rural clinic attempts to fill ER gap

When more than one-third of Manitoba’s emergency rooms stayed closed over the August long weekend, Dr. Jacobi Elliott’s clinic in Grandview remained open.

Manitoba has ample supply of epidural tubes, province assures Liberal leader

Amid concerns about widespread epidural shortages, provincial health officials say Manitoba has enough supply.

Petition targets abortion challenges in north

As one of the first northern Manitoba residents to access the abortion pill after it became available free of charge in the province, Harlie Pruder knows first-hand the hurdles the North faces in comprehensive reproductive health care.

Students used to cover sick time: health union

The pre-pandemic practice of not replacing health-care support workers who call in sick, leaving remaining staff short-handed and relying on practicum students to fill gaps, must stop, a Winnipeg union leader says.

Pandemic hospitalizations tick up, eight COVID-19 deaths last week

An anticipated rise in COVID-19 hospitalizations is becoming reality in Manitoba.

City marks decline in brown water reports

Complaints about brown tap water in Winnipeg are trickling in, on track to be at their lowest June-July level in a decade.

Globe-trotter with patient eye for detail

Ninety countries, and not a single souvenir. On her world travels, Jean Brown never even took a photograph.

“She didn’t want any encumbrances,” says Brown’s childhood best friend and travel buddy, Joyce Lamont Hughes.

Over the course of their 90-year friendship and 45 years spent criss-crossing the continents together — aboard an icebreaker in Antarctica, in a hot air balloon over the Serengeti, living in a tent in the mountains of Nepal — Brown never cared much for possessions. She valued loyalty, and was true to herself and her friends.

The friends who remember her now describe themselves as her family. “If you were a friend of hers, you’re a friend for life,” Hughes says.

Wildfire evacuees report gunpoint abduction of young woman

An alleged gunpoint abduction near a Winnipeg hotel has sparked fears wildfire evacuees are being targeted in the city.

A trio of displaced members of Mathias Colomb Cree Nation reported Friday they were threatened with a gun when they tried to intervene in the abduction of an unidentified young woman, vice-chief and councillor Shirley Castel said during a news conference with Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak Grand Chief Garrison Settee.

The three men in their 20s were walking outside a hotel on the 1400 block of Notre Dame Avenue around 5 a.m., when they encountered two men in a white Dodge Journey. The suspects knocked the woman unconscious and took her away in the vehicle, Castel said

One suspect, described as bearded, with white hair and 50-60 years old, allegedly threatened the group with a gun; a younger, tattooed man was also in the vehicle.

Vaccination news ‘sigh of relief’ for parents of high-risk children: doctor

Less than 24 hours after Manitoba announced a prioritized COVID-19 vaccine rollout for high-risk babies and toddlers, paediatricians were fielding calls from families anxiously awaiting immunization for their vulnerable little ones.

Dr. Ruth Grimes’ patients include toddlers with cystic fibrosis and a genetic neurodevelopmental condition — they’ll be among the first in line to receive a pediatric Moderna vaccine.

“I can only speak to the two conversations I had yesterday, but it was an absolute sigh of relief (for parents) that their high-risk children were actually now going to be able to get this vaccination. I think it really does take a layer of anxiety and stress off their shoulders,” the Winnipeg doctor and past-president of the Canadian Paediatric Society said Thursday.

Pediatricians were consulted prior to Manitoba’s decision to prioritize babies and toddlers with chronic diseases, developmental conditions and complications from premature birth for appointments until more pediatric vaccine doses are available, Grimes said.

Omicron subvariant accounts for half of Manitoba cases

Manitoba has no plan to bring back a mask requirement in the face of rising BA.5 transmission.

“This fall, we’re once again going to be dealing with some uncertainty. We know… we’re going to see BA.5 cases very likely climbing. How that’s going to translate to severe outcomes is still not known at this point,” said chief provincial public health officer Dr. Brent Roussin.

The highly contagious Omicron subvariant currently accounts for half of Manitoba’s lab-confirmed and genetically sequenced COVID-19 cases, Roussin said Wednesday. Sequencing shows 50 per cent of cases are BA.5, and that number is expected to climb.

There has been no surge in hospitalizations or deaths — Roussin described hospitalizations as having plateaued — but transmission of the virus is expected to increase, he acknowledged.

Manitoba targets at-risk groups in pediatric COVID vaccine rollout

Younger children in Manitoba have become eligible for Moderna’s recently approved COVID-vaccine, but due to limited supply, priority groups such as Indigenous children and kids with lung disease will be first to get the shot.

Dr. Brent Roussin, Manitoba’s chief provincial public health officer, announced Wednesday immunocompromised children from six months to four years will soon be able to get their first COVID-19 vaccines here; booking for high-risk children will begin Monday at 8 a.m.

Roussin said eligibility will be expanded to all children in this age group once Manitoba receives more supply of vaccine. The initial shipment is about 14,000 doses. He couldn’t say when more doses would arrive.

Pediatricians or public health nurses will administer the vaccines at doctors’ offices or clinics, Roussin said.

Private youth mental health clinic opens in Winnipeg

A psychiatric nurse-run private youth mental health clinic has opened in Winnipeg, aiming to help tackle months-long wait times in the public health-care system.

Psychiatric nurse Shea Silva began seeing clients last week at Cocoon Mental Health Clinic. The site in southwest Winnipeg offers mental health assessments for ages 12 to 25, at a rate of $150 per hour.

Silva said she decided to take the leap into private practice, after working with adults in hospital and with youth in schools.

In an interview, Silva said she hopes the clinic (of which she’s executive director) will help take some of the burden off the provincial health-care system by reducing wait times — which she said currently are likely to be as long as six to nine months.

Manitoba to unveil vaccine plan for young children

Manitoba’s top doctor is set to reveal the province’s plan to vaccinate children under age five against COVID-19.

Chief provincial public health officer Dr. Brent Roussin will address Manitobans this week for the first time since May, said Health Minister Audrey Gordon.

“This is an exciting announcement for so many families that have been waiting for Health Canada to approve the vaccine,” Gordon said during an unrelated announcement.

Roussin will speak about the approval process and the rollout of the shots to children aged six months to five years old, Gordon said. Health Canada approved Moderna’s Spikevax COVID-19 vaccine for the younger age group on July 14.

COVID cases, hospitalizations, deaths rising, weekly provincial data reveals

A new wave of COVID-19 cases expected in the fall could be getting an early start, as provincial data released Thursday shows increases in the number of infections, hospital admissions and deaths compared to a week earlier.

The weekly Manitoba Health epidemiological report for the week of July 3-9 also shows an increase in the test-positivity rate of recorded PCR tests is now 14.8 per cent; it was 11.5 per cent in the previous report for June 26-July 2.

Health officials in several other provinces have confirmed that they are in the midst of a fresh wave of infections from the BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron sub-variant strains of the coronavirus.

Manitoba reported 229 total cases, 59 hospital admissions — seven to intensive-care beds — and six deaths in the report released Thursday. The numbers all eclipse the 125 total cases, 46 hospital admissions that also included seven to the ICU and one death a week earlier.

Province seeks workforce push for internationally trained nurses

One year after the province announced plans to make it easier for internationally educated nurses to work in Manitoba, more than 100 people have applied for provincial financial aid to go through the certification process.

However, it’s unknown how many nurses who were educated in other countries have been able to join the nursing workforce since then.

Health-care system leaders are moving forward with a plan that would eventually allow international licensed practical nurses and registered nurses to start picking up shifts before they finish the required certification process. It is an idea that came out of a provincial working group trying to streamline the licensing process for internationally educated nurses, a Shared Health spokesperson stated.

No timeline has been set, but the idea is LPNs, and perhaps eventually RNs, with certification in another country would start working while completing their English-language education and certification.

Patients stalled in HSC’s ER part of national crisis, Canadian Medical Association says

Patients sick enough to be admitted to hospital are waiting much longer in Manitoba’s largest ER than they were before the pandemic.

The Canadian Medical Association says the problem of patients being stalled in emergency rooms is a national crisis.

In May, the time it took for patients to be moved out of the Health Sciences Centre ER after they’d been assessed as needing a hospital bed was double the time it took in May 2019, according to median figures provided by Shared Health.

The median wait times at HSC’s adult emergency department worsened, while the wait appeared to improve slightly in the children’s ER. It took a median time of 6.83 hours after a decision was made to admit an adult ER patient to hospital for that patient to be moved to an in-patient unit. In May 2019, the median time was 3.58 hours.

Mask messaging muddied at hospital: epidemiologist

After months of public health messages urging people to upgrade their single-layer masks for better protection against COVID-19, a Winnipeg epidemiologist was surprised to be asked to remove her KN95 in favour of a surgical mask upon entering a city hospital Tuesday.

“I felt like a) that’s a waste on the landfill side and b) I was a little confused because we’ve done so much to try to work together to support (the understanding that) better protection masks are N95 or KN95 versus surgical or cloth,” said Cynthia Carr.

“We really worked hard for that messaging, and so I was surprised in the hospital setting to be asked to remove the KN95 and to just be given a surgical mask.”

When asked about the masking policy in hospitals and health-care facilities, a Shared Health spokesperson said it hasn’t changed, and people are allowed to keep their own masks on underneath the provided surgical ones.

Pediatrician warns about hand, foot and mouth disease

Although the prevalence of hand, foot and mouth disease in Manitoba this summer remains unknown, pediatricians in various parts of the country are seeing more children with the viral infection.

It’s difficult to get data on the incidence of infection, but there’s anecdotal evidence of an increase in the virus, which causes a rash, blisters, and fever.

Public health doesn’t track cases because hand, foot and mouth disease is not considered a reportable virus. Unlike with flu and COVID-19, outbreaks don’t have to be publicly reported.

Winnipeg mother Erica Bulow spoke publicly last week to warn other families after she and her children suffered serious infections as a result of an outbreak at their Island Lakes home daycare.

At-risk Manitobans press for COVID medication

Two months after the province received a shipment of an approved COVID-19 prevention medication, it is still not available to Manitobans.

In May, Shared Health received 1,100 doses of Evusheld, a monoclonal antibody injection developed by AstraZeneca that works to prevent COVID-19 infection in severely immunocompromised individuals. That includes people who have high-risk conditions and are taking medications, including cancer treatment, that inhibit the production of a strong immune response.

Shared Health, which is responsible for managing hospitals and health-care agencies in Manitoba, hasn’t yet decided who will be eligible to receive the Evusheld shots. It was approved by Health Canada in April to be administered to a very specific group of Canadians 12 and older that doesn’t have COVID-19 infections or symptoms.

“Clinical leadership is currently determining the criteria for administering the drug, with rollout expected in the coming weeks,” a Shared Health spokesperson stated in response to a Free Press inquiry.

Legislature security changes questioned over clarity

Proposed new legislation is aimed at banning encampments and convoys at the provincial legislative grounds, as well as preventing destruction of statues and prohibiting weapons and fireworks on the property.

The Conservatives introduced a Prohibited Activities Regulation July 7 as part of proposed legislative security act amendments that are expected to come into effect after the legislature resumes in the fall.

Coming after a year of protests, blockades, convoys and demonstrations at the Broadway legislative building, the changes would make it illegal to camp out or park vehicles on the grounds. They prohibit setting up generators, tents or other shelters that make it possible to stay “in the legislative precinct for an extended period,” the regulation states.

On Canada Day 2021, activists toppled a statue of Queen Victoria in front of the legislative building. The new rules specifically ban property damage on the grounds.

Hand, foot, and mouth disease strikes city daycare

An outbreak of hand, foot, and mouth disease at a daycare has prompted a Winnipeg mother to publicly caution other families after a serious infection sent her to the ER.

“I would just want (Manitobans) to know that it can be very serious for other people, even if your experience is not very severe. Even if you think your child is fine after only three days or four days, it’s really important for you to stay home because your child is still infectious. Someone else could have a really negative outcome,” says Erica Bulow.

Upon picking up her four-year-old daughter from a home daycare in Island Lakes on June 30, Bulow was informed another child had attended daycare for three days while infectious with hand, foot, and mouth disease. Symptoms of the viral illness can take three days to a week to show up. They include fever, rash, and blisters — which Bulow saw first-hand when her daughter started getting itchy red spots on July 2.

Despite careful disinfecting and distancing within their household, Bulow and her 10-month-old son also got infected and began to experience more severe symptoms. Her son had a high fever, and Bulow consulted with a pediatrician to care for both of her children, not expecting she would get severely ill herself.

Melita seeks long-term solution to ER summer closure

Caught off guard by a two-month closure of their local hospital, more than 200 residents of Melita and surrounding rural communities showed up at a public meeting Tuesday evening to figure out how to preserve health-care services.

Melita’s hospital is one of several rural health centres and emergency departments forced to close temporarily or operate on reduced hours this summer. It closed June 30 and will remain closed until the end of August because of staff shortages.

The hospital serves about 3,000 to 3,500 people who live in the southwest corner of the province that stretches west to the Saskatchewan border and south to the U.S. border. The hospital lab remains open, but all other health-care services are suspended — a move that will have many local residents travelling as far as Brandon for emergency care.

Melita Mayor Bill Holden said he’s confident after Tuesday’s meeting the town will be able to work with Prairie Mountain health region, the provincial government, and representatives from all major political parties to improve access to health care in the area.

New COVID wave likely imminent, city microbiologist warns

Omicron subvariants are gaining ground across the globe, and Manitoba is no exception.

A new summer wave of COVID-19 transmission could be soon headed this way as existing Omicron strains start to take over.

Subtypes of the Omicron variant — BA.4 and BA.5 — are on the rise in Winnipeg and could become dominant strains of the virus. The subvariants are driving surges of transmission in several other countries, as documented by the World Health Organization, after officials in South Africa first detected them in January. Both BA.4 and BA.5 are considered to be more contagious and better at evading immune responses, but there’s a lack of evidence about whether they cause more severe illness.

BA.5 currently accounts for about 10 per cent of sampled positive COVID-19 test results in Manitoba, a provincial spokesperson stated Tuesday. That’s an estimated 10 cases of BA.5 a week. Overall, Cadham Provincial Laboratory aims to sample 10 per cent of all positive COVID-19 results, which is roughly 100 samples per week. Only positive PCR test results are part of the sample, even though most Manitobans have access only to rapid antigen tests.

Staff shortage continues to diminish HSC ER

ER patients at Manitoba’s largest hospital face compromised care and the potential for neglect in the waiting room as chronic nursing staff shortages continue, one front-line worker says.

Over the Canada Day long weekend, night shifts at Health Sciences Centre emergency department were reportedly desperately understaffed and additional nurses had to be brought in from the downtown Winnipeg hospital’s intensive care units, while managers also stepped in to cover.

Paramedics were not asked again to cover for the lack of nurses in the department, Shared Health confirmed Monday. (The hospital made that request of already stretched-thin paramedics during a particularly busy weekend last month.)

One HSC ER nurse said patients are inevitably waiting longer and are being neglected as a result of the understaffing.

No plans for dedicated long COVID clinic: Shared Health

As research continues into the widespread implications of long COVID, there are no current plans to establish a dedicated clinic in Manitoba.

Long-haulers in Manitoba should continue to consult their family doctors or primary health-care providers and ask about receiving referrals to specialists, Shared Health stated when asked if a centralized long COVID clinic is under consideration.

“There are not currently any plans to establish a dedicated long COVID clinic in Manitoba beyond the multi-disciplinary clinics that already exist. However, clinical leaders are continually assessing what services are appropriate and required as our knowledge about post-COVID-19 conditions continues to grow.”

Roger Chouinard of Winnipeg has had post-COVID symptoms, including heart and lung problems, for more than a year, and is only now on the road to getting the needed tests and specialized treatment.

Surgical, testing estimates highlight declining backlog

Manitoba’s pandemic backlog of surgeries and diagnostic tests is decreasing, according to a final monthly estimate from Doctors Manitoba, but more work is needed to keep up with growing demands for everything from hip and knee surgeries to chronic pain assessments.

The overall backlog is now estimated to be between 102,000 and 128,000 procedures — a decline of at least 38,000 procedures compared to estimates released last month.

Doctors Manitoba changed the way it compiles estimates to account for wait times and tests that are now no longer needed (either because patients’ conditions improved or worsened, because they moved out of province, or died while waiting).

The new estimates released Tuesday will be the final monthly backlog estimates released by Doctors Manitoba; the organization stated it anticipates the province will soon publicize monthly data.

Doctors raise alarm over rural ER closures

The number of anticipated emergency room closures in rural Manitoba this summer is unlike anything Dr. David Cram has seen in his career.

“I’ve been at this a long, long time, and I’ve never been as concerned as I am now about the stability of our hospitals and our emergency rooms to provide the care to our patients,” said the Souris-based physician, who has been practising as a proud “country doc” for 36 years.

Closures and temporary suspensions of ER service are expected to happen in about 60 per cent of the 68 hospitals in northern and rural Manitoba, according to information gathered by Doctors Manitoba.

Cram, along with Neepawa physician Dr. Nichelle Desilets, publicly shared his concerns during a virtual news conference Friday with Doctors Manitoba president Dr. Candace Bradshaw.

Shared Health ending program that saved millions of dollars

A virtual outpatient program that saved Manitoba millions in avoided COVID-19 hospital admission costs is winding down.

As of Wednesday, new patients were no longer accepted into the Virtual COVID Outpatient Program, which will suspend operations at the end of June. There are currently only five patients in the program, but it could have kept going with permanent funding, physicians say.

Three doctors who have been part of the team that kept the program running since it began in late 2020, said they had universally positive feedback from patients who participated in it and they are disappointed it is shutting down. The program allowed certain patients to be monitored at home via video conferencing or phone calls while they were on oxygen and slowly recovering from COVID-19, rather than remaining in hospital. More than 500 patients used the virtual program over the past 18 months. The province had been looking into expanding it for use with other chronic conditions, such as lung disease and heart failure. Doctors found that patients did better when they were at home, surrounded by their loved ones and pets.

“It’s been probably the most fun thing and innovative thing in my 15-year career here in Manitoba,” said gastroenterologist Dr. Dana Moffatt.

NDP presses province for care home licence review

Amid an ongoing criminal investigation into allegations of abuse at a Winnipeg long-term care home, the NDP is calling on the province to immediately review the facility’s operation licence.

On Wednesday, Wab Kinew, leader of the Opposition, and NDP health critic Uzoma Asagwara wrote to Manitoba Health and Seniors Care Minister Audrey Gordon.

“A review should examine the failure of processes that took place here and provide assurance that all residents and their families can expect proper and dignified care at this facility,” they wrote of the reported issues at Extendicare’s Oakview Place.

The NDP request comes a day after allegations of mistreatment were made public.

MS clinic to receive needed funding, staffing boost: doctor

Additional clinicians are expected to be hired to keep Manitoba’s multiple sclerosis clinic afloat, with a $284,000 funding boost from the province.

The provincial government hasn’t yet announced the new funding, which is expected to cover the cost of the equivalent of three new full-time positions for health professionals (including physiotherapists, occupational therapists, social workers and dietitians).

Dr. Dan Roberts, who oversees neurology services in Winnipeg, said he was recently informed his funding requests for the clinic were approved.

Last month, he took the unusual step of holding his own news conference “out of desperation” to warn the public the MS clinic at Health Sciences Centre was on the brink of closure.

Race-based data a hallmark of pandemic response

First-of-its-kind race-based data that was a hallmark of Manitoba’s early COVID-19 response is expected to be used more widely in its health-care system in the near future.

“COVID helped us to establish it could be done,” said Dr. Marcia Anderson, who was public health lead for the Manitoba First Nations COVID-19 Pandemic Coordination Response Team and driving force behind collecting and advocating for practical applications of the data.

The data shaped Manitoba’s vaccine roll out, from age eligibility to neighbourhood distribution, and led to the establishment of isolation shelters and homeless and youth outreach.

Combined with employment data, it influenced government policies and prompted the province to give everyone paid leave to get vaccinated. It was the first time race-based data was systematically collected in Manitoba.

Long-haul COVID sufferers want centralized clinic

COVID long-haulers in Manitoba are calling for a centralized clinic to help them.

On Wednesday, the official list of available post-COVID resources was released.

For the first time since the pandemic began, Shared Health published a Long COVID webpage that points to physiotherapy, support groups and mental-health services.

Some information has been adapted from information released by other provinces, including Alberta and Nova Scotia, and other countries, including a linked video by Long COVID Physio, a UK-based international consortium of physiotherapists, researchers and long-COVID-sufferers.

COVID testing scaled down at care homes, hospitals

The decision to stop testing asymptomatic Manitobans for COVID-19 before they’re admitted to a hospital or personal care home is being met with uncertainty.

In a Shared Health memo dated June 10, chief medical officer Dr. Perry Gray announced the provincial health system will only test people with symptoms. Apart from certain exceptions, such as testing asymptomatic ICU patients and mothers of babies entering the newborn intensive care unit, the change ends precautionary testing in high-risk health-care settings.

The rationale for the policy, which took effect on June 13, is that the testing had contributed to delays in treatment and had stalled patient flow. Asymptomatic COVID-19 infections are on the decline, Gray’s memo stated, and testing requirements must change. In the memo, Gray stated Shared Health made the change after consulting with clinic leaders and infection-prevention officials.

“This change aligns with the known level of transmission of the virus throughout Manitoba in recent months and the observed decrease in infection amongst asymptomatic individuals admitted to health-care facilities,” the memo stated.

Critical incident only matter of time at HSC, say ER nurses

Summer is “trauma season” in hospital emergency departments and nurses at Winnipeg’s largest ER are already raising the alarm about what they describe as worse-than-ever staffing shortages.

“The public is at risk, and that’s why we’re speaking out, is because patients’ lives are at risk,” one Health Sciences Centre ER nurse said. Three HSC nurses with many years of experience working in the ER were interviewed on the condition their identities not be published, because they fear they’ll be fired for speaking publicly. All three of them brought up the tragic death of Brian Sinclair and said they worry another patient will soon die in the same manner.

Sinclair was an Indigenous man who died in 2008 at age 45 after waiting 34 hours in HSC’s ER. An inquest into his death resulted in 63 recommendations for change, many of which focused on how HSC’s ER is run. Now, 14 years later, nurses are so overrun they don’t have the time or resources to follow all of the protocols that Sinclair’s death proved were necessary.

Patients are waiting up to 24 hours in the ER waiting room, and waiting additional days or weeks for a hospital bed after they’ve been assessed by an ER doctor. The usual per-shift complement of 24 ER nurses has recently dropped as low as 12, and triage nurses don’t have time to regularly re-assess patients in the waiting room like they’re supposed to, the nurses told the Free Press.

Slow uptake on fourth dose in Manitoba

Three weeks after Manitoba expanded eligibility for fourth doses of COVID-19 vaccines, uptake is still lagging.

All Manitobans aged 50 and older are eligible for a fourth dose, but only 11.3 per cent of people in that age group have received it.

The provincial government released that figure, current as of June 9, in response to a Free Press inquiry Friday.

More than half-a-million Canadians received their fourth dose (or second booster shot) between May 8 to 22, according to federally collected data for which Manitoba’s totals were unavailable.

Doctor praises new radiology suites at HSC

New, state-of-the-art radiology equipment at Winnipeg’s largest hospital is expected to help reduce the surgical backlog brought on by the pandemic.

On Thursday, the Health Sciences Centre Foundation unveiled its upgraded radiology suites, which have been operating since March 2020, thanks largely to a $5-million private donation.

The Health Sciences Centre can treat six additional patients a day at the expanded Paul Albrechtsen Interventional Radiology Suites — up to 16 from 10.

The new technology means physicians can do live X-ray procedures that frequently replace open surgery and free up hospital beds, said interventional radiologist Dr. Alessandra Cassano-Bailey.

Loney focuses on ‘systems change’ at mayoral campaign launch

A five-point plan to “do things differently” — especially when it comes to emergency services —received a wide audience Tuesday, as Winnipeg mayoral candidate Shaun Loney pledged he’d be “bringin’ friends” to change the municipal status quo.

The economist and former civil servant launched his campaign in front of about 150 supporters in the heart of the Exchange District.

Loney is one of nine candidates who’ve registered to run for mayor in the fall. The nomination period is Sept. 14-20. The municipal election is Oct. 26.

Mayor Brian Bowman isn’t seeking a third term.

Water safety concerns rise with flood waters

High water levels this flood season have created dangerous conditions and prompted water safety experts to speak out.

After five reported drownings and additional water rescues so far in the province this year, the Lifesaving Society of Manitoba is warning the public about “unpredictable” drowning risks in flooded lakes, rivers and retention ponds.

Even overland flooding and large puddles can be a hazard, said Christopher Love, water smart and safety management co-ordinator.

“All you need in order to start the drowning process is for your mouth and nose to be covered with water, and so for a small child, a puddle can do that, especially with all the water that we’ve had so far this year.”

While long COVID lurks, disability caseloads remain constant

It’s unclear how many Canadians have had to go on long-term disability because long-haul COVID symptoms make them unable to work.

The federal government isn’t specifically tracking long-COVID-related applications for disability benefits under the Canada Pension Plan, and the provincial government stated it couldn’t provide reasons for Manitobans’ eligibility for provincial disability benefits, including long COVID.

“Due to the changing nature of the categorization of COVID-19 and post-COVID conditions, as well as how an applicant may be diagnosed by their care provider, the number of applications specifically related to long COVID is not available,” stated Maja Stefanovska, spokesperson for Employment and Social Development Canada.

Fewer Canadians are receiving disability benefits compared with pre-pandemic levels of disability claim files. There are fewer long-term disability support applications being processed at the federal level, and the number of cases accepted for Manitoba’s provincial disability benefits under Employment Income Assistance has also declined since 2019.

Mounting flood costs in tens of millions of dollars, provincial official says during tour of Interlake

GIMLI — Groundwater bubbles up near the top of a small hole in Del Ritchie’s yard. The soil is soaked in the spot his mother had reserved for a new lilac bush. No planting will be possible in the near future.

Ritchie’s Winnipeg Beach property backs onto Boundary Creek, which was “rushing like crazy” just a couple of weeks ago, despite crews severing the roadway above to prevent nearby homes from being flooded. If the road hadn’t been cut, the rising water would’ve had nowhere to go.

“Guaranteed, the way the creek meanders, it would have taken out those two places,” he said, pointing to neighbouring cottages on the southwest corner of Lake Winnipeg. His home would have been “definitely impacted. The foundation and the rest — when you get water, you can’t have it sitting for days.”

In the past 10 years, he’s never seen the water rush this high and is concerned about flood damage. “Of course. Well, inevitably, someone’s going to be buggered,” he said, adding: “They can’t keep ripping the road up, man.”

First Nations call on governments in current, future flood fight

The worst flood in the history of Peguis First Nation has become even more dangerous amid the recent downpour.

Most of Manitoba was drenched with between 30 to 60 millimetres of rain May 30-31, with strong winds gusting over 100 km/h in some areas. The storm caused tree damage and power outages, and brought even more flooding to low-lying areas.

About 2,000 Peguis residents are already in their fourth week away from home since emergency evacuations began in the community some 200 kilometres north of Winnipeg. Those who remained — approximately 1,500 — encountered washed-out roads and had to rebuild local dams.

“We continue to be not only in recovery mode but in response (mode) for certain houses,” Chief Glenn Hudson said Wednesday.

Grace Hospital nurses ‘begging’ supervisors not to send them to badly understaffed ER

Stepping in to fill staff shortages in a Winnipeg ER has left one nurse “terrified” and calling for action.

The high rate of nurse vacancies in the emergency department at Grace Hospital has meant nurses from other departments have to be reassigned, even though they are not specifically trained to work in emergency.

One ICU nurse said she and her co-workers there and on medicine wards are routinely sent to the ER and are assigned to care for multiple patients. Although working in the ICU requires a high level of training, the ER has different processes, charting systems and monitoring requirements, the nurse said. Being sent to work in an unfamiliar environment with very sick patients and no one to ask for help is extremely stressful. She spoke on the condition of anonymity.

She said she and other nurses have repeatedly raised concerns about the issue to management. She told the Free Press she has seen non-ER nurses “begging,” sometimes to the point of tears, not to be assigned to the ER because they aren’t trained for it. The ER is so short-staffed, she said, that it’s difficult to find someone who can provide urgent guidance.

Teen denies killing mother in early police interview

A Winnipeg teen accused of killing his mother told police he had nothing to do with her death, a jury heard Monday.

As the first-degree murder trial continues, jurors viewed a 40-minute video interview the then-16-year-old gave to police, hours after his mother’s body was found.

The identity of the accused is protected under a publication ban, therefore the Free Press is also not naming the 51-year-old victim in this case.

On March 26, 2019 — hours after he called 911 to report he’d found his mother bloody and unresponsive in her Winnipeg bedroom — the teen agreed to be interviewed by city police. He was talking to homicide detectives as a witness, and hadn’t yet been arrested or charged.

Photojournalist grilled at hearing into police complaint

A newspaper photographer who filed a complaint after police seized his camera without a warrant was questioned about his account of the interaction, his professionalism, and a hashtag posted to his Twitter account.

Winnipeg Sun photojournalist Chris Procaylo, 51, was cross-examined during the continuation of a rare Law Enforcement Review Agency hearing Wednesday.

The lawyer for the Winnipeg Police Service officer suggested the officer didn’t know Procaylo was a journalist until after he seized the camera and asked for Procaylo’s identification.

Procaylo testified that wasn’t true. He said he has been a full-time news photographer since 1996.

Sun photographer ‘intimidated’ by officer, hearing told

A Winnipeg police officer’s decision to seize a news photographer’s camera is under scrutiny at a public hearing in a case that challenges police conduct and freedom of the press.

A Law Enforcement Review Agency hearing began on Tuesday to examine the conduct of an officer who took a Winnipeg Sun camera without a warrant at the scene of an emergency five years ago.

The civilian oversight hearing will determine whether the officer, whose name is protected under a publication ban, acted improperly. If there is a disciplinary finding, the publication ban on the officer’s identity is expected to be lifted in accordance with provincial law.

Winnipeg Sun photojournalist Chris Procaylo filed a complaint against the Winnipeg Police Service officer after his camera was seized and put into the trunk of a police cruiser on Dec. 2, 2017.

Ukrainian refugees receive Winnipeg welcome

Applause and bilingual cheers greeted more than 300 Ukrainians arriving in Winnipeg Monday afternoon as the first of three federal chartered flights landed in Canada.

Seeking refuge from the war in Ukraine, most passengers smiled behind their masks upon spotting the Ukrainian and Canadian flags at the international arrivals gate at the Richardson International Airport, and they waved to the gathered crowd of spectators. A mother made a heart symbol with her hands as volunteers dressed in traditional Ukrainian outfits handed her young son a stuffed toy. One newly arrived passenger loudly exclaimed his gratitude, shouting in English: “Thank you, Winnipeg! Thank you very much, Manitoba!”

The passengers were taken to a provincial reception centre near the airport and then bussed to a hotel. They received help applying for fast-tracked necessary documents such as provincial health cards.

The Ukrainians arrived via emergency travel visas on the first of three planned federal government chartered flights. The next two flights are scheduled to land in Montreal and Halifax.

Winnipegger believes COVID-19 to blame for months-long debilitating exhaustion

Last November, Alex Long climbed for 17 consecutive hours, reaching the equivalent of 58,000 feet for a cancer fundraiser. A few weeks later, he couldn’t climb the stairs in his home without gasping for air.

The 47-year-old Winnipegger counts himself among an unknown number of COVID-19 long haulers. His cardiac and respiratory symptoms mean he can no longer push his limits – or even exercise. But after five months, his brain fog and exhaustion are starting to lift. He’s seen slow improvement, which makes him hopeful for the future.

“I’m still missing a big part of my life, which is the athletic and the fitness side,” he says.

“But I have hope that maybe in another four months, on this curve, I’ll be able to introduce that part of my life again.”

Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada reopens to public

‘This is amazing!”

Five-year-old Misk Musleh bounced along the second-floor of Winnipeg’s new Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada, taking in a bird’s eye view of an Air Canada passenger jet, a retired air force Dynavert, and a Snowbirds aerobatic plane that, suspended from the ceiling, looked like it was in mid-flight.

Literally vibrating with excitement, Misk expressed the emotions of aviation enthusiasts everywhere as she visited the museum with her family during its grand opening weekend.

“I like planes. It’s so fun. I’m not scared of heights!” she exclaimed.

Manitoba expands fourth COVID dose eligibility

Manitobans 50 and older are now eligible for a fourth dose of COVID-19 vaccine, and there are no plans to further expand fourth-dose eligibility until the fall.

Eligibility has been expanded for the antiviral COVID-19 treatment pill Paxlovid, which will be available at more than 175 pharmacies in the province, chief provincial public health officer Dr. Brent Roussin announced Friday.

In his first update in about six weeks, Roussin said fourth doses are available to Manitobans age 50 and older; First Nations, Métis, and Inuit people age 30 and older; and adults with moderate to severe immunocompromised conditions can receive their second booster shot, the fourth dose overall. The interval between boosters has been reduced to four months from six months.

“We know that our best protection against COVID-19 has been vaccination,” Roussin said. “Get that vaccine dose as soon as possible.”