A deadly day on eve of code red

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This article was published 01/11/2020 (1965 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

With COVID-19 cases surging in Manitoba, the province announced its deadliest day yet with six deaths on Sunday.

Record-high figures were reported for the test positivity rate and hospitalizations as well. The five-day test positivity rate is now 8.9 per cent and 120 people are currently in hospital due to the virus, of which 18 are in intensive care. Sunday also marked the third straight day of more than 300 new cases, with 312 announced — 238 in Winnipeg.

Four of the reported deaths are related to an outbreak at the Maples long term care home, including two women in their 80s, a woman in her 90s and a man in his 80s — all from the Winnipeg health region.

The four deaths at the care home come one day after the announcement of the first death at the facility, where the outbreak had affected 92 residents and staff members.

There was also a death of a man in his 70s related to an outbreak at St. Boniface Hospital, adding to the five deaths already announced by the facility. The sixth death reported by the province on Sunday was a man from the Steinbach health district in his 50s from the Southern Health region.

Two deaths were also independently reported, but whether the deaths were part of the current provincial totals was not confirmed. Simkin Centre reported another of its care home residents has died as a result of COVID-19, after the Winnipeg care home previously announced one other death on Oct. 24. Meanwhile, UFCW Local 832 President Jeff Traeger said in a statement on Sunday afternoon that a second union member employed at the Exceldor poultry processing plant in Blumenort has died as a result of COVID-19.

Health officials added on Sunday the Women’s Correctional Centre in Headingley is being moved to critical (red) on the province’s pandemic response system. An outbreak has been declared and visitor restrictions are in place. As of Friday, the number of infections among staff and inmates at nearby Headingley Correctional Centre has risen to 69.

The entire Winnipeg Metropolitan Area moves to code red (critical) restrictions Monday, but the challenges related to COVID-19 are not isolated to the Winnipeg area. Other areas of the province will be elevated to code orange (restricted), joining the Northern region which was previously increased to the restricted level on Oct. 26.

Five positive tests and 12 tests deemed “not clear,” were identified at the Keeyask Generating Station construction project in northern Manitoba on Saturday, according to Manitoba Hydro.

The Crown corporation said it plans to temporarily reduce staffing at the construction site as a measure to contain COVID-19.

“We’re taking this proactive precautionary measure to stop the spread of the virus,” said Jay Grewal, Manitoba Hydro’s president and CEO. “We’ll continue to work with our partner communities to support their individual pandemic response plans.”

Four Cree Nations, Tataskweyak Cree Nation, War Lake First Nation, York Factory First Nation and Fox Lake Cree Nation are working in a partnership with Manitoba Hydro in the construction and operation of the Keeyask Generating Station. Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak and the four First Nations are demanding the province immediately declare the construction site as code red under the province’s pandemic response system, the MKO said in a news release.

The MKO noted there are over 750 workers at the site and nearly 10 per cent are currently in isolation because of the virus.

“We are urging the Province of Manitoba to put into place orders preventing people from entering or leaving this site until the outbreak is declared over,” said Chief Doreen Spence of Tataskweyak Cree Nation. “First Nations have undertaken many actions to restrict the transmission of COVID-19 and we are urging the province to do the same.”

People from the four First Nations work at Keeyask and there is fear people may have unknowingly brought COVID-19 into these communities.

“The province should move the Keeyask site to red because it’s a nightmare scenario if COVID gets out of the Keeyask worksite and into one of the nearby First Nations,” said NDP leader Wab Kinew on Sunday.

“If people in those First Nations get sick, they’re going to have to be treated in Winnipeg. The hospitals are already full here. We can’t afford to have any other outbreaks going on that’s going to put further strain on our system.”

The MKO have proposed a meeting with Manitoba Hydro on Monday at 3 p.m. for an update on the outbreak and what steps are being taken to contain it.

The Winnipeg Metropolitan Region enters code red on Monday, while the rest of Manitoba will be moved to code orange if they weren’t already there.

kellen.taniguchi@freepress.mb.ca