Wastewater monitoring shows potential peak of COVID-19 transmission in Winnipeg
On a blustery day bitter cold temperatures eased, providing some relief to Manitobans in search some fresh air and a walk to lunch.
Despite public health measures which allow indoor dining, Tanya Schulz is opting to stick with take out, for now.
“Because I don’t think anyone should expose themselves to COVID, and I think you can expose yourself wherever you are now,” Schulz said.
Dr. Brent Roussin, Manitoba’s chief public health officer said the province is in fact continuing to see a significant amount of spread of COVID-19.
But he said wastewater monitoring in Winnipeg conducted by the National Microbiology Lab, used to help determine the level of virus in the community shows the worst of this latest wave of infections may have already passed.
“There was a potential peak in early January, however, since then we haven’t seen any dramatic decline and we’re seeing quite variable levels since that time,” Roussin said in a Wednesday update.
Roussin stressed it is only one indicator and it is still too early to make any definitive conclusions.
He said what is most important is looking at the impact on the health care system, which is still strained.
The situation is leaving residents, businesses and organizations in limbo over what the next public health orders might look like with the current measures set to expire Feb.1.
Darrel Nadeau, executive director of Festival du Voyageur, said a hybrid in-person and virtual edition of the annual celebration of French culture has already been planned to take place under the current public orders when it kicks off in just over three weeks.
Most activities will take place outdoors or virtually with some in-person, indoor concerts held. But under the current measures it would mean a maximum of 250 people would be allowed to attend outside at Voyageur Park, which can usually accommodate 4,000 people.
“It’ll be very small so our preference would be for an increase to outdoor capacity and then obviously following all the public health orders otherwise in terms of masking, in terms of distancing, in terms of vaccination checks,” said Nadeau.
Roussin said an announcement will be made in the coming days but wouldn’t give any hints on what the orders will look like.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
Blind Sask. boy heading to international braille competition hopes to increase accessibility for visually impaired
A Saskatchewan boy who qualified for an international braille competition in Los Angeles next month hopes he can inspire change in his home province.
'A step forward': New screening criteria for sperm donors takes effect
Canadians looking to grow their families with the assistance of sperm or egg donations should soon have more options for donors as the federal health agency does away with longstanding restrictions criticized as discriminatory.