The slow decrease of new active COVID-19 cases in Manitoba and Saskatchewan is continuing, with both provinces seeing lower case numbers than those seen last week.
Manitoba reported 11 new cases of COVID-19 Sept. 8, with eight in Winnipeg, two in Southern Health-Sante Sud and one in the Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority (IERHA). No new cases were found in Prairie Mountain Health Monday, which has been the region in Manitoba hit hardest by COVID-19 and where the most active cases are located.
The province is back under the 400 mark for active cases - 393 people in Manitoba now have COVID-19, with 13 of those people in hospital and three in intensive care. Of the 393 people, 214 are in Prairie Mountain Health, 146 are in Winnipeg, 21 are in Southern Health and 11 are in the IERHA.
One case remains active in the Northern Health Region - the case is described in the provincial COVID-19 dashboard as being in an "unknown district". The Reminder has reached out to the Northern Health Region for clarification on what "unknown district" means in relation to the case, but have not received an answer as of 3 p.m. Sept. 8.
When asked about the designation during the Sept. 8 provincial media briefing, Manitoba chief provincial public health officer Dr. Brent Roussin said while the case was initially reported in the Flin Flon/Snow Lake/Cranberry Portage/Sherridon health district, an investigation is underway into the case.
"That is the district - I'm not sure the name of the district, but it should be reported on the site," said Roussin.
"This is a typical case investigation, contact investigation. There wasn't really any concerning contacts that we had to make a public announcement about."
The City of Flin Flon and Town of Creighton each issued their own statements regarding a case of COVID-19 found locally Sept. 8, two days after the case was first announced Sept. 6. As of 3 p.m. Sept. 8, the NHR case of COVID-19 was still marked as "unknown district".
"I don't have any specifics about that case," said Roussin.
Northern travel restrictions have been amended to allow for junior hockey teams to travel into northern Manitoba. The change will allow the MJHL's OCN Blizzard to have players come north for training camp and allow the team to come into the south and north and allow opponents to head north to play. The restriction will also allow the Flin Flon Bombers to have players travel from southern Manitoba up north for the team's training camp, tentatively scheduled for next week.
Saskatchewan reported seven new cases of COVID-19, including three in Regina, two in the north central region and one each in Saskatoon and the south central zone. The province is now at 58 active cases of COVID-19. Seven more people were reported as recovered Sept. 8.
There are currently three active cases of COVID-19 in far north Saskatchewan, with all located in the western portion of the province near the Alberta border. No cases are active in the far north east region, which contains Creighton, Denare Beach, Sandy Bay, Pelican Narrows, Deschambault Lake and other communities nearby.
