PHSD & PHU Report New COVID-19 Cases | Update: APH Reports 407th Case

UPDATE: Algoma Public Health's reporting a new COVID-19 case in Central and East Algoma - stemming from close contact with a known case - bringing the health unit to 407 total, though only one is currently "active".

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Public Health Sudbury and Districts has confirmed a pair in the Manitoulin District - the latest update shows one more stemming from close contact with a confirmed case, another with no known epidemiological link, though there's still one under investigation.

The health unit's seen a total of 2188 cases, with seven currently "active": one in Greater Sudbury, the rest in the Manitoulin District.

This comes as Wiikwemikoong Unceded Territory's declared an outbreak, reporting eight confirmed or presumed cases divided into "three separate clusters" in the Manitoulin Island First Nation community.

The Porcupine Health Unit - meanwhile - has confirmed two new cases in the James and Hudson Bay region, bringing the health unit to 2152, with ten "active".

ConnecTour Passing By Wawa on Sea-To-Sea Adventure

A group of cyclists are passing through the area, as part of a sea-to-sea adventure.

The ConnecTour is travelling from Kelowna, British Columbia, to St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, and while participant Doug Firby acknowledges a main reason is the adventure, he says there's another key aspect to the journey.

Firby says the group has met interesting people who do unusual things in every province they've visited, but also touts the kindness of so many along the trip, and notes people can support them through Patreon or even join in for a leg of the tour.

The ConnecTour is set to reach Sault Ste. Marie by Tuesday.

Update: Wawa Public Library Postpones Afternoon of Music

UPDATE: The Wawa Public Library's waiting another day to offer An Afternoon of Music.

Given today's rain, the event featuring Isabella Imperatori and Doris Zagar will instead be held tomorrow from 2 to 4, outside the library.

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The Wawa Public Library's looking to brighten the summer with an afternoon of music.

Assistant Librarian Suzie Jarrell explains a special event's happening this afternoon, featuring Isabella Imperatori and Doris Zagar.

Jarrell notes there's no cost for the event, though donations will be accepted, while proceeds from the sales will support the local library.

The "Afternoon of Music" will run from 2 to 4 outside the Wawa Public Library, weather permitting - if it doesn't, the event will be held tomorrow.

Changes Announced for Wawa Vaccination Clinics

Some major changes for COVID-19 vaccination clinics locally.

Weekly mass immunization clinics in Wawa are being transitioned to a smaller clinic approach available through several local agencies, with some smaller-scale clinics to continue at the Michipicoten Memorial Community Centre - a walk-up clinic is being held at Wawa's Goose Nest Market from 4 to 7 this afternoon.

In turn, Wawa's central booking line has now shut down, with those looking to book an appointment now directed to call the Wawa Family Health Team, Maamwesying North Shore Community Health Services, or Algoma Public Health - those in Dubreuilville should still call the Dubreuilville Medical Centre and in White River, the Northern Neighbours Nurse Practioner-Led Clinic.

Public Health Sudbury and Districts recently announced it was making a similar move, winding down mass immunization clinics in favour of a "more flexible mobile and pop-up clinic" approach - Chapleau's next scheduled clinic is still appointment-only on August 18th, with another on August 25th.

PHSD Winding Down Mass COVID-19 Immunization Clinics

Public Health Sudbury and Districts is winding down its mass immunization clinics.

The health unit says it's opting for a "more flexible mobile and pop-up clinic" approach, due to a declining need for high volume clinics as 80.8% of Sudbury and district residents 12 or older have received at least one dose, while 70.7% have received two doses.

Its website currently shows the next scheduled clinic in Chapleau is an appointment-only clinic August 18th, with another on August 25th.

In Wawa, a special walk-up clinic's being held at this afternoon's Goose Nest Market, offering doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine from 4 pm to 7 pm.

PHSD Confirms New COVID-19 in Manitoulin District

Public Health Sudbury and Districts has confirmed a pair of new COVID-19 cases.

Both are in the Manitoulin District - today's update shows one new case stemming from close contact with a confirmed case, another with no known epidemiological link, though there is still one case under investigation.

The health unit's seen a total of 2186 cases, with seven currently "active", four in the Manitoulin District, three in Greater Sudbury.

Wiikwemikoong Unceded Territory's declared an outbreak, noting six cases had been confirmed in the Manitoulin Island First Nation community with two more suspected, divided into what they call "three separate clusters" - in response, it is asking residents to designate a single person from the household for essential travel like food or picking up prescriptions, while non-residents are asked not to visit there at this time.

APH & PHSD Each Report New COVID-19 Case

A few more COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in the region.

Algoma Public Health's added one in the Sault Ste. Marie area - the health unit's 406th case and the first since July 23rd - though it's also reporting another "resolved" case, leaving just one "active".

The health unit's also reporting two more cases screened positive for a variant of concern - bringing that total to 112 - and it's warning of "potential low-risk exposure" to COVID-19 for those who visited Chummy's Grill in the Sault on Saturday, between 10:30 am and 1:30 pm.

Public Health Sudbury and District has added a case in the Manitoulin District - bringing the health unit's total to 2184 - though it's also reporting three "resolved" cases, leaving it with only five "active": three in Greater Sudbury and two in the Manitoulin District.

PHSD Reports Its 1st Human Case of Lyme Disease

Sudbury's health unit is again warning to beware ticks as it has confirmed its first human case of Lyme disease.

Public Health Sudbury and Districts says laboratory results confirmed an adult from the Manitoulin District contracted the disease - which can cause serious complications to the heart, joints, and nervous system - noting blacklegged ticks infected with the bacteria have been found in the Sudbury and Manitoulin districts in past years - including a few this year.

It recommends measures to protect yourself from ticks, including: avoiding walking in tall grass; clearing debris and overgrown vegetation, grass, bushes, and trees from yards; keeping wood piles or bird feeders away from homes; and wearing long-sleeved, light-coloured clothes with closed-toe shoes, as well as Health Canada-approved insect repellants.

Signs of Lyme disease include a red bull's eye-shaped rash around the bite area, as well as symptoms such as fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, fatigue, stiff neck, and swollen glands.

Wawa's MMCC Reopening Gym, Chapleau Reopens Facilities

Wawa's Michipicoten Memorial Community Centre is reopening its gym after several months closed by COVID-19 restrictions.

Just two weeks after the building reopened for some tourism and recreation-related services, the gym is open today, with restrictions: one hour sessions by appointment only, from 8 am to 4 pm Monday to Friday, with a maximum of four people in the gym at a time, wearing masks when not engaging in physical activity, and other guidelines for the facility must also be followed.

Appointments may be booked one week in advance, by calling the Pro Shop.

Chapleau's also reopened some facilities: the museum and tourist information centre is open 10 am to 5 pm Thursday to Monday until August 30th; the library is open 1 pm to 5 pm Monday to Friday; and the arena ice surface is available to rent for ball hockey.

One Reported Dead After Collision North of SSM

One person is dead after a collision north of the Sault earlier this week.

Sault Ste. Marie Police say a 63-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene of Monday's multi-vehicle collision in the 2600 block of Great Northern Road - or Highway 17 North - near Sixth Line.

According to investigators, a southbound minivan crossed the centre line, striking a northbound pickup truck hauling a trailer - a southbound pickup truck later struck the minivan from behind, while a northbound cube truck avoided the other vehicles, but ended up in a ditch.

Police note the deceased was in the front passenger seat of the minivan, while six other occupants of the vehicle were taken to hospital with various injuries, ranging from "life threatening" to "non-life threatening".

Though they have not been publicly identified, police say the van's occupants are not from the Sault area.

The pickup drivers and the driver and the passenger of the cube truck were also taken to hospital with "non-life-threatening" injuries.

OPP Urging Drivers Follow Ontario's Move Over Law Amid Long Weekend

Ontario Provincial Police will be watching this long weekend for drivers who don't "move over" for emergency vehicles.

Superior East OPP Detective Constable Trevor Tremblay says officers will be enforcing rules requiring drivers slow down and make space while passing emergency services vehicles - including tow trucks with their lights flashing - when they're on the side of the road.

Tremblay adds officers will still be watching for the "Big Four".

Tremblay also reminds that stunt driving rules recently changed, lowering the threshold to 40 kilometres an hour over the limit when that limit's 80 or lower and increasing the penalties.

Porcupine Health unit Reports 31st COVID-19 Death

Another COVID-19 death has been confirmed in the region.

The Porcupine Health Unit's giving few details about its 31st COVID-related death, except that it's in health unit region.

This comes as it's reporting two more cases in the Timmins area and another in the James and Hudson Bay region - bringing the health unit's total to 2144 - though four more "resolved" cases mean the number "active" is down to fourteen.

It's also reporting that three more cases in Timmins were positive for the "Delta" variant of concern - the health unit's seen 42 cases of the more transmissible and dangerous variant, which it calls "extremely worrisome", as a sign the variant's circulating in the health unit's communities.

PHSD & PHU Report New Variant of Concern Cases

Mixed news on the local COVID-19 front.

Public Health Sudbury and District isn't reporting any new cases - in fact it's showing one more "resolved", leaving it with only seven "active", five in Greater Sudbury, two in the Manitoulin District - though it is reporting one more case confirmed or presumed to be a variant of concern, bringing that total to 999.

The Porcupine Health Unit - which hasn't reported a new case since Monday - is showing eight "variant of concern" cases were confirmed over the last week, bringing that total to 1123 - it currently has 16 "active".

Algoma Public Health is just reporting two more "resolved" cases, leaving it with two "active" - it hasn't reported a new case since Friday.

PHSD Confirms 3 New COVID-19 Cases + 1 Variant of Concern Case

A few more COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in the region.

Public Health Sudbury and Districts is reporting two in Greater Sudbury and another in the Manitoulin District, bringing its total to 2183.

Figures posted by the health unit show three more cases stemming from close contact with a confirmed case and one travel-related case - it had reported one case as "under investigation" yesterday, though it's unclear if that's the travel-related one, or one of the close contact cases.

It now has eight "active" cases: five in Greater Sudbury; two in the Manitoulin District; and one in the north part of the Sudbury District, which includes Chapleau, Gogama, Foleyet, and neighbouring First Nations.

The health unit's also reporting one more case confirmed or presumed to be a variant of concern, bringing that total to 998.

Prize Winners Announced for WPL Photo Scavenger Hunt

The Wawa Public Library's congratulating a few local families who've claimed prizes in the recent Family Photo Scavenger Hunt.

Assistant Librarian Suzie Jarrell says the contest went "really good".

Jarrell commends the four participating teams - first prize winners Team Mantarri, Team MacLary in second, Team McLaughlin in third, and Team Crawford in fourth - and notes hopes are to see even more participate next year, making the contest "bigger and better".

The library reminds weekly clubs are still happening, with a special bingo, and plans are for an "Afternoon of Music" outside the library on August 6th, weather permitting.

Local High-Speed Internet Access Project Getting Provincial Funding

A local project aimed at improving high-speed internet access is getting provincial support.

The Ontario government's announced a total of $14.7-million for thirteen projects under the Improving Connectivity for Ontario - ICON - program, including up to $1,416,643 to help increase access for up to 2295 homes or businesses in Brunswick House First Nation, Chapleau, Chapleau Cree First Nation, Dubreuilville, Hornepayne, Michipicoten First Nation, Missanabie Cree First Nation, Pic Mobert First Nation, Wawa, and White River.

This comes as the Township of Dubreuilville's signed an agreement-in-principle with a consortium led by Community Network Partners for the contruction and operation of a next generation broadband fibre optic network for the community - construction and "a community-wide pre-sales campaign" is expected to start next month, allowing residents to sign up for packages with a new community-based internet services provider.

The Limited Partnership's expected to invest $1.15-million and co-own the "last mile network" connecting the Township facilities, while Community Network Partners will operate and service the network, partnering with Trispec Communications to provide planning, design, project management, and construction of the fiber access network, which will be private, closed to third-party retail-selling providers.

PHSD Reports New COVID-19 Cases, Offset By More Resolved

Public Health Sudbury and Districts has confirmed two more COVID-19 cases.

Both cases are in Greater Sudbury - one stemming from travel, the other still under investigation - and they bring the health unit's total to 2180.

Three more "resolved" cases were reported, however, bringing the number "active" down to five.

The health unit's also reporting one more case confirmed or presumed to be a variant of concern, bringing that total to 997.

Algoma Public Health - meanwhile - is showing another "resolved" case, leaving it with only four "active".

Forest Fire Smoke Smoke Prompts Air Quality Statement for Region

Smoke from forest fires in northwestern Ontario and eastern Manitoba has prompted Environment Canada to issue special air quality statements for the region, including Wawa, Dubreuilville, White River, Chapleau, Gogama, and Foleyet.

Algoma Public Health's warning such air pollution can be harmful to health and aggravate heart or lung conditions, with "common, mild symptoms" of smoke exposure including sore and watter eyes, runny nose, scratchy throat, mild coughing, or headache, while more serious symptoms including shortness of breath, severe wheezing or coughing, chest pain, or heart palpitations - it urges anyone experiencing the severe symptoms to seek prompt medical care.

It warns children, the elderly, pregnant women, those doing strenuous exercise or work, and anyone with a heart or lung condition is most at risk, recommending you limit or avoid outdoor activity and strenuous physical activities, keep windows closed and have your ventilation system recirculate, and - if you have asthma, COPD, or other breathing problems - use medication as prescribed.

APH & PHSD Confirm More COVID-19 Cases

A few more COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in the region.

Algoma Public Health's added one in the Sault Ste. Marie area - stemming from close contact with a known case - bringing the health unit's total to 405, with five "active".

Public Health Sudbury and Districts confirmed one in Greater Sudbury and one in the Manitoulin District - bringing it to 2178, with six "active" - it's also reporting eight more confirmed or presumed cases of a variant of concern, bringing that to 996.

The health unit’s also warning of potential exposure on an Ontario Northland bus from Toronto's Union Station to North Bay - and the transfer service to Sudbury - on July 13th.

The Porcupine Health Unit added five cases in the James and Hudson Bay area, bringing the health unit to 2140 - it last reported 35 "active", but that was before the latest cases.

The Thunder Bay District Health Unit last had one "active", but it no longer updates figures over the weekend.

PHSD Warns Delta Variant Now Dominant Form of Coronavirus in Region

Public Health Sudbury and District is warning the "more transmissible and dangerous" Delta variant is now the dominant form of the COVID-19-causing coronavirus in its area.

The health unit notes 70% of its COVID-19 cases since July 1st have had this variant, which spreads more easily and is associated with higher rates of hospitalization, ICU admission, and death compared to the previously-dominant Alpha variant.

While it assures vaccines are effective against Delta, it warns there's evidence of "reduced protection against symptomatic disease" after just one dose, emphasizing that "two-dose vaccine coverage is important for everyone", and - given how infectious Delta is - vaccination rates need to be as high as possible to protect against community spread.

As of Friday, 79.8% of residents 12 and older in the health unit's region have received one dose, and 66.3% are fully vaccinated, though the health unit's aiming for 90% fully vaccinated.