Wild fire evacuation in Sask. north leads to spike in COVID-19 cases
On Thursday, the Far North West region recorded another 14 cases of COVID-19, bring the total active cases for the region to 83.
The Buffalo River Dene Nation was recently evacuated due to forest fires in the area with residents heading to Lloydminster and North Battleford.
“That evacuation has resulted in several risks for transmission of COVID-19, and unfortunately, we have reported an increase in the number of cases amongst the residents of Buffalo River,” said Northern Inter-Tribal Health Authority (NITHA) Chief Medical Officer Dr. Nnamdi Ndubuka.
Several communities were forced to evacuate due to the wildfires in the area.
“About 10 cases of the strain are positive for the variants of concern and we are working on confirmation to make a determination on weather they are the Delta variant or what kind of variants,” Ndubuka told CTV News.
Ndubuka also points to the surge in cases due to the increase in testing and the vaccine hesitancy among residents.
Île-à-la-Crosse is reporting zero case of COVID-19, said mayor Dwayne Favel.
“I think everybody's concerned with the health and wellness of our young people. We want our people to be healthy and well.”
Favel says the Île-à-la-Crosse first vaccination rate is 70 per cent for people over 12.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW From yearning for a change to cost of living, why some Canadians have left or may leave the country
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
NEW Capital gains tax change 'shortsighted' and 'sows division' business groups tell Freeland
Forging ahead with increasing Canada's capital gains inclusion rate 'sows division,' and is a 'shortsighted' way to improve the deficit, business groups are warning Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland.
Minister said 'hundreds' of Canadians might use Gaza visa. More than 7,500 applied.
An immigration lawyer in Toronto says new figures from the federal government show just how 'grudging' Ottawa's efforts have been to rescue Canadians' family members from the war in the Gaza Strip.
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.
Canucks claw out 5-4 comeback win over Oilers in Game 1
Dakota Joshua had a goal and two assists and the Vancouver Canucks scored three third-period goals to claw out a 5-4 comeback victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series Wednesday.
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.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Florida deputies who fatally shot U.S. airman burst into wrong apartment, attorney says
Deputies responding to a disturbance call at a Florida apartment complex burst into the wrong unit and fatally shot a Black U.S. Air Force airman who was home alone when they saw he was armed with a gun, an attorney for the man's family said Wednesday.
'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.