Thompson’s first confirmed case of COVID-19 since early April was announced by the province Oct. 5, bringing the total number of cases in the Northern Regional Health Authority (NRHA) area to 18, 12 of which are considered active.
There were two people from the region in hospital due to the virus on Monday, one of them in intensive care.
The only hospitals in the NRHA that are designated as COVID sites for admission are St. Anthony’s General Hospital in The Pas and Thompson General Hospital, says a spokesperson for the health region. Patients from the region who test positive for COVID-19 are admitted to one of those hospitals unless their condition is deemed critical and requires critical care or ventilation, in which case they are transferred to Winnipeg for treatment.
The case in Thompson was revealed by Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation Chief Marcel Moody Oct. 4, when it was a presumed positive test, in an update to NCN members. Moody said the person may have been in contact with people from NCN and that the First Nation was restricting travel to Thompson for supplies to two people per household effective immediately. No children will be allowed to leave NCN and events such as poker games, church, sweats and ceremonies must be cancelled. Non-residents will not be allowed into the First Nation unless they are essential workers.
“No one should be surprised or caught off-guard by this announcement; we knew this day was coming. That’s why it’s important that we follow precautions and public health orders properly,” said Thompson Mayor Colleen Smook in an Oct. 5 press release after the new case in the Thompson health district was confirmed. “This positive case does not need to turn into an outbreak, but we need to start taking this virus seriously.”
The news release also reminded Thompson residents to stay home when sick, practise good hand hygiene, cover coughs and sneezes, maintain physical distancing when possible and wear a mask in group settings. It also recommended that only one person per household go out to run errands or pick up supplies when possible.
Fifty other new positive tests for COVID-19 wee announced in Manitoba Oct. 5, including 35 cases in Winnipeg, 12 cases in the Interlake-Eastern health region and three cases in the southern health region.
The total number of cases in the province since the pandemic began is 2,191, 739 of which are considered active. Province-wide there are 23 people in hospital due to COVID-19, six of them in intensive care. Twenty-three people have died as a result of the virus while 1,429 people have recovered from their infections.
