KENORA – Residents of Northwestern Ontario are being urged not to travel to Manitoba and asked to self-isolate in most cases should they cross the border westward.
The Northwestern Ontario Health Unit on Monday issued a release recommending the public only go to Manitoba for essential reasons, including medical care or work.
Leisure travelers entering Northwestern Ontario from Manitoba are being implored to stay home and avoid others from outside their household for 14 days. Anyone showing symptoms should self-isolate and get tested, along with anyone in their household.
“Interacting with someone who has recently been in Manitoba puts you at a higher risk for COVID-19. To protect our communities, anyone who has travelled to or from Manitoba should stay at home and not interact with anyone outside of their household for 14 days after arriving in northwestern Ontario,” said Dr. Kit Young Hoon, medical officer of health at NWHU, in a release.
Manitoba last week rolled back its reopening plans and entered Code Red. On Monday the province announced 392 new cases and 10 more deaths.
At present there are seven active cases in the Northwestern Health Unit catchment area, including four in the Kenora area. Two more are in the Sioux Lookout Region and there’s one in Dryden/Red Lake.
There have been a total of 88 cases since the pandemic began, with 81 considered resolved.
Hoon said she understands it may not be possible for those traveling for essential reasons to stay home for 14 days after returning to Ontario.
She asked that they take every precaution possible.
“Those who have been in Manitoba for essential reasons should minimize interacting with anyone outside of their household as much as is reasonably possible for 14 days on entering Northwestern Ontario,” Hoon said.
The health unit also recommends avoiding all non-essential travel outside of Northwestern Ontario and anyone traveling to hot spots, including the GTA, to follow the stay-at-home advice as well.
