Latest news with #SaskatchewanHealthAuthority
CTV News
13-06-2025
- Health
- CTV News
Regina Urgent Care Centre to have reduced hours on Saturday
Regina Urgent Care Centre is seen in this file photo. On Saturday, the Regina Urgent Care Centre (UCC) will have reduced hours from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. According to the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA), anyone with a medical emergency while the UCC is not operating, should call 911 or go to the emergency department at the Regina General Hospital or Pasqua Hospital. Those who need non-emergency medical care are advised to call HealthLine 811, visit a walk-in clinic, or connect with their pharmacy, the SHA says. The UCC will return to its regular hours of operation on Sunday, from 8 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
CTV News
13-06-2025
- Climate
- CTV News
LIVE @ 1:30: Sask. to provide wildfire update after extended period of minimal fire growth, repatriation
Sask. gives wildfire update following week of minimal fire growth, evacuee repatriation. Watch LIVE here. The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) and Premier Scott Moe will provide an update regarding the wildfire situation in the province on Friday at 1:30 p.m., after a week that saw minimal fire growth and a large number of evacuees repatriated to their communities. The update can be watched live at the top of this article. On Thursday around 7,000 evacuees, mostly from the La Ronge area, began returning home as crews have been able to take advantage of recent rainfall and attack nearby wildfires more aggressively. While evacuees from more than 30 communities have or are returning home, the province also said the La Ronge Health Centre emergency department has reopened, after being closed due to the mandatory evacuation in the area. According to the Saskatchewan Health Authority, acute and long-term care patients will begin returning to the facility on Monday, June 16. Mental health supports will also become available starting Monday. As of Friday morning, 19 wildfires are burning in Saskatchewan, according to the SPSA. Six are not contained. Saskatchewan has seen 258 wildfires so far in 2025, well above the five-year average of 147. Of those fires, approximately 44 have been caused by lightning. The remaining are human caused and are divided into several categories. Recreation – Caused by recreational activities such as fishing, picnicking, hiking or quadding. Resident – Accidental fire caused by people or machines related to agriculture or related to normal living in a forested area. Industry – Caused by land clearing, harvesting or power distribution. Incendiary – Arson, a device is used to cause a wildfire for the 'purpose of mischief.' The province noted that many human-caused fires are accidental – with SPSA believing 30 fires have been intentionally set – including the Ditch02 Fire near Weyakwin. A total of 290 values (structures, other types of property) have been lost due to wildfires. The SPSA expects this figure to increase to over 400 as damage continues to be assessed by teams in the field. -More to come... -With files from David Prisciak
CBC
13-06-2025
- Health
- CBC
Possible Hepatitis A exposure reported at Regina McDonald's
The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) is reporting potential Hepatitis A exposure at a McDonald's in east Regina. A food handler at the McDonald's location at 2002 Aurora Boulevard was reportedly at risk of transmitting the virus to food served there from May 25 to June 5. The SHA says anyone worried they may have been infected should call 811 to reach the Saskatchewan HealthLine to be assessed for symptoms. If eligible, they can receive a vaccination against Hepatitis A from local health services. They are also advised to monitor for symptoms for up to 50 days. Symptoms of Hepatitis A include fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, vomiting and diarrhea. It also may cause jaundice, which is the yellowing of the eyes and skin. The risk of transmission for the virus is very low, but it is still possible.
CTV News
12-06-2025
- Health
- CTV News
SHA warns public of potential exposure to Hepatitis A at Regina McDonald's
The Saskatchewan Health Authority logo can be seen in this CTV News file photo. The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) is investigating a case of Hepatitis A involving a food handler at a Regina McDonald's. On Thursday, the SHA alerted the public of the potential risk of exposure of Hepatitis A at the McDonald's at 2002 Aurora Blvd. The SHA is advising anyone who may have been at or ordered food from that location anytime between May 25 to June 5 to monitor for symptoms for up to 50 days after their last exposure and contact HealthLine 811 to be assessed. Symptoms of Hepatitis A may include fever, loss of appetite, dark urine, light coloured stool, fatigue, nausea, and vomiting, diarrhea, and jaundice, according to the SHA. Hepatitis A is a liver infection cause by a virus that is spread from person to person. While the risk of transmission is very low, the SHA said the possibility still exists. The SHA says to be eligible for a Hepatitis A vaccination, it should be no more than 14 days since the most recent meal from the restaurant.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
What we know about the wildfires burning in Canada and sending smoke to the U.S. and U.K.
High winds coupled with a warm, dry spring are fuelling a wave of forest fires across western Canada and parts of Ontario. More than 200 fires were reported across the country as of Tuesday morning, half of which are labelled out of control. Wildfires have already burned close to 2.2 million hectares this year, equivalent to the size of about 4 million football fields. At about seven times its ten-year average, the burn area is unusually large for this time of year. Communities in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba have also been shrouded in smoke, and air quality alerts have been issued across the provinces and bordering U.S. states. With summer still weeks away, this year's fire season is running far ahead of schedule. Here's what you should know. Smoke from Canadian wildfires has crossed the Atlantic Ocean and is blowing over the U.K. Manitoba wildfires: Thousands told to flee in Saskatchewan, hotels open up for evacuees in Winnipeg The worst blazes have occurred in the prairie provinces, leading led Saskatchewan and Manitoba to declare province-wide emergencies in late May. Saskatchewan The Shoe fire in Saskatchewan's Narrow Hills Provincial Park has scorched more than 400,000 hectares — roughly 18 times the size of the city of Saskatoon — and is threatening 11 communities. To the north, a 83,000 hectare fire in La Ronge, Sask, forced several neighbouring communities to evacuate. On Monday , the fire had crossed into the town's airport. The evacuation also included 45 acute and long-term care patients from the care homes and a health centre in La Rouge, the Saskatchewan Health Authority said. In total, more than 8,000 people, or about 30 communities, have been ordered to evacuate so far. There are 18 fires across the province, around half of which are uncontained. It's already shaping up to be the worst wildfire season Saskatchewan has seen in recent memory. Manitoba In Manitoba, more than 17,000 residents, including 5,000 people from Flin Flon, a mining city located near the Saskatchewan border, were forced to evacuate from their homes. The smoke has been too thick for water bombers to reach, leaving firefighters struggling to contain the blazes. Multiple fires beset the First Nations communities of Pimicikamak Cree Nation and Pukatawagan, prompting the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs to make an urgent plea for emergency response on May 30. The fires made the roads inaccessible stranding close to 4,000 members from both communities. Military planes carried out the evacuations save for a handful of holdouts who have so far refused to leave. Many of the evacuees have been allowed to carry only one bag with them and are told it might be weeks before they have a chance to return. The province has 25 fires, 10 of which are out of control. With accommodations in cities and First Nations communities becoming scarce, evacuees have had to be flown outside the province. Hundreds of Pimicikamak Cree Nation residents have been taken to Niagara Falls, Ont., where hotel rooms are becoming difficult to wrangle. Many of the evacuees have been allowed to carry only one bag with them and have been told it might be weeks before they have a chance to return. In mid-May, two people were reported dead in Lac du Bonnet, Man., a little over an hour's drive from Winnipeg, where evacuation orders were in place. Alberta Cooler weather mild showers kept fires from escalating overnight in Alberta, but the rest of the week is expected to bring warmer weather. More than 4,500 people have been ordered to leave their homes, including the town of Swan Hills, located northwest of Edmonton. The fires have claimed more than 500,000 hectares, primarily in the province's northwest. Of the 53 active wildfires in Alberta, 24 are out of control and six are being held, meaning the fire is expected to be contained under given conditions. The province has had 505 wildfires this season. The province's oil sands sector has also been affected, shutting down about seven per cent of Canada's oil production, or about 350,000 barrels a day, according to Bloomberg. British Columbia Nearly all of the wildfires are concentrated in the province's Northeast corner. A third evacuation order has been issued in Prince George as winds in excess off 50 kilometres per hour this week are expected to fan the flames toward the Alberta border. Much of the land is severely drought-stricken, according to Agriculture Canada. This week, a major clean up response took place after a fire near Summit Lake cut off 160 km of the Alaska highway close to Fort Nelson, B.C. The major arterial roadway, which connects Alaska to the Yukon, was shut down for much of Tuesday. It reopened to a single lane that evening, according to the Drive B.C. website. Ontario Several high-risk fires are burning in northern Ontario. Several First Nations communities have been evacuated since May and two have declared states of emergencies. Wabaseemoong Independent Nations, located west of Kenora, were placed under evacuation orders in mid-May. Fires started near the Manitoba border and have since scorched more than 36,000 hectares. Evacuations for Webequie First Nation, in Nipigon, where the fires have blackened 8,000 hectares, were carried out last week, and more than 400 members relocated. Deer Lake First Nation was also being evacuated this week, with 1,300 members needing relocation. A majority of the fires have been man-made, as is typical for this time of year. Of the 111 total wildfires in Manitoba this season, 100 are believed to be human-caused while six are under investigation and another five are believed natural. Over the weekend, Saskatchewan premier Scott Moe estimated that people were to blame for 90 per cent of fires in the province. Man made fires entail anything from burns that spread out of control, campfires that were left unattended, discarded cigarettes or, as in some cases, an act of malice. Lightning becomes the primary driver starting in June, and these fires are usually the most devastating. During 2023's record-breaking fire season, lightning accounted for 93 per cent of the area burned. Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario and Manitoba are seeing larger fires at this point in the year than their five-year average. In Central Canada, a combination of weather conditions — including warm temperatures, drought and lack of humidity — made fires more prone to spread. Manitoba exceeded average temperatures by double digits in the spring. Parts of Saskatchewan where fires are active were also several degrees warmer than average. Alberta also experienced a warm spring and is braced for heatwaves leading into summer. Current models forecast Central Canada will remain dry and hot throughout the summer. Fires have also been whipped up by strong winds and a lack of meaningful rains, conditions which are set to persist in much of the fire-stricken until later this week. Hundreds of communities are under Environment Canada's air quality warnings. The severity of smoke in any particular area can depend on factors such as wind direction, speed and fire proximity, according to the agency. A large part of southern and central Manitoba has been blanketed with hazardous levels of smoke. Advisories have also been issued for communities in northern Alberta, northern Saskatchewan and north western Ontario. Smoke caused by the wildfires has extended from the Midwest states into the plains and even as far southeast as Georgia. Minnesota, in particular, was placed under a statewide advisory, while multiple bordering states have advised their people to reduce exposure by staying inside as much as possible and keeping doors and windows shut. Health authorities are recommending the use of air filters at home or for going to locations with filtered air, such as libraries or malls. U.K. skies were also covered in a dull haze this week as smoke apparently carried across the Atlantic. Fumes also blew over into the Northern Europe, the Mediterranean and Greece a little over two weeks ago, with more expected in the coming weeks, according to the climate monitoring service Copernicus. The haze is hovering at high altitudes and poses no health risks, experts say, but has obscured the sun in an orangish haze. Wildfires release small particles in the air that are more harmful than regular air pollution. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency map shows moderate to severe concentrations of particles known as PM2.5 and ozone levels, in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa. These particles are used as a measure of air quality, with moderate levels affecting sensitive groups and more severe levels causing severe discomfort and even death. Young people, the elderly and those with heart and lung conditions are particularly at risk. At unhealthy levels, studies show an increase in stroke, heart attack and lung cancer among those who inhale wildfire smoke. 'Ground-level ozone and PM2.5 cause respiratory and cardiovascular problems and lead to tens of thousands of premature deaths, with costs of more than $100 billion, each year,' guidelines from the NOAA states. Wildfire smoke contributes to nearly 18,000 deaths a year, according to the Lung Health Foundation. It recommends keeping an emergency kit, filtering indoor air and checking carbon monoxide monitors to stay protected. At severe levels, the use of an air conditioner is not recommended. Instead, it is advised to check local governments for nearby cooling locations. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here.
