Newfoundland and Labrador has its first probable case of Monkeypox.

Following clinical guidelines and recommendations from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI), the Imvamune vaccine is being offered to asymptomatic individuals who are considered close contact exposures to this probable case.

Dr. Rosann Seviour, Acting Chief Medical Officer of Health, held a media availability today Thursday, July 28 that took place at 10am in the Media Centre, East Block, Confederation Building to discuss Monkeypox.

The availability will be live streamed on the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador’s Facebook account and on YouTube.

Monkeypox is a disease caused by the monkeypox virus.

The virus enters the body through broken skin, the respiratory tract or the mucous membranes (e.g., eyes, nose, or mouth).

The virus can also be spread by sharing clothing, bedding or common items that have been contaminated with the infected person’s fluids or sores.

In most cases, Monkeypox is usually a mild illness and most people recover on their own after a few weeks.

The Hebron Family Program will be going ahead this summer.

Lena Onalik is the Archeologist for the Nunatsiavut Government.

She says the Hebron Family Committee selected four relocatees from the North coast communities.

Onalik added the relocatees will travel by chartered speedboats to Hebron.

Click here to hear more about the trip and stay in Hebron from Onalik.

Today, Wednesday, July 27, 2022 is the first day of the Salmon Festival in Rigolet.

Emily Wolfrey is the Recreation Assistant and Special Events Coordinator.

The opening ceremonies will start at 6pm at the net loft, followed up with the parade.

There will be a float competition with prizes for the most creative, most enthusiastic, and most original to salmon theme.

There will be a big bingo at 7:30pm with bingo cards selling at $30, $35 books, and $2 for early birds and extras.

The bingo cards will be selling until 3pm today with prizes of $100 games, mini jackpot of $1500, and a jackpot of $2000.

Tomorrow, Thursday, July 28, there will be a cake walk starting at 10am, followed by a cardboard boat race.

The cardboard boats can start being made at 11am, boats must be made of cardboard and duct tape only.

OK Radio will be keeping track of the festival from Wolfrey.

The Provincial Government provided an update on its multi stage process to enable wind generation in Newfoundland and Labrador. This follows the announcement from April 2022 of lifting the moratorium on wind development, creating an opportunity for industrial customers to wind energy for their own consumption and wind generation for export.

In order to ensure a fair transparent for all interested parties, the Department of Industry, Energy and Technology is launching a call for the submission of Nominations of Areas of Interest for wind energy projects in the province. The call is only for any available Crown Lands within the province. Interested respondents are not limited are not limited to a geographic for given submission, or in number of submissions. A guidelines document is available. Nominations will close on Saturday, October 1 this year.

Following assessment of the land nominations received, a competitive land bid process will be launched this year. While some companies may already submited a requit for crown lands have been approved and will not be awarded until a competitive bid process occurs. More information will be available in the coming weeks.

In addition, companies are required to register wind development projects for environmental assessment, however, an environmental assessment approval does not mean that the project will proceed.

The Provincial Government launched the Provinces Energy Renewable Plan in December 2021. One of the short-term commitments in the plan was to review the wind moratorium policy on the Island Interconnected Electricity System. This was an initial step in the multi-stage process to enable wind generation in NL.

Pauktuutit, Inuit Women of Canada has set up a workshop and performances for Residential School Survivors.

Qaggiavut Nunavut Performing Arts partnered with Pauktuutit to bring programming to Residential School Survivors before and after the upcoming visit by Pope Francis. You can come by Building 11 tomorrow, Thursday, July 28 and Friday, July 29 from 1-5pm.

Pauktuutit will provide a safe place tent with councillors for those in need during that time.

There will be workshops and performances including throat singing, drum dancing, Kulik making, Kulik lighting, stories and seal skinning.

Pauktuutit thanks Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated for funding the event.

Nanilavut Project Manager, Cathy Ford of Makkovik has received funds to create funds gravesites/park plaques in locations outside of Nunatsiavut for those that went away with Tuberculosis treatment and never returned to their home community. The plaques will be based one concept design by the chosen artist.

Nanilavut’s primary goal is to help bring closure and begin the healing process for Inuit families and communities who have been searching for lost loved ones from Tuberculosis epidemic in the 1940 – 1960’s.

Interested artists can submit a proposal to Nanilavut project manager, Cathy Ford by email to cathy.ford@nunatsiavut.com.

Proposals must include:

• Artist’s names/location and contact information
• Plaques information such as: dimension and materials used, concept/ background story for the design of the plaque
• Any images or drawings of proposed work that would go on the plaque
• Any words that you would like on the plaque
• Artists fee for design and any expenses related to the work

Location and plaque specifications:

• Various communities such as St. Antony, Cartwright, Goose Bay or North West River and the communities in Nunatsiavut.
• Plaques and base will be displayed outside
• Dimension and size of the plaques will be up to the artist
• Ability to work alone or a group
• Nunatsiavut Government Nanilavut will erect the base for each.

Deadline is Friday, August 19, 2022, websites: www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/nanilavut-program-burielsites-1.6058480 and www.coanac-cirnac.gc.ca.

NL reported 3 more people have died from COVID-19 over the past week according to the Health Department latest update since last Wednesday.

17 people are in hospital with 1 person in critical care. The majority of those are in Eastern Health region with 1 person in the Central Health hospital and 3 patients in the Western Health hospital.

Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Janice Fitzgerald says earlier this month she expected an increase in hospitalizations as Omicron subvariant BA-5 circulate around the globe.

The newest deaths rates raise the provinces total to 205 since March 2020, with 11 reported in July.

The Health Department is also reporting 407 new cases since last Wednesday. The provinces numbers don’t represent the true spread of COVID-19 in NL however, since the Health Department restricts PC testing done by health authorities and the daily case counts don’t include people testing positive on rapid tests they perform themselves.

People 50 and older are now eligible for a second booster vaccine. Residents of long-term care or congregate living facilities and people who identify Indigenous or who live in remote or rural communities are also eligible.

The Hebron Family Program will be going ahead this summer.

Lena Onalik is the Archeologist for the Nunatsiavut Government.

She says the Hebron Family Committee selected four relocatees from the north coast communities.

Onalik added the relocatees will travel by chartered speedboats to go to Hebron.

Click here to hear more about the trip and stay in Hebron from Onalik.

Due to the current and uncertain weather this week, Twin Flames has been put in a position of having to cancel the trip to Nunatsiavut once again.

Please know that this decision was not made lightly, including, weather delays, flight availability, contract commitments, other show commitments.

They send their regrets and are sincerely disappointed in having to make this decision. We will be looking at potentially the Fall again.

Please keep in mind, they are still obligated to travel for the shows. Once people have regrouped and had a chance to discuss options, we will reach out to you again.

OK Radio contacted each of the communities along the coast to see what they have in their community freezer.

The Nain community freezer has some seal and char.

The community freezer in Hopedale got caplin, musk ox and caribou.

In Makkovik, the community freezer has char and smoked char.

The Postville community freezer only has cod.

We will get the community freezer in Rigolet when it’s available.