(PEI-Influenza-Outbreak)
Health P-E-I has declared an influenza outbreak at an in-patient unit at Kings County Memorial Hospital.
In response, the provincial agency has restricted visitors to the unit.
It’s also asking visitors and staff at the hospital — including the emergency department — to follow infection-control measures, including to wear a mask at all times.
Last week, the province reported 58 new influenza cases and has counted 370 total cases on its surveillance dashboard for the 2025-26 respiratory illness season. (The Canadian Press)
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(NB-Discharge-Process)
New Brunswick says its new guidelines for releasing inmates from jails will improve public safety.
The province says that people transitioning back into the community will be assessed earlier and more consistently.
That includes better co-ordination for housing, health care and community supports before an inmate is released.
The government says that inmates in provincial jails will also have the opportunity to participate in their release plan. (The Canadian Press)
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(NB-Stolen-Vehicle)
Saint John police say two 18-year-olds who allegedly tried to flee from police in a stolen vehicle multiple times will make a court appearance in April.
Investigators say officers attempted to stop a Subaru Outback several times on Wednesday night after it was reported stolen from the Charlotte Street South area.
After the Subaru company remotely shut off the vehicle, it was located in a parking lot off Manawagonish Road.
The driver was apprehended after a brief foot pursuit by police, while the passenger tracked by a police dog was later located in a shrink-wrapped boat at a business on Fairville Boulevard. (The Canadian Press)
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(NS-Missing-Children)
The mother of two missing children in Nova Scotia alleges that her common-law partner was sometimes physically abusive and hurt her.
The newly unsealed court documents include unproven allegations and excerpts from interviews with Malehya Brooks-Murray.
On May 2nd, 2025, she called 9-1-1 to report that four-year-old Jack Sullivan and six-year-old Lilly Sullivan had wandered away from their home north of Halifax.
According to police, Brooks-Murray told investigators the children’s stepfather, Daniel Martell, would sometimes hold her down and once pushed her.
When reached by phone, Martell denied the allegations and said they are part of a narrative designed to make him look evil. (The Canadian Press)
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(NS-Halifax-Uber-Five-Things)
Halifax Regional Council is poised to debate bylaw changes that could impose more oversight on drivers working for ride-hailing companies like Uber and Lyft.
Uber is opposed to the proposed changes, saying they would lead to higher fares, excessive red tape, additional fees for drivers, and no improvements in passenger safety.
Uber’s Canadian service was launched in 2012 in Toronto and by 2022 had expanded to 140 municipalities in nine provinces, including Halifax.
Halifax council is expected to discuss the proposals at its next meeting on January 27th. (The Canadian Press)
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(PEI-Hospital Lockdown)
A man was arrested yesterday after allegedly making threats that led to a lockdown at the Kings County Memorial Hospital in Montague.
Charlottetown Police say a man made a threat over the phone against a health care worker.
The hospital and nearby clinics were locked down for a brief time but soon reopened.
Police say it appears to be an isolated incident with no threat to public safety. (The Canadian Press)
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(NS-Bravery-Medals)
Four Nova Scotians received a provincial medal of bravery in Halifax.
Gerrid Hunt of Lower Sackville received a medal for rescuing a man from a burning home last year.
Richard MacPhee, Ryan O’Shea and Scott Rafuse were honoured for helping rescue two missing snowmobilers in Cape Breton.
Premier Tim Houston handed out the medals yesterday. (The Canadian Press)
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(Atlantic Update by The Canadian Press)
