MNU President Sandi Mowat recently toured the North Eastman Region, responsible for the provision of health services and programs to meet the needs of the approximately 38,093 people of the region. The region covers an area of approximately 35,000 square kilometers.

MNU president Sandi Mowat (right) starting touring again, this time making a stop at the Riverview Health Centre in Winnipeg with local president Karen Fleming (left).

The MNU believes that all nurses who may come in contact with a comfirmed or suspected H1N1 patient should be fit-tested with an N95 respiratory mask.

However, in the absence of fit-testing, learning how to seal check your N95 mask can help protect you.

A state of emergency-initially declared at two Winnipeg hospitals has now expanded to four health care facilities. Victoria, St. Boniface, Health Sciences Centre and the Pam Am Clinic have declared a state of emergency. The number of H1N1cases has risen to 458 in the province and 226 in Winnipeg.

As a result, the following is the contract language and the MNU's interpretation of the situation from a contractual perspective.

It is the position of the MNU that the most effective means of protection for health care givers caring for suspected or confirmed cases of H1N1 is the N95 mask.

The MNU's former Director of Negotiations was presented with an award for her contribution to the union and the growth of the federation of nurses.

Irene Giesbrecht, who retired from her position at MNU in 2008, was given the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions' Bread and Roses award at the recent CFNU convention in Vancouver.

MNU legal counsel attended a hearing this morning to seek standing as a party to the Sinclair inquiry. 

The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority has advised the MNU office and local executive that due to continuing increases in the number of H1N1 cases, a state of emergency has been declared at the St. Boniface, Victoria and Health Science Centre Hospitals and the Pam Am Clinic. Currently there are 226 confirmed cases in Winnipeg and 458 province- wide.