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Tag: Canada

Topic: SaskatchewanView all posts for the topic: Saskatchewan

Free supply of COVID-19 tests coming to an end in Saskatchewan

Published February 14, 2024

Still COVIDing Canada Posts

Published by: Regina Leader-Post
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With the start of the COVID-19 pandemic nearly four years in the rear-view, measures like masks, social distancing and free COVID-19 test kits have continued to wind down.

On Wednesday, the Government of Saskatchewan confirmed it will no longer supply free tests, which have been widely available at voluntary distribution sites like public libraries.

In response to the pandemic, the federal government procured and distributed rapid antigen tests to provinces and territories, making them freely available to individuals and families as a way to prevent the spread of the COVID-19.

Continue readingFree supply of COVID-19 tests coming to an end in Saskatchewan
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Topic: CanadaView all posts for the topic: Canada

COVID PPE makers sue Ottawa for $5B, say feds broke promise

Published February 14, 2024

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Published by: Global News
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By Patti Sonntag

Fifteen Canadian mask and respirator manufacturers are suing the federal government for $5.4 billion in damages, claiming that Ottawa broke its promises to buy their products to fight the spread of COVID-19.

In a statement of claim filed in Federal Court last week, the companies and their industry association, the Canadian Association of PPE Manufacturers (CAPPEM), made “negligent misrepresentations” that prompted them to invest in personal protection equipment innovations, manufacturing and production.

The federal government will have an opportunity to file a defence to the unproven allegations as the court case proceeds.

Continue readingCOVID PPE makers sue Ottawa for $5B, say feds broke promise
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Topic: OntarioView all posts for the topic: Ontario

Ford government facing lawsuit over expansion of Pickering care home where dozens died during COVID

Published February 13, 2024

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Published by: Toronto Star
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By Maria Iqbal

A health advocacy coalition and the daughter of a deceased long-term-care resident have launched a court challenge against the Ministry of Long-term Care’s approval of the expansion of a Pickering home where the Canadian military reported disturbing conditions during the pandemic.

The challenge announced Tuesday calls for a judicial review of the ministry’s decision to approve an 87-bed expansion of Orchard Villa long-term-care home and a new 30-year licence for its parent company, Southbridge Care Homes.

The home would also redevelop 131 of its 233 existing long-term care beds.

Orchard Villa was one of five homes that the military entered in April 2020, when it reported inadequate staff training and resident care within the facility. According to the recent court filing, 206 of Orchard Villa’s 233 residents had COVID by spring 2020. During the first wave, 71 residents died at the home.

Continue readingFord government facing lawsuit over expansion of Pickering care home where dozens died during COVID
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Topic: Waterloo RegionView all posts for the topic: Waterloo Region

Group of University of Waterloo students demanding improved response to COVID-19-related issues

Published February 9, 2024

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Published by: CityNews
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By Josh Piercey

A group of students at the University of Waterloo (UW) have penned an open letter to administration demanding the institution meet certain standards of care due to its ‘silence and inaction about the ongoing health crisis.’

Their group, called the Covid Action, Response and Equity (CARE) Coalition UW, is made up of about 10 students attending the university.

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Topic: convoy occupationView all posts for the topic: convoy occupation

Convoy organizers claim Ottawa police board should pay damages in proposed class-action lawsuit

Published February 8, 2024

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Published by: Ottawa Citizen
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By Aedan Helmer

Convoy protest organizers defending a proposed class-action lawsuit now argue the Ottawa Police Services Board should be on the hook for any potential damages to be paid out, claiming protesters were following police directions when they parked hundreds of trucks in downtown Ottawa during the 2022 demonstration.

“None of the defendants … had originally expected to park any vehicles on the streets of downtown Ottawa as part of the protest,” according to a new third-party claim filed by the lawyer for the defendants, which include organizers Tamara Lich, Chris Barber and Pat King.

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Topic: British ColumbiaView all posts for the topic: British Columbia

Protect Our Province masking message on New West billboard takes aim at COVID

Published February 8, 2024

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Published by: New Westminster Record
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The pandemic has highlighted the lasting health impacts viruses can have, long after the acute infection is over and done with.

Many viruses, not just Covid, play a role in causing more serious long-term diseases. Epstein- Barr Virus (EBV), the mononucleosis or kissing disease virus, is associated with Multiple Sclerosis.

Recently, B.C. rolled out an at home self-test for Human Papilloma Virus, that’s because HPV can cause throat and cervical cancer.

After the Great Influenza of 1918, it took us years to learn that children born in and around that time were later at higher risk for Parkinson’s disease (remember Robert De Niro in the movie Awakenings), not to mention cardiac disease and diabetes.

Continue readingProtect Our Province masking message on New West billboard takes aim at COVID
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Topic: Ottawa-GatineauView all posts for the topic: Ottawa-Gatineau

COVID-19 cases continue downward trend

Published February 8, 2024

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Published by: Ottawa Citizen
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COVID-19 infections showed another drop in the last seven days, with Ottawa Public Health reporting 144 new cases as of Tuesday.

That compares with 177 new cases reported last week and 264 new cases the week before.

The health agency reported five new deaths from COVID-19, compared with four a week earlier.

Continue readingCOVID-19 cases continue downward trend
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Topic: convoy occupationView all posts for the topic: convoy occupation

Judge tosses motion to dismiss proposed class-action lawsuit against convoy participants

Published February 6, 2024

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Published by: Ottawa Citizen
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By Aedan Helmer

Downtown Ottawa residents and business owners who launched a proposed class-action lawsuit against organizers of the 2022 convoy protest moved one step closer to having their day in court as a judge tossed a defence motion to dismiss the lawsuit.

“There is sufficient basis to conclude that the plaintiffs have a meritorious case,” Superior Court Justice Calum MacLeod said in his ruling, released Monday.

“There is evidence that certain plaintiffs were subjected to what they contend to have been extreme amounts of noise, horn honking, incessant diesel fumes and other pollution, blockage of the streets and intimidation.

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Topic: convoy occupationView all posts for the topic: convoy occupation

Lawsuit against convoy organizers moves forward

Published February 6, 2024

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Published by: CBC News
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By David Fraser

There is evidence that certain plaintiffs were subjected to what they contend to have been extreme amounts of noise, horn honking, incessant diesel fumes and other pollution, blockage of the streets and intimidation. There is evidence that plaintiffs had difficulty accessing their properties and that business was disrupted, reservations cancelled, and revenue negatively impacted.

Continue readingLawsuit against convoy organizers moves forward
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BC’s pandemic budget may “wind down” in 2024Photo of two masked friends walking in a corridor in an underground public transit station. Photo by Charlotte May / Pexels.
Topic: British ColumbiaView all posts for the topic: British Columbia

BC’s pandemic budget may “wind down” in 2024

Published February 6, 2024

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Published by: The Peak
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By Michelle Young

BC’s budget and fiscal report covers a “three year fiscal plan” for housing, sustainability, and healthcare. The report states, “As the funding for pandemic contingencies are set to wind down by the end of 2023/24, it is anticipated that the Ministry of Health will wind down or integrate any services into ministry operations, as appropriate, to support the ongoing health and well-being of British Columbians.”

The report did not elaborate, and The Peak reached out to the Ministry of Health for more information, who said they “will have an update to share following the release of the 2024/25 budget at the end of next month.”

DoNoHarm BC, who advocates for safer COVID-19 protections in the province, is concerned about the effects a potential budget cut could have for residents and provides a series of recommendations.

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Topic: Newfoundland and LabradorView all posts for the topic: Newfoundland and Labrador

Mask mandates return to N.L. hospitals today. Here’s what you need to know

Published February 5, 2024

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Published by: CBC News
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By Ryan Cooke

If you’re heading to a hospital or other health-care facility after 8 a.m. on Monday, you will be required to put on a mask.

The province has returned to masking mandates in health-care centres for the first time since May 2023. The move comes amid concerns about respiratory illnesses such as COVID-19, influenza, strep A and other airborne viruses.

The provincial health department has said it’s a temporary measure, and will be re-evaluated on March 31.

Continue readingMask mandates return to N.L. hospitals today. Here’s what you need to know
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Topic: TorontoView all posts for the topic: Toronto

Homeless people in Toronto more likely to get COVID again compared to housed population: study

Published February 2, 2024

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Published by: CBC News / The Canadian Press
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By Nicole Ireland

People who are homeless have high rates of COVID-19 reinfection, putting the health of an already vulnerable population at further risk, a study published Friday in the BMC Infectious Diseases journal says.

Homeless people in Toronto who had COVID-19 were more than twice as likely to get it again as people who had housing, said lead author Lucie Richard, a senior research associate at the MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions at St. Michael’s Hospital.

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Topic: British ColumbiaView all posts for the topic: British Columbia

Flu, RSV and COVID-19 cases all increased last week in B.C., data shows

Published February 1, 2024

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Published by: CTV News
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By Ian Holliday

Cases of influenza, RSV and COVID-19 all increased in B.C. this week, according to the latest respiratory illness data from the B.C. Centre for Disease Control.

All three diseases remain well below their recent transmission peaks, however.

There were 528 positive tests for influenza in the province during the most recent epidemiological week, which spanned Jan. 21 to 27. That’s an increase from the 442 positive tests recorded the week before.

Continue readingFlu, RSV and COVID-19 cases all increased last week in B.C., data shows
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Ottawa: Don’t trash the COVID-19 dashboardPhoto of Ottawa City Hall, accompanied by some graphs and the text: Don’t trash the COVID-19 dashboard!
Topic: take actionView all posts for the topic: take action

Ottawa: Don’t trash the COVID-19 dashboard

Published February 1, 2024

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📣 Let Ottawa Public Health, Ottawa’s mayor, and city councillors know you want continued access to the city’s COVID-19 dashboard.

✉️ Send letters to let them know you want continued access to updated data in the COVID-19 dashboard, and elsewhere on the City of Ottawa’s website. You can use your own email software to send the letters.

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Topic: Newfoundland and LabradorView all posts for the topic: Newfoundland and Labrador

N.L. health-care facilities reviving mask mandate, says minister

Published February 1, 2024

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Published by: CBC News
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Mandatory masking is returning to all areas where clinical care is provided in health facilities in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Health Minister Tom Osborne told CBC News Thursday the recommendation was made by the Infection Prevention And Control team at N.L. Health Services, aiming to protect people inside the hospital and those entering the facilities.

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Topic: New BrunswickView all posts for the topic: New Brunswick

COVID-19 kills 3 more in N.B., new variant JN.1 appears poised to become dominant

Published January 30, 2024

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Published by: CBC News
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By Bobbi-Jean MacKinnon

COVID-19 has killed three more New Brunswickers and a new subvariant, JN.1, appears to be on its way to taking over as the dominant strain in the province.

COVID-19 activity remains “moderate,” according to Tuesday’s Respiratory Watch report. Most indicators remained “stable” throughout the reporting period, Jan. 14 to Jan. 20, it says.

The flu has killed two more people, but influenza activity decreased during the reporting week, with the number of new cases dropping back to historical averages, the report shows.

Continue readingCOVID-19 kills 3 more in N.B., new variant JN.1 appears poised to become dominant
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Topic: Ottawa-GatineauView all posts for the topic: Ottawa-Gatineau

Will Ottawa Public Health stop updating its COVID-19 dashboard?

Published January 30, 2024

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Published by: CTV News
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By Toula Mazloum

Ottawa Public Health is clarifying the confusion that has been circulating on social media around its plans to phase out its COVID-19 dashboard.

While the current COVID-19 dashboard will be discontinued in February, the health unit pledges to continue to give updates about COVID-19 and respiratory illnesses circulating in the capital.

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Topic: Ottawa-GatineauView all posts for the topic: Ottawa-Gatineau

High COVID levels persist as other illnesses dip

Published January 25, 2024

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Published by: CBC News
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By Andrew Foote

Flu numbers dropped again over the last week, according to the latest data from Ottawa Public Health (OPH), and RSV trends did the same. Flu levels remain high and RSV’s are more moderate.

The COVID-19 picture remains generally high and stable.

Meanwhile, both the number of respiratory-related and overall emergency room visits in the city have dropped for three straight weeks.

Continue readingHigh COVID levels persist as other illnesses dip
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