The smoke generated by the fires raging in the forests of western Canada worsened air quality on Friday in the Prairies, Ontario and Quebec, where…
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Topic: QuebecView all posts for the topic: Quebec
New COVID strain found in Montreal wastewater: health ministry
SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, has mutated into two new variants that are circulating across Asia, Europe and North America, and Quebec’s public health authority warns one of the strains was detected in Montreal wastewater data.
The variant found in Quebec, XFG, has also been detected in wastewater in other parts of Canada, the United States, and Europe. Another new strain, NB.1.8.1, is associated with a rise in COVID cases and hospitalizations in China, Hong Kong, India, Taiwan, Thailand, and Singapore, according to Marie-Pierre Blier, a spokesperson from the health ministry.
Although XFG has made its way to Quebec, public health authorities assure there is no need to panic. Blier wrote in an email that it hasn’t markedly impacted public health, adding that the ministry continues to monitor the situation closely.
Comments closedTopic: NovavaxView all posts for the topic: Novavax
Federal government cancels deal with US company to make COVID-19 vaccine in Montreal
The federal government has cancelled a deal with vaccine maker Novavax to manufacture COVID-19 vaccine in Montreal, the company said in a filing with the U.S. securities regulator.
Novavax told the Securities and Exchange Commission that the Canadian government cancelled the deal March 7 after the company failed to meet a Dec. 31, 2024 deadline to get regulatory approval for a COVID-19 vaccine using ingredients made at the federally-owned Biologics Manufacturing Centre in Montreal.
Continue readingFederal government cancels deal with US company to make COVID-19 vaccine in Montreal
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Topic: long COVIDView all posts for the topic: long COVID
Life has gone back to normal. But those with long COVID continue to suffer
When Nathanael Rafinejad first moved to Montreal, they loved the city’s nightlife and worked as a bartender and a waiter while studying business management.
But after catching COVID-19 in January 2022, the 29-year-old is now mostly confined to their apartment.
“I feel completely cut off from the world most of the time,” said Rafinejad. “I can’t walk anymore. I cannot stand for more than a few seconds at a time. I can’t sit for a long time. I have to use a wheelchair every day.”
Comments closedTopic: measlesView all posts for the topic: measles
The measles epidemic continues in Quebec with 30 confirmed cases now
The measles epidemic continues in Quebec. The province has reached 30 cases, according to the most recent figures from Public Health.
The Laurentides region remains the most affected with 27 cases of measles, the others being in the territories of Montreal, Laval and Montérégie.
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Quebec calls for vigilance following 11th case of measles
An eleventh case of measles has been reported in Quebec, the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux (MSSS) announced on Sunday.
The government is urging the public to be extra cautious and to follow public health recommendations “due to the active circulation of measles in Quebec and the presence of several exposure sites in the Laurentides, Laval, Montréal and Montérégie regions,” the MSSS said in a press release.
The last infected person visited the Carrefour Laval during his/her contagious period on January 7.
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Locations exposed to measles in Montreal due to the appearance of a new case
Another case of measles has been detected in recent days by the Direction de la santé publique de Montréal, which is reminding hospital staff to apply the necessary measures to avoid transmission of this serious respiratory disease.
In a notice published on Sunday, the Direction régionale de santé publique revealed that “a Montréal adult was infected with measles following exposure to another unvaccinated adult with measles, in a location outside Montréal.”
Public Health states that these two cases are part of “the measles chain of transmission initiated by the case imported from a foreign country who attended the NATO Parliamentary Assembly at the Palais des congrès de Montréal in November.”
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Hundreds may have been exposed to measles during November NATO conference in Montreal
Montreal Public Health says hundreds of people may have been exposed to measles during a recent NATO conference in the city.
The agency says one of the participants in the military alliance’s parliamentary assembly, which took place in Montreal last month, received a measles diagnosis after returning to their home country and would have been contagious while they were in the city.
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Montreal protests: Police Brotherhood wants to force protesters to reveal their faces
he president of the Montreal Police Brotherhood, Yves Francoeur, declared Friday on TVA Nouvelles that he is mandating his lawyers to find legal ways to force demonstrators to reveal their faces, describing the situation as unacceptable.
“Yes, citizens have the right to demonstrate, but why would someone need to cover their face, if it is not to do bad things?”, declared Mr. Francoeur. Moreover, his public comments come a week to the day after a demonstration against NATO that degenerated downtown.
Comments closedTopic: vaccinesView all posts for the topic: vaccines
Let’s put Montreal’s idle pharmaceutical plant to good use
When COVID-19 first struck, Canada had a problem: It lacked domestic capacity to manufacture vaccines. Today, the government of Canada faces the opposite problem: It owns a factory that isn’t manufacturing vaccines.
The Biologics Manufacturing Centre (BMC) in Montreal was completed in 2021 at the cost of $126 million, and fully licensed by Health Canada in 2022. However, a 2021 deal with Novavax to produce their COVID-19 vaccine looks increasingly unlikely to produce a single dose. Indeed, despite annual operating costs around $17 million a year, the BMC has never produced anything.
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Three years and waiting for Canada’s made-in-Montreal COVID shot
Vaccine production is nearly three years behind schedule at a federally owned plant in Montreal and the future of a deal between Ottawa and an American company to make COVID-19 vaccines here is now under review.
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About 2,000 patients are on the long COVID clinic waiting list
(Montreal) The rehabilitation process is long for patients with long COVID, which can limit professionals in their acceptance of new patients. This issue, added to the other ills of the healthcare system, means that some 4,000 patients end up in the network of long COVID clinics, half of whom are on the waiting list.
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Vaccine manufacturer won’t be making COVID shots at Montreal plant this winter
At the height of the pandemic in February of 2021, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced he had found a partner to make millions of doses…
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Montreal General Hospital dealing with summertime COVID-19 outbreak
There is a COVID-19 outbreak on the 18th floor of the Montreal General Hospital as Quebec and other jurisdictions see a rise in infections.
The hospital has implemented a mandatory mask policy for everyone on that unit and everyone on the floor is being monitored for symptoms.
Overall, the numbers for positive tests for COVID-19 in Quebec are up from 448 in April to 745 yesterday. That’s still far below the 3,000 we had a day in early January.
The 22 deaths reported by the province’s public health institute, the Institut national de santé publique du Québec (INSPQ) during the week of June 30 is still far below the 100 a week Quebec was seeing a year ago.
Comments closedTopic: climate crisisView all posts for the topic: climate crisis
Wildfire smoke could move into Ottawa, eastern Ontario tonight
Wildfires in western Canada will likely bring smoke into Ottawa and eastern Ontario starting on Monday and into Tuesday morning.
CTV’s Your Morning chief meteorologist Kelsey McEwen says smoke could travel as far as Quebec City by Tuesday morning with air quality advisories being issued in five provinces.
“You can see the Jetstream pulling that smoke down south of the border through the Dakotas and back up through the Great Lakes,” McEwen said.
“By tomorrow, this begins to slide toward the Ottawa-Gatineau area, tomorrow morning and out toward Quebec City.”
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Quebec successfully pushes back against rise in measles cases
Quebec appears to be winning its battle against the rising tide of measles after 45 cases were confirmed province-wide this year.
“We’ve had no locally transmitted measles cases since March 25, so that’s good news,” said Dr. Paul Le Guerrier, responsible for immunization for Montreal Public Health.
There are 17 patients with measles in Quebec currently, and the most recent case is somebody who was infected while abroad, he said.
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First Indigenous family health clinic opens in Montreal
Montreal’s first family health clinic adapted to Indigenous people’s needs officially opened its doors on Friday morning.
The Native Montreal Family Clinic project, which was launched in 2021, is being led by Native Montréal to ensure the deployment and sustainability of health and social services adapted to the identity and specific needs of the Indigenous clientele in the metropolitan area.
Health Minister Christian Dubé made the announcement on Friday alongside the Minister responsible for Relations with First Nations and Inuit, Ian Lafrenière.
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