WHO says JN.1 COVID strain, a 'variant of interest,' poses low risk
The World Health Organization on Tuesday classified the JN.1 coronavirus strain as a "variant of interest" but said it did not pose much threat to public health.
CTV News | COVID news | Vaccine mandates
Coronavirus Top Stories
As 2023 holidays dawn, face masks have settled in as an occasional feature of the American landscape
As 2023 draws to an end, with promises of holiday parties and crowds and lots of inadvertent exchanges of shared air, mask-wearing is much more off than on around the country even as COVID's long tail lingers. The days of anything approaching a widespread mask mandate would be like the Ghost of Christmas Past, a glimpse into what was.
Many Canadians have had long COVID for almost 4 years. Researchers say there's hope
Forty-two per cent of the people in Canada reporting lasting symptoms had them for a year or more, but Canadian doctors and scientists want long COVID patients to know that research is accelerating.
More Stories
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Kingston General Hospital 'bursting at the seams' with COVID-19 and respiratory illness patients
The Kingston General Hospital (KGH) says a surge of emergency department inpatients, including a day that had a near record 580 admissions, has the hospital struggling to keep up as COVID-19 and the respiratory virus season peaks across the province.
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Feds recover $40M from defunct Quebec vaccine developer Medicago
The federal government has recovered $40 million of its investment in the now-defunct Quebec-based vaccine developer Medicago as part of a deal with the parent company, the innovation minister announced Thursday.
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New research suggests 'long flu' could have lasting impacts
As flu season sweeps across Canada and new research suggests the disease could come with a more long-term burden for some, health officials and experts are reminding the public of the importance of getting your shot.
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Moderna commercial officer steps down, CEO to look over vaccine sales
Moderna said its Chief Commercial Officer Arpa Garay has stepped down from the role and CEO Stephane Bancel will look over sales and marketing, sending the shares of the vaccine maker down 5% on Tuesday.
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Prosecutors ask to effectively close case against top Italian, WHO officials over COVID-19 response
Rome prosecutors asked a judge Thursday to effectively close an investigation into Italian and U.N. health officials over Italy's 2020 COVID-19 response without charges, on the grounds that no crimes were committed, a lawyer said.
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Ivermectin warnings, a new COVID-19 antiviral, a changing threshold for care: These are the WHO's updated treatment guidelines
The World Health Organization has updated its guidelines for the treatment of COVID-19 patients, including categories of hospitalization risk to help doctors tailor treatment, and recommendations surrounding a new antiviral designed specifically to tackle the disease.
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More women than men died in Canada during the first months of the COVID pandemic, StatCan finds
A new report from Statistics Canada has found that more women died of COVID-19 than men did during the earliest months of the pandemic, with much older non-immigrants particularly affected.
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Doctors say we need the updated COVID-19 shot. So why haven't we heard more about it?
Doctors say it's vital to get the new version of the vaccine because it offers protection against the subvariant driving a current rise in COVID-19 cases and also because most Canadians are well past the six-month mark when immunity fades after previous shots or infections.
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Canada has 'sufficient supply' of new COVID-19 vaccines amid 'pandemic amnesia,' experts say
As doctors recommend new COVID-19 vaccine doses to combat the XBB.1.5 Omicron subvariant, a mutation of COVID-19 that has continued to spread despite misconceptions that the virus is a threat of the past, officials say Canada has sufficient supply.
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COVID-19 hospitalizations reach numbers not seen since last winter
COVID-19 hospitalizations are on the rise across Canada as a wave of autumn infections sweeps the population, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada.
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Where can I get a COVID-19 rapid test? CTV News looks at the rules in each province and territory
As Canadians prepare for another respiratory virus season this fall and winter, some may be curious to know if what they have is a cold, flu or possibly COVID-19. With rapid antigen tests being one popular option, CTV News looks at how many are still in stock in Canada and where you can get one.
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Some hospitals are bringing back masking - and the general public should consider it this fall too, experts say
Some hospitals are instigating stricter masking rules again amid an uptick in COVID-19 cases, and although we’ve probably seen the end of broad masking mandates, some experts say the general public should also be making more use of this tool in our arsenal of measures to fight illness.
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CORONAVIRUS NEWSLETTER
Canada
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Couple detained at Punta Cana airport claim household product was mistaken for cocaine
A Waterloo couple is grateful to be back home after they say they were detained for several hours at a Punta Cana airport, accused of carrying drugs.
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B.C. will implement a new 20% 'flipping tax' on homes: What you need to know
Premier David Eby has been clear that speculators are in his crosshairs, and with the 2024 budget his government has announced details of a new 'BC Home Flipping Tax.'
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Worker killed at Vancouver construction site was mother of 2, sources say
The worker killed when a crane's load came crashing down at the massive Oakridge Park development project in South Vancouver this week was a mother of two, sources tell CTV News.
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Air Canada passengers recount 'hellish journey' to Toronto after 10 delays, 1 cancelled flight
Ten delays, one cancellation, and about 27 hours later, Air Canada travellers trying to jet out of Fort Lauderdale finally made what one of them is calling a 'hellish journey' back to Toronto.
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Alberta town voting today on bylaw banning Pride crosswalks
Westlock residents are voting Thursday on a bylaw that would prohibit rainbow crosswalks, a common symbol of support for the LGBTQ2S+ community, and restrict the town to flying only government flags.
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Victims' families hold vigil as Robert Pickton becomes eligible to apply for day parole
There were haunting scenes in Port Coquitlam Wednesday evening, as family and friends of women victimized by serial killer Robert Pickton held a vigil in their memory, at the site of the former pig farm.
World
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Judge rejects Trump’s request to delay finalizing US$355 million civil fraud order
The judge overseeing the US$355 million civil fraud case has denied Donald Trump’s request to delay the judgment for a month.
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Fire engulfs two buildings in Valencia, Spain, killing at least four people. Nearly 20 missing
A fire engulfed two residential buildings in the eastern Spanish city of Valencia on Thursday, killing four people and leaving 19 others missing hours after the blaze started, authorities said.
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Israeli strikes kill over 70 in Gaza, and West Bank shooters kill an Israeli
Israeli strikes have killed at least 71 people in southern and central Gaza during roughly the past 24 hours, the territory's health officials said Thursday.
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Texas school legally punished Black student over hairstyle, judge says
A Black high school student’s monthslong punishment by his Texas school district for refusing to change his hairstyle does not violate a new state law that prohibits race-based hair discrimination, a judge ruled on Thursday.
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A U.S. company is accused of illegally hiring children to clean meat processing plants
U.S. authorities have accused another sanitation company of illegally hiring at least two dozen children to clean dangerous meat processing facilities, the latest example of illegal child labour that officials say is increasingly common.
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Missouri fire that killed a woman and her 4 children was a murder-suicide: police
A fire that killed five members of a Missouri family was intentionally set by the mother, police said.
Lifestyle
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Bobi, named world's oldest ever dog, loses title after investigation
Bobi the dog, who died last year reportedly at the age of 31, has been stripped of the world’s oldest ever dog title following a review by Guinness World Records (GWR), the organization announced Thursday.
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Winning $70M lottery ticket purchased in this central Ontario community
The newest multi-millionaire is advised to sign the back of their winning ticket immediately and head to a retailer to have it validated, so the OLG is notified.
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Treadmills cause thousands of injuries each year. Here’s how to use one safely
More people are injured by treadmills than any other piece of exercise equipment, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. More than 22,000 treadmill injuries resulted in hospital emergency room visits in 2019.
Sports
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Who has the power to sue Brett Favre over welfare money? 1 Mississippi Republican sues another
Mississippi's Republican attorney general sued the Republican state auditor Thursday, saying the auditor is trying to usurp her authority over recovering interest on misspent welfare money from retired NFL quarterback Brett Favre, money that was supposed to help some of the poorest people in the U.S.
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Moncton man chases world record in juggling while running a marathon
He's a runner, a juggler and now Jean-Marc Doiron finds himself joggling, and chasing a world record.
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Auston Matthews scores 50th goal in 54th game to break tie as fastest U.S.-born player to reach mark
Auston Matthews scored his 50th and 51st goals of the season in his hometown to break a tie as the fastest U.S.-born player to reach 50 and help the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the crumbling Arizona Coyotes 6-3 on Wednesday night.
Business
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Lynx Air files for creditor protection, final flight scheduled for Feb. 26
Lynx Air announced Thursday that it has filed for creditor protection from the Court of King’s Bench of Alberta. The airline said in a release that it will cease operations at midnight, Monday, Feb. 26, with flights continuing until then.
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More Canadians are switching grocery stores in search of discounts
The high cost of groceries isn't just taking a bite out of Canadians' bank accounts, it's also devouring any hope that prices may decrease.
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Loblaw profits and sales continue growing as shoppers look for more deals
Canada's largest grocer expects this year to be much like the last: customers continuing to seek discounts and deals, leading to more growth at the company’s discount brands and banners, and higher profits.
Autos
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Thousands of pickup trucks, SUVs recalled in Canada over increased risk of crash
Toyota is conducting a safety recall to approximately 28,061 SUVs and pickup trucks in Canada involving transmission issues, the company said in a press release on Thursday.
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Edmunds: Five things you need to know before buying a used EV
There are additional aspects about buying an EV that you'll need to consider in order to get the best value. The car experts at Edmunds have put together five tips on what you need to know.
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3 men accused in Montreal car theft ring walk free due to court delays
Even though authorities are trying to crack down on car thefts in Montreal, three men accused of operating a luxury car theft ring in the city walked free last month because it took too long for their case to go to trial.
