People receive COVID-19 rapid tests in Toronto’s Union Station on Tuesday. Ontario reported another record for COVID-19 cases on Friday. (Spencer Gallichan-lowe/CBC)
Coronavirus case figures continue to grow in Canada, with Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, New Brunswick and P.E.I. all reporting record-high numbers on Friday.
According to the open data portal in Quebec, slightly more than 10,000 new cases were added in the province on Friday, eclipsing the previous record of 9,397 new cases reported one day earlier. Details on COVID-19 related hospitalizations and vaccinations will be released next week.
“The Omicron variant is more contagious than anything seen since the start of the pandemic,” Premier François Legault wrote in a Christmas message posted to Facebook. “I count on your judgment to respect the instructions and to be careful.”
Sources told Radio-Canada that the province has agreed to spend $86 million on the order, which could secure at least 12 million rapid tests. It is not known when Quebec will receive this order.
Ontarioreported 9,571 cases, eclipsing the 5,790 the province posted on Thursday, along with six additional deaths.
Health Minister Christine Elliott tweeted that 508 people are hospitalized with the virus — 355 not fully vaccinated or with an unknown vaccination status. On Thursday, 440 people were in hospital due to COVID-19.
The number of people in Ontario intensive-care units due to COVID-19 hit 164. Of those, 136 were not fully vaccinated or had an unknown vaccination status and 28 were fully vaccinated, Elliott tweeted. Friday’s total number of ICU cases is down by five from Thursday.
Dr. Kieran Moore, Ontario’s chief medical officer of health, said earlier this week that record-high daily case counts were expected and will likely continue for several weeks.
British Columbia health officials announced 2,441 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, the fourth straight day with record daily case numbers in the province. On Wednesday, B.C. shut down bars, nightclubs and gyms, and banned gatherings such as weddings.
Officials also said contact tracing and testing sites are at maximum capacity. They urged residents not to seek testing for travel purposes, as the screening needs to be available for those most at risk, as well as health-care workers who need negative tests in order to work.
“If you have any symptoms of COVID-19 … you must assume you have COVID and take measures to avoid passing it on,” B.C. Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said at a Friday news conference. “Omicron is different…. In a sense, we’re in a different game.”
In Manitoba, an all-time daily record of nearly 742 new COVID-19 cases was reported Friday, along with one additional death. At a news conference earlier in the day, Chief Provincial Public Health Officer Dr. Brent Roussin said the caseload is an underestimate because of a backlog in testing.
“We have to expect this will put significant strain on our health-care system if we continue these case numbers at this rate,” he said.
“Given that we’re still learning about Omicron, we cannot rely on some of the reports of Omicron being less severe.”
WATCH | Reconsider in-person events over coming days, Manitobans told:
Reconsider in-person events over coming days, Manitobans told
8 hours ago
Duration 1:58
Due to the rapid transmission of Omicron in Manitoba, Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Brent Roussin says residents should reconsider their holiday plans and limit the amount of contact they have with other people. 1:58
Anyone planning multiple Christmas gatherings in Manitoba is being urged to cut that back to one. Though current health orders allow for up to 10 visitors inside a home, not counting the people who live there, Roussin is pleading with people to scale that back.
In the Maritimes, New Brunswick reported a new daily high of 265 cases on Friday and one new death.
As in many other jurisdictions, the province’s chief medical officer of health is urging people to limit their contacts. People in New Brunswick are being asked to stick to a steady bubble of 20 and, after Dec. 27, to a smaller, steady bubble of 10.
Prince Edward Island reported its highest-ever new daily cases at 40, as the province’s new pandemic restrictions went into effect.
Wedding and funeral receptions, as well as wakes and visitations, will no longer be permitted. Organized gatherings such as worship services, wedding and funeral ceremonies, concerts and shows will be capped at 50 people, and schools won’t return to in-person learning until at least Jan. 10.
On Thursday, Canada reported more than 20,000 new COVID-19 cases for the first time, a culmination of a record-shattering day that saw several provinces confirm new highs in infections.
What’s happening elsewhere in Canada
For more details on how COVID-19 is impacting your community — including hospital data and the latest on restrictions — check out the coverage from CBC newsrooms around the country.
WATCH | Health-care workers tired of the ‘burden of the virus,’ doctor says:
Health-care workers tired of the ‘burden of the virus,’ doctor says
10 hours ago
Duration 6:50
Though he is not tired of caring for patients, critical care physician Dr. Del Dorscheid says he and his colleagues are tired of the burden that COVID-19 has become and wonder if it will ever really go away. 6:50
Nova Scotia reported 611 new cases on Friday, down from the previous day’s high of 689. While the province originally encouraged people to use rapid tests as a precautionary measure, it is now asking that the test only be used when people have symptoms or are identified as close contacts, in order to conserve resources.
Newfoundland and Labrador reported 85 new cases on Friday. The province was back in COVID-19 Alert Level 3 as of Thursday morning, the change brought on by a rapid increase in cases, the emergence of the Omicron variant and outbreaks found across three of the province’s regional health authorities. At Level 3, people are asked to stay home as much as possible and to maintain a household bubble of up to 20 people.
This chart shows the latest rise in COVID-19 cases in Canada, as well as hospitalizations, which may not spike until weeks after cases do. (Adam Ciolfi and Wendy Martinez/CBC News)
Alberta reported 1,625 new cases on Thursday. The province’s chief medical officer of health said Albertans should use rapid tests to confirm whether they have COVID-19 if they show symptoms, rather than booking PCR tests. She noted that lab capacity has been strained in Quebec and Ontario, where Omicron is causing case counts to spike.
Saskatchewan reported 194 new cases and one additional death on Thursday.
Saskatchewan and Alberta are not expected to provide updates on COVID-19 numbers on Friday.
All Nunavut communities entered into a full lockdown on Friday as the territory reported four new cases, bringing the total number of active cases to eight. Dr. Michael Patterson, the chief public health officer, said the strict measures are to break transmission of the virus.
Yukon reported seven new cases on Friday.
The Northwest Territories has cancelled its travel bubble with Nunavut, citing concerns about COVID-19 community spread in the neighbouring territory. The cancellation took effect on Thursday at 5 p.m. local time.
“The updated [public health order] will now be treating all residents travelling from or through Nunavut as though they are travellers from outside of the N.W.T.,” said a new release from the N.W.T. Office of the Chief Public Health Officer.
– From CBC News and The Canadian Press, last updated at 6:35 p.m. ET
Christmas again scaled back in Bethlehem
In the West Bank, musicians banging drums and playing bagpipes marched through the biblical town of Bethlehem on Friday to the delight of smaller-than-usual crowds — a mix of conviviality and restraint reflected in celebrations around the world on a Christmas Eve dampened once again by the coronavirus.
A ban on nearly all incoming air traffic by Israel — the main entry point for foreign visitors heading to the occupied West Bank — is keeping many international travellers away again this year. The ban is meant to help control the spread of the highly contagious Omicron coronavirus variant.
Prior to the pandemic, thousands of Christian pilgrims from around the world would visit the town at Christmas, providing some holiday spirit and an economic boost to the town.
Christian pilgrims visit the Church of the Nativity, with security forces standing guard during Christmas celebrations in the biblical city of Bethlehem on Friday. (Abbas Momani/AFP/Getty Images)
The lack of foreign visitors has Bethlehem counting on the Holy Land’s small Christian community to lift spirits.
Bethlehem Mayor Anton Salman said the town was optimistic this Christmas would be better than last year, when local residents stayed home due to lockdown restrictions.
“Last year, our festival was virtual, but this year it will be face to face with popular participation,” Salman said.
In Bethlehem’s Manger Square, hundreds of people gathered as a line of bagpipe- and drum-playing bands streamed through the area. Later, Latin Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the top Roman Catholic clergyman in the Holy Land, waved to well-wishers as his motorcade made its way through town.
“This year we see a lot of people, very crowded, and a lot of joy,” he said, before entering the Church of the Nativity to prepare for midnight mass. The church is built on the grotto where Christians believe Jesus was born.
– From The Associated Press, last updated at 3:45 p.m. ET
What’s happening elsewhere around the world
As of 3:45 p.m. ET Friday, more than 278.7 million cases of COVID-19 had been reported worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University’s case-tracking tool. The reported global death toll stood at almost 5.4 million.
Shoppers, some wearing face coverings to combat the spread of COVID-19, pass stores on Christmas Eve in Guildford, south of London. The U.K. has opted not to introduce tougher restrictions ahead of Christmas, focusing instead on a campaign to increase vaccine protection through a booster program. (Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Images)
The FlightAware website reported that global airline carriers have cancelled nearly 3,400 cancelled flights on Friday and Saturday. Some carriers said some flights were scrapped because of the impact on flight crews of illnesses largely tied to the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.
France reported another COVID-19 infection record on Friday with 94,124, while the number of people hospitalized for the disease reached a seven-month high at close to 16,200. The rising cases have prompted the government to convene a special meeting on the pandemic on Monday that could trigger new restrictions on movement.
In Australia, the federal government cut the wait time for people to get booster shots. Starting Jan. 4, the country will offer booster shots to everyone over 18 years old who had received their second vaccination shot four months earlier. The interval would be reduced again to three months by the end of the month, said federal Health Minister Greg Hunt. The move comes as Omicron cases in Australia hit 9,100 on Friday, up from the previous day’s record of 8,200.
In India, judges of the Allahabad High Court in Uttar Pradesh, the country’s most-populous state, urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government to suspend political rallies and election campaigns in regions due to hold elections early next year. Despite rising infection numbers due to the Omicron variant, political parties, including Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, have been holding rallies and meetings where crowds continue to ignore pandemic protocols. The judges said, if possible, the elections that are expected to be held in February 2022 should be postponed by a couple of months.
In South Africa, people without COVID-19 symptoms won’t need to test or isolate if they have been in contact with a positive case, the government said Friday. The country’s Health Ministry said people will no longer need to isolate but should monitor for symptoms for five to seven days and avoid attending large gatherings. South Africa’s experience is being closely watched, as it was one of the first to identify the Omicron variant.
The United States will lift travel restrictions to eight southern African countries on New Year’s Eve, the White House announced. The restrictions, imposed on Nov. 29, were meant to slow the spread of the Omicron variant. The ban barred nearly all non-U.S. citizens who had recently been in South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Malawi.
– From The Associated Press and Reuters, last updated at 3:45 p.m. ET
Montreal Alouettes wide receiver Tyson Philpot has announced he will be out for the rest of the CFL season.
The Delta, B.C., native posted the news on his Instagram page Thursday.
“To Be Continued. Shoutout my team, the fans of the CFL and the whole city of Montreal! I can’t wait to be back healthy and write this next chapter in 2025,” the statement read.
Philpot, 24, injured his foot in a 33-23 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Aug. 10 and was placed on the six-game injured list the next week.
The six-foot-one, 195-pound receiver had 58 receptions, 779 yards and five touchdowns in nine games for the league-leading Alouettes in his third season.
Philpot scored the game-winning touchdown in Montreal’s Grey Cup win last season to punctuate a six-reception, 63-yard performance.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa sustained a concussion for the third time in his NFL career, leaving his team’s game Thursday night against Buffalo after running into defensive back Damar Hamlin and hitting the back of his head against the turf.
Tagovailoa remained down for about two minutes before getting to his feet and walking to the sideline after the play in the third quarter. He made his way to the tunnel not long afterward, looking into the stands before smiling and departing toward the locker room.
The Dolphins needed almost no time before announcing it was a concussion. The team said he had two during the 2022 season, and Tagovailoa was diagnosed with another concussion when he was a college player at Alabama.
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said Tagovailoa would get “proper procedural evaluation” and “appropriate care” on Friday.
“The furthest thing from my mind is, ‘What is the timeline?’ We just need to evaluate and just worry about my teammate, like the rest of the guys are,” McDaniel said. “We’ll get more information tomorrow and take it day by day from here.”
Some players saw Tagovailoa in the locker room after the game and said they were encouraged. Tagovailoa spoke with some players and then went home after the game, McDaniel said.
“I have a lot of love for Tua, built a great relationship with him,” said quarterback Skylar Thompson, who replaced Tagovailoa after the injury. “You care about the person more than the player and everybody in the organization would say the same thing. Just really praying for Tua and hopefully everything will come out all right.”
Tagovailoa signed a four-year, $212 million extension before this season — a deal that makes him one of the highest-paid players in the NFL — and was the NFL’s leading passer in Week 1 this season. Tagovailoa left with the Dolphins trailing 31-10, and that was the final score.
“If you know Tua outside of football, you can’t help but feel for him,” Bills quarterback Josh Allen said on Amazon following the game. “He’s a great football player but he’s an even greater human being. He’s one of the best humans on the planet. I’ve got a lot of love for him and I’m just praying for him and his family, hoping everything’s OK. But it’s tough, man. This game of football that we play, it’s got its highs and it’s got its lows — and this is one of the lows.”
Tagovailoa’s college years and first three NFL seasons were marred by injury, though he positioned himself for a big pay bump with an injury-free and productive 2023 as he led the Dolphins into the playoffs. He threw for 29 touchdowns and a league-best 4,624 yards last year.
When, or if, he can come back this season is anyone’s guess. Tagovailoa said in April 2023 that the concussions he had in the 2022 season left him contemplating his playing future. “I think I considered it for a time,” he said then, when asked if he considered stepping away from the game to protect himself.
McDaniel said it’s not his place to say if Tagovailoa should return to football. “He’ll be evaluated and we’ll have conversations and progress as appropriate,” McDaniel said.
Tagovailoa was hurt Thursday on a fourth-down keeper with about 4:30 left in the third. He went straight ahead into Hamlin and did not slide, leading with his right shoulder instead.
Hamlin was the player who suffered a cardiac arrest after making a tackle during a Monday night game in January 2023 at Cincinnati, causing the NFL to suspend a pivotal game that quickly lost significance in the aftermath of a scary scene that unfolded in front of a national television audience.
Tagovailoa wound up on his back, both his hands in the air and Bills players immediately pointed at him as if to suggest there was an injury. Dolphins center Aaron Brewer quickly did the same, waving to the sideline.
Tagovailoa appeared to be making a fist with his right hand as he lay on the ground. It was movement consistent with something that is referred to as the “fencing response,” which can be common after a traumatic brain injury.
Tagovailoa eventually got to his feet. McDaniel grabbed the side of his quarterback’s head and gave him a kiss on the cheek as Tagovailoa departed. Thompson came into the game to take Tagovailoa’s spot.
“I love Tua on and off the football field,” Bills edge Von Miller said. “I’m a huge fan of him. I can empathize and sympathize with him because I’ve been there. I wish him the best.”
Tagovailoa’s history with concussions — and how he has since worked to avoid them — is a huge part of the story of his career, and now comes to the forefront once again.
He had at least two concussions during the 2022 season. He was hurt in a Week 3 game against Buffalo and cleared concussion protocol, though he appeared disoriented on that play but returned to the game.
The NFL later changed its concussion protocol to mandate that if a player shows possible concussion symptoms — including a lack of balance or stability — he must sit out the rest of the game.
Less than a week later, in a Thursday night game at Cincinnati, Tagovailoa was concussed on a scary hit that briefly knocked him unconscious and led to him being taken off the field on a stretcher.
His second known concussion of that season came in a December game against Green Bay, and he didn’t play for the rest of the 2022 season. After that, Tagovailoa began studying ways where he may be able to fall more safely and protect himself against further injury — including studying jiu-jitsu.
“I’m not worried about anything that’s out of my hands,” McDaniel said. “I’m just worried about the human being.”
NEW YORK (AP) — When her husband turns on the television to hear news about the upcoming presidential election, that’s often a signal for Lori Johnson Malveaux to leave the room.
It can get to be too much. Often, she’ll go to a TV in another room to watch a movie on the Hallmark Channel or BET. She craves something comforting and entertaining. And in that, she has company.
While about half of Americans say they are following political news “extremely” or “very” closely, about 6 in 10 say they need to limit how much information they consume about the government and politics to avoid feeling overloaded or fatigued, according to a new survey from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and USAFacts.
Make no mistake: Malveaux plans to vote. She always does. “I just get to the point where I don’t want to hear the rhetoric,” she said.
The 54-year-old Democrat said she’s most bothered when she hears people on the news telling her that something she saw with her own eyes — like the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol — didn’t really happen.
“I feel like I’m being gaslit. That’s the way to put it,” she said.
Sometimes it feels like ‘a bombardment’
Caleb Pack, 23, a Republican from Ardmore, Oklahoma, who works in IT, tries to keep informed through the news feeds on his phone, which is stocked with a variety of sources, including CNN, Fox News, The Wall Street Journal and The Associated Press.
Yet sometimes, Pack says, it seems like a bombardment.
“It’s good to know what’s going on, but both sides are pulling a little bit extreme,” he said. “It just feels like it’s a conversation piece everywhere, and it’s hard to escape it.”
Media fatigue isn’t a new phenomenon. A Pew Research Center survey conducted in late 2019 found roughly two in three Americans felt worn out by the amount of news there is, about the same as in a poll taken in early 2018. During the 2016 presidential campaign, about 6 in 10 people felt overloaded by campaign news.
But it can be particularly acute with news related to politics. The AP-NORC/USAFacts poll found that half of Americans feel a need to limit their consumption of information related to crime or overseas conflicts, while only about 4 in 10 are limiting news about the economy and jobs.
It’s easy to understand, with television outlets like CNN, Fox News Channel and MSNBC full of political talk and a wide array of political news online, sometimes complicated by disinformation.
“There’s a glut of information,” said Richard Coffin, director of research and advocacy for USAFacts, “and people are having a hard time figuring out what is true or not.”
Women are more likely to feel they need to limit media
In the AP-NORC poll, about 6 in 10 men said they follow news about elections and politics at least “very” closely, compared to about half of women. For all types of news, not just politics, women are more likely than men to report the need to limit their media consumption, the survey found.
White adults are also more likely than Black or Hispanic adults to say they need to limit media consumption on politics, the poll found.
Kaleb Aravzo, 19, a Democrat, gets a baseline of news by listening to National Public Radio in the morning at home in Logan, Utah. Too much politics, particularly when he’s on social media sites like TikTok and Instagram, can trigger anxiety and depression.
“If it pops up on my page when I’m on social media,” he said, “I’ll just scroll past it.”
___
Sanders reported from Washington. David Bauder writes about media for the AP. Follow him at http://x.com/dbauder.
The AP poll of 1,019 adults was conducted July 29-August 8, 2024, using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 4.0 percentage points.
