WATCH | Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issues executive order to prohibit COVID-19 vaccine mandates on workers:
Texas governor bans all COVID-19 vaccine mandates
8 hours ago
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has issued an executive order to prohibit any entity — including private businesses — from enforcing a COVID-19 vaccine mandate on workers. 3:13
The United Nations chief says the pandemic has forced more than 100 million people into poverty and left over four billion people with little or no social support, health care or income protection.
Secretary General Antonio Guterres told an International Monetary Fund panel Monday that global solidarity “is missing in action” and people living in conflict-affected and poor countries are suffering most of all.
In Guterres’s words, “Vaccine inequality is a moral outrage that is condemning the world to millions more deaths and prolonging an economic slowdown that could cost trillions of dollars, hitting the poorest countries hardest of all.”
Guterres says indications the world is in a substantial economic recovery mask the huge divergence between the situations in rich countries and in the least-developed nations.
What’s happening across Canada
WATCH | Getting a flu shot this year may be even more important than usual:
Flu shot very important as pandemic lingers, says specialist
5 hours ago
It’s hard to predict what kind of influenza season Canada might see this year, so people should get both their COVID-19 vaccines and a flu shot, even at the same time, says Dr. Susy Hota, Medical director for infection prevention and control at Toronto’s University Health Network. 5:12
What’s happening around the world
As of Tuesday afternoon, more than 238.5 million cases of COVID-19 had been reported worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University’s coronavirus-tracking tool. The reported global death toll stood at more than 4.8 million.
In Asia, Pakistani authorities on Tuesday reported less than 700 coronavirus cases for the first time since June amid a steady decline in infections due to coronavirus. The development comes weeks after Pakistan said unvaccinated people won’t be allowed to work in offices, enter shopping malls or attend schools. It forced many people to get vaccinated to avoid punitive measures. The country is offering free shots to teens and adults.
India is recommending emergency use of Bharat Biotech’s COVID-19 shot in children under 12 years of age, making the vaccine maker the first in the country to get such an approval after a review of its trial data for the 2-18 age group. The decision comes as India shifts its focus to vaccinating children, having already rolled out more than 950 million doses to adults among its population of nearly 1.4 billion.
In Oceania, Sydney’s COVID-19 cases fell to the lowest in two months on Tuesday. Meanwhile, New Zealand expects to administer a record 100,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses in a single day during a mass immunization drive on Oct. 16.
In Europe, Russia reported 973 coronavirus-related deaths on Tuesday, its highest single-day toll since the start of the pandemic, and the government voiced concern at the pace and intensity of new infections.
Romania also reported its highest number of coronavirus infections and deaths since the start of the pandemic. Nearly 17,000 COVID-19 infections were confirmed Tuesday along with 442 deaths, the first time the European Union country of 19 million has surpassed 400 virus deaths in a single day.
In Africa, Egypt’s public prosecution said on Sunday it had ordered the arrest of three people after thousands of unused COVID-19 vaccines were found dumped along a water channel.
WATCH | Russian health authorities confirm more than 28,000 new COVID-19 cases:
Russian health authorities confirm more than 28,000 new COVID-19 cases
7 hours ago
According to official figures, Russia recorded nearly 30,000 COVID-19 cases and 957 deaths on Monday. Slightly less than 40 per cent of the country’s adults are fully vaccinated. 3:41
TORONTO – Ontario is pushing through several bills with little or no debate, which the government house leader says is due to a short legislative sitting.
The government has significantly reduced debate and committee time on the proposed law that would force municipalities to seek permission to install bike lanes when they would remove a car lane.
It also passed the fall economic statement that contains legislation to send out $200 cheques to taxpayers with reduced debating time.
The province tabled a bill Wednesday afternoon that would extend the per-vote subsidy program, which funnels money to political parties, until 2027.
That bill passed third reading Thursday morning with no debate and is awaiting royal assent.
Government House Leader Steve Clark did not answer a question about whether the province is speeding up passage of the bills in order to have an election in the spring, which Premier Doug Ford has not ruled out.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 7, 2024.
