As RSV and flu cases steadily decline in Canada, the World Health Organization (WHO) is set to announce on Monday whether it still considers COVID-19 a global health emergency.
Ahead of that announcement, one of Canada’s top infectious disease specialists warns that the WHO’s consensus won’t necessarily mean the virus is behind us.
“I think it’s important to point out that this is not about … whether COVID is gone or not,” said Dr. Lisa Barrett, an assistant professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology as well as the Department of Medicine in the Faculty of Medicine at Dalhousie University.
“This is a real committee-based decision at the WHO level to decide in whether this is still a public health emergency of international concern,” she told CTV News Channel Sunday.
Barrett explained that this a matter of prioritizing access to resources and research, and not to determine an end point for COVID-19.
“So what this all means is that COVID is not done,” she said. “And the way it looks in different countries is different in many situations. That’s what they’re trying to decide at this point, not whether a pandemic is done or whether COVID is going away.”
WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus will make the official call on the status of COVID-19, based on the advice of his committee. Earlier this week, he warned that he remains concerned about the impact of the virus and mentioned that there were 170,000 COVID-related deaths reported around the world in the last two months.
The WHO update comes at a time when concerns over a combination of respiratory illnesses are easing. Canadian data shows that influenza hospitalizations are now dropping.
“We’re starting to see influenza, perhaps RSV, starting to come down somewhat,” Barrett said.
“There’s still a lot of debate about whether we’re catching many cases that are not important. But really, I think the big [question] from the last year as we start to see influenza and RSV maybe go down is, what’s the best way forward?”
Barrett noted that the FDA recommended a change to booster shot roll outs.
“They’re suggesting a once-a-year, similar to a flu shot. I think that’s the right approach at this point,” she said.
“I think the first thing we should remind Canadians is that if they are due for an additional dose in the vulnerable populations — older folks, people who have bad immune systems — please don’t think it’s too early to go out and get that last dose from the fall if you haven’t.”
NEW WESTMINSTER, B.C. – Police in New Westminster, B.C., say they have arrested a person suspected of stabbing two people at a Skytrain station in the city.
They say numerous people had called to report a stabbing on Columbia Street, outside the station around 6:45 p.m. on Friday.
Police say officers rushed to the scene and arrested someone matching the suspect’s description.
They say investigators confirmed that two people had been stabbed, one had suffered minor injuries while the second victim was left with serious but non-life threatening injuries.
Police say the suspect remains in custody.
Investigators are asking anyone who witnessed the incident and have not yet spoken to police to reach out.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 12, 2024.
CALGARY – All Calgary Public Library locations have been closed due to a cybersecurity breach.
The library posted the news on its website, stating the closures took effect as of 5 p.m. Friday.
The post says that in addition to the closures, all servers and library computer access are being turned off.
No further details on the incident were provided, but the post says the library and its security team are working diligently to determine the scope of the breach and that more information will be provided when it’s available.
Earlier this spring, a hacker demanded ransom money after obtaining data from a server used by libraries throughout British Columbia, but a system manager said the leak was limited and no ransom was paid.
A cybersecurity incident also disrupted Toronto Public Library services late last year, and forensic investigators found the hackers stole the personal information of current and former staff members.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 12, 2024.
WHITEHORSE – The Yukon government says its coroner’s service is investigating six suspected toxic drug deaths between Sept. 23 and Oct. 4.
A statement from the health minister says four of the deaths are confirmed as related to toxic drugs, bringing the total number of drug overdoses in the territory this year to 12.
It says an investigation into the other two deaths is expected to be completed in the coming days.
Health Minister Tracy-Anne McPhee says a key concern with the tragic surge of fatalities is the increasing presence of xylazine, a veterinary tranquillizer that has been detected in significant quantities in the deaths.
McPhee says xylazine is not an opioid and is resistant to the opioid-reversing medication naloxone, raising the risks for those using illicit substances.
The Yukon government declared a substance use health emergency in January 2022 in response to a surge in overdose deaths in the territory.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 11, 2024.
