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Showing posts from April, 2022

Confectionery products recalled over possible salmonella contamination

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Dozens of products sold under the brand name Elite are being recalled in Canada over fears of salmonella contamination.

What could 'COVID season' actually look like?

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Even if COVID isn't going away, some predictability about future waves would be nice. With highly contagious new variants emerging and driving surges around the world at different times — it doesn’t seem like we’ll reach a regular “COVID season” anytime soon.

Diagnosing autism in adults is more common, expert says, but getting an assessment isn't always easy

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Sudbury, Ont., resident Megan Pilatzke began researching autism in 2019, but it wasn't until two years later that she was diagnosed with the neuro-developmental disorder at age 31. One expert says he's seen more people seeking formal autism assessments later in life.

Moderna facility in Montreal area expected to produce 100 million vaccine doses by 2024

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The American pharmaceutical giant Moderna confirmed Friday that it has chosen the greater Montreal area as the location of its new biomanufacturing plant. It is expected to produce 100 million doses of mRNA vaccines per year.

Plans for 'state-of-the-art' Indigenous health centre in Hamilton advance with $10M from province

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A "state-of-the-art" health centre to better meet the needs of the urban Indigenous community in Hamilton is closer to becoming a reality with the announcement of a $10-million injection from the provincial government.

Unusually late flu season hits Canada

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Experts believe lifting public health restrictions may be to blame for an uptick in flu cases across the country, adding pressure to hospitals already under strain from the pandemic’s sixth wave.

Growing concern for COVID-related workplace deaths, injuries

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As more companies call workers back on-site, there are concerns it could lead to a rise in workplace deaths and injuries related to COVID-19. Advocates want to ensure employers to take adequate measures to reduce exposure risks in the workplace.

Ontario's COVID-19 hospitalizations, ICU admissions inch upward again

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Ontario's COVID-19 hospitalizations and intensive care unit admissions inched upward Friday, while the province reported the deaths of 20 more people with the illness.

Possible cases of childhood hepatitis remains in 'single digits' in Canada: B.C. provincial health officer

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British Columbia's provincial health officer says all 17 pediatric hospitals across the country are looking out for an 'unusual' childhood liver disease, but the number of possible cases remains in the single digits.

In 1991, B.C. had more family doctors than it needed. So why are so many residents unable to find one now?

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When Mike Harcourt became premier of B.C. in 1991 his government had to deal with rising health-care costs. Now, his former health minister says the province is dealing with the 'unintended consequences' of those actions.

Sask. child vaccine rates continue to fall, COVID-19 immunizations stall as immunization awareness week ends

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As National Immunization Awareness Week winds down, two Saskatchewan experts say there is more need to educate now than ever as vaccine misinformation swirls.

Moderna seeks U.S. approval for COVID-19 shots for children under 6

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Moderna on Thursday asked U.S. regulators to authorize low doses of its COVID-19 vaccine for children younger than six, a long-awaited move toward potentially opening shots for millions of tots by summer.

Climate change may increase risk of new infectious diseases

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Climate change will result in thousands of new viruses spread among animal species by 2070 — and that's likely to increase the risk of emerging infectious diseases jumping from animals to humans, according to a new study.

Beijing closing all schools Friday in bid to fight COVID-19 spread

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Beijing is closing all city schools in a further tightening of COVID-19 restrictions, as China's capital seeks to prevent a wider outbreak.

Taiwan faces largest COVID-19 outbreak yet

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Taiwan, which had been living mostly free of COVID-19, is now facing its worst outbreak since the beginning of the pandemic, with more than 11,000 new cases reported Thursday.

'Promising' breathalyzer-style COVID test highlights need for better data, experts say

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New ways of testing for COVID-19 bring promises of accessibility and fast results, but that doesn't diminish the need for consistent national data on case counts, experts say.

U.S., European Commission estimate most of their populations have contracted COVID-19

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The European Commission said Wednesday that between 60 and 80 per cent of the European population was estimated to have contracted COVID-19, a rate comparable to an American estimate this week, as the highly transmissible Omicron variants have pushed infection rates up.

COVID or stomach flu? Why it's hard to know right now

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Doctors say they are seeing increasing numbers of patients with gastrointestinal symptoms, but Omicron isn't necessarily to blame.

Stuck in bed 23 hours a day: What's wrong with home care in Canada and how another country changed course

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Margot Algie suffers from a neurodegenerative disease and needs home care for all her daily activities. But she’s often only up for only one hour a day before another home care worker arrives to put her back to bed. A leading geriatrician says Canada needs to take a page from Denmark.

Medical students learn to build a patient's trust. But how often does that really happen?

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As health-care delivery becomes more complex — through implementing new technology and increasingly specialized doctors who depend on each other — physicians will have to adapt, writes medical student Leah Sarah Peer.

Severe hepatitis of 'unknown origin' in children being investigated in Canada

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Public health officials say they're investigating cases of severe liver disease "of unknown origin" among children in Canada, as global scientists race to understand a mysterious hepatitis outbreak that has affected more than 160 children.

He wasn't allowed to visit as his mother died in hospital. Now he's calling for compassion.

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A Markham, Ont., man wants answers after his mother died in hospital in early March and was denied visitors during her 10 day stay because of the hospital’s COVID restrictions.

P.E.I.'s mask mandate ends May 6, CPHO says

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P.E.I. is officially dropping its mandatory mask mandate as of Friday, May 6, according to the Chief Public Health Office.

Health unions have mixed emotions about Houston's health plan

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Nova Scotia's main health unions are all hoping the Health Plan the PCs unveiled on Friday will mean raises and a reprieve for their members who are tired and frustrated after two years of shouldering the heavy load exacerbated by the ongoing pandemic.

Key COVID-19 numbers in the Ottawa area today

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COVID-19 hospitalizations in Ottawa have returned to where they were in mid-February. Meanwhile, there are some positive wastewater trends in the Kingston area.

No new deaths from COVID-19 in N.L. for 1st time in more than a month

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Newfoundland and Labrador reported no deaths due to COVID-19 on Monday in an update which is inclusive of data from over the weekend leaving the total at 157 since 2020.

Med students push Sask. gov't to fund supervised drug consumption site

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Medical students are calling on the Saskatchewan government to financially support the supervised drug consumption site in Saskatoon. Their advocacy is backed by several high-profile professionals and organizations within the medical community.

Minister admits it's taking Ottawa 'a long time' to set up suicide hotline

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The federal minister responsible for mental health policy acknowledges it's taking her government “a long time” to set up a new national 3-digit suicide prevention hotline.

Mass testing, lockdowns start in Beijing to contain COVID-19 outbreak

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China's capital, Beijing, began mass testing of more than 3 million people on Monday and restricted residents in one part of the city to their compounds, sparking worries of a wider Shanghai-style lockdown.

Children's hospitals under strain in Canada's 6th COVID-19 wave

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As Canada’s sixth wave of COVID-19 continues, hospitals caring for the country’s youngest patients are facing both high patient volumes and high levels of staff off sick.

Some Canadians fear mental health groups are reinforcing stigma by erasing 'schizophrenia' from their names

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Some groups supporting people with schizophrenia are erasing the name of the illness from their organization’s name. It's a controversial decision that they say is being done to combat stigma — but others suggest it only reinforces it.

Cancer taught me the hard truth about speaking up for myself

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As a little girl, Jennifer Fotheringham was shushed for asking about cancer. As a grown woman, she was dismissed for asking about a mammogram. Now as a cancer survivor, she knows not to be silenced.

Almost half of Canadians may have caught COVID

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Canada’s COVID-19 immunity landscape has completely transformed since the emergence of Omicron — with new estimates suggesting that almost half of the population has been infected.

Pandemic deaths in New Brunswick found to be much higher than official government count

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New Brunswick recorded an estimated 423 deaths more than normal during an eight-week outbreak of the COVID-19 delta variant last fall, prompting questions about whether pandemic-related fatalities are being significantly underreported by the province's health officials.

Pandemic, violent crimes and overdoses drive up demand for autopsies in Manitoba

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Demand for autopsies in Manitoba has risen 20 per cent over the past two years as a combined result of the COVID-19 pandemic, a spike in violent crime and rising numbers of fatal overdoses.

Record 417 COVID-19 hospitalizations in Saskatchewan, 22 more deaths reported

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COVID-19 hospitalizations in Saskatchewan have reached a new all-time high, with 417 people in hospital with the disease as of Wednesday, provincial figures show.

More robust COVID-19 testing system needed in Canada, say experts

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Experts say Canada needs to develop a robust system to detect COVID-19 activity in the absence of wide-scale PCR testing.

Why COVID headaches can be hard to shake — and when you should worry

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Some people with COVID get a headache so intense they head to the hospital, while others have a mild ache — or no pain at all.

Ottawa not planning to drop mask rule for travellers after U.S. decision, says transport minister

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Transport Minister Omar Alghabra is giving no indication his government plans to dump the masking requirement for air and train passengers in Canada in the near future, despite the fact that a federal judge in Florida struck down the requirement in the U.S.

Hip hop pioneer DJ Kay Slay dies of COVID-19 at age 55

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Hip hop artist Keith Grayson, who performed as DJ Kay Slay and worked with top stars, has died of complications from COVID-19.

Ontario reports 1,301 COVID-19 hospitalizations, 3 more deaths after Easter long weekend

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Ontario is reporting 1,301 people hospitalized with COVID-19 on Monday as the province's pandemic advisory table says levels of infection may have crested but that might change following the Easter long weekend.

First 3 deaths reported in Shanghai's current COVID-19 outbreak

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All three people who died were elderly, had underlying diseases such as diabetes and hypertension and had not been vaccinated against the coronavirus, Health Commission inspector says.

Youth mental health organization needs volunteers to meet demand

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More than two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, Kids Help Phone is seeing no signs that the demand for their support will slow down — and they say they need more help themselves.

I'm a radio journalist who is passionate about sound. Now I'm losing my hearing

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'I am losing my hearing. And it marked the moment I started fearing the looming end of my vital link to the world I love — that of radio journalism,' writes Kamloops, B.C.-based journalist Jennifer Chrumka.

Stuck inside, rationing food: Canadians in Shanghai detail life in COVID-19 lockdown

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Members of the Luo family are among the millions of residents in Shanghai who continue to live in lockdown, though some measures are easing, as the Chinese government tries to stop the spread of COVID-19.

Why navigating your COVID risk is now harder than ever

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Figuring out where you’re most at risk of catching COVID-19 is more challenging than ever in Canada’s Omicron-fuelled sixth wave. While it may be unrealistic to try to avoid the virus entirely, infectious disease experts say it's also not a good idea to abandon all protections.

Running changed two Haudenosaunee men in Ontario. Now one of them is headed to the Boston Marathon

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On Monday, the Boston Marathon will see 30,000 runners for its 126th race. Among the thousands will be one Haudenosaunee man running for charity: Joel Matthew Kennedy.

Quebec, we know you're getting together this weekend. Here's how to try to stay COVID-free

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Quebecers may be fed up with the pandemic, but COVID-19 cases are on the rise and so are hospital admissions. If you're planning to get together with people this weekend, here are a few tips to help keep the virus at bay.

Alberta's pandemic messaging under fire as COVID-19 rates rise

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As COVID-19 transmission rises in Alberta, there are growing concerns messaging from the provincial government could harm efforts to blunt the curve and protect hospitals from even further strain.

B.C. declared overdose deaths a public emergency 6 years ago. Advocates say the only change is the body count

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More than 9,400 lives have been lost to illicit drug toxicity since April 14, 2016. Parents who have lost children say without safe supply now, more families will suffer.