Coronavirus: What's happening in Canada and around the world on Wednesday
CBC
The latest:
New Brunswick's health minister is asking the public for assistance as the province struggles with a growing wave of COVID-19 that has sparked concern over the strained health-care system.
"We need your help," Dorothy Shephard, the province's health minister, said in a statement. "Whether you are retired, non-practising or unlicensed – if you have experience that can help, please reach out to us."
The health minister said the Omicron variant is causing both increased hospitalizations and staff absences, which is "putting pressure on all aspects of our health-care system."
Health officials in New Brunswick on Tuesday said three more people who had COVID-19 had died, bringing the number of recorded deaths in the province to 192. The province also said a total of 113 people were hospitalized with COVID-19, including 15 in intensive care. The province, which is one of many jurisdictions in Canada that now restrict access to PCR testing, also reported an additional 330 lab-confirmed cases.
The province said it was looking for people to fill both paid and unpaid roles, noting in the statement that training and personal protective equipment would be provided.
New Brunswick's call for help came as Prince Edward Island announced tight new restrictions — including closing gyms and restaurant dining rooms — and extended remote learning until the end of January as officials try to slow the spread of COVID-19.
As of Tuesday, the island had eight people in hospital being treated for COVID-19, including four in intensive care. The province also reported an additional 407 lab-confirmed cases.
Nova Scotia on Tuesday reported one additional COVID-19-related death. Health officials said in a statement there were 73 people in hospital "who were admitted due to COVID-19 and are receiving specialized care in a COVID-19 designated unit." That figure includes 15 people being cared for in intensive care units, the province said.
The update came as the province reported an additional 415 lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19.
"Now is the time to buckle down," Premier Tim Houston said in a statement. "I ask all Nova Scotians to do everything you can to keep COVID-19 out of our health-care system, long-term care facilities and our communities."
In Newfoundland and Labrador, health officials on Tuesday reported two additional deaths and said COVID-19 hospitalizations in the province stood at 14, with three people in critical care. The province also reported an additional 295 lab-confirmed cases of the illness caused by the novel coronavirus.
-From CBC News, last updated at 7:20 a.m. ET
With lab-based testing capacity deeply strained and increasingly restricted, experts say true case counts are likely far higher than reported. Hospitalization data at the regional level is also evolving, with several provinces saying they will report figures that separate the number of people in hospital because of COVID-19 from those in hospital for another medical issue who also test positive for COVID-19.
As food bank use continues to climb across the province, front-line workers in Thunder Bay, Ont., are working to improve both food security and education.
More ads could soon be coming to Toronto’s subway system.
The driver wanted in connection with a fatal hit and run on Highway 401 earlier this week has been identified, police say.
There are mixed feelings about the proposed Grays Bay road and port project, among people who live in nearby communities.
WARNING: This story details allegations of child abuse and includes graphic content.
Provincial police in Lambton County have charged a 23-year-old man with second degree murder following a death investigation that began this past Saturday.
The Newfoundland and Labrador government is forming a working group to tackle what it calls systemic issues in the justice system, but answers or solutions could still be months away.
A woman has pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death in a 2024 fatal hit and run in Truro, N.S., where the victim was dragged down the street, a case that went unsolved for more than six months.
A stream of people showing up to a brightly lit front porch, each holding up a bottle of wine, spirits, or beer.
Sona Lakhoyan Olivier has been excluded from Quebec’s Liberal caucus for the duration of an investigation led by the National Assembly’s ethics commissioner, the party announced Thursday.
The head of the William Whyte Neighbourhood Association hopes a city plan to crack down on vacant properties leads to a transformation in his community.
Saskatchewan's justice minister is rejecting the latest legislative proposal from the NDP Opposition, one that the NDP says is a necessary check on government power.
The provincial government is proposing sweeping changes to citizen-led referendum questions that could put a stop to an active court case about whether it’s constitutional to ask Albertans if they agree with separating from Canada.