Ontario’s top doctor hints masking will stick around for a while

Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield and Ministry of Health Primary Care Lead Dr Joe Bourne will give an update on the response to the Omicron outbreak at 1pm.

FILE - Sunflowers in the Ukrainian Carpathians on July 28, 2021, in Mukachevo, Ukraine. (Photo by Pierre Crom/Getty Images) Sunflowers, the national flower of Ukraine, have emerged as a worldwide symbol of solidarity for the country and one of resistance for its people since Russia’s military invasion. Twitter users have been adding the sunflower emoji to their names.

month-long decline in COVID-19 infections, according to figures from the World Health Organization.In its weekly report on the pandemic issued late Tuesday, the U.N. health agency also said that deaths fell by 10%, continuing a drop in fatalities first seen last week.

COVID-19- related deaths, according to Waterloo Public Health.“Today we are reporting two deaths in our community related to COVID-19,” Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang, medical officer of health, stated.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres told media on Wednesday that Russia must stop its war on Ukraine as the situation could get “much, much worse.” These remarks followed a vote at the United Nations General Assembly to diplomatically isolate Russia, in overwhelming response.

COVID-19 surges continue to intensify in locations such as Hong Kong, where Omicron variant activity got a later foothold, but cases and deaths continue to fall in most regions, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in its latest weekly update yesterday.

COVID-19 vaccine passport system a few days earlier than expected.Health Minister Christian Dubé made the announcement in a news release Wednesday, saying the decision comes after discussions with public health officials.The province will no longer require masks in the majority of public places starting in mid-April. The government did not give an exact date, but said it will give a notice of 10 days before the measure is lifted.Quebec also plans to nix masks on public transit, though at the earliest in May.

Today members of the Biden COVID-19 preparedness team addressed the nation unmasked and from the same room as they spoke about the country's move to a "new normal" stage of the pandemic, where COVID-19 is no longer a national emergency.

TAMPA, Fla. - As the Florida governor approached the lectern for a press conference in Tampa, there were a few students waiting while wearing masks.A handful of students from Middleton High School were in attendance for Gov. Ron DeSantis' announcement.

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Colo. - Man’s best friend needed some human help after getting stuck in a frozen pond Tuesday morning.South Metro Fire Rescue in Colorado said crews had to rescue the dog, named "Daisy," after she escaped from her owner’s backyard in Douglas County. The owners then called 911.RELATED: 'Hank the Tank,' Lake Tahoe bear, gets exonerated for many home break-insFirst responders released a video showing a firefighter wading through the icy water to attach a cable to Daisy’s leash. The firefighter then hoisted the dog out of the water.

Queen Elizabeth was diagnosed with COVID-19 on February 20 and luckily, it appears as if she has fully recovered after she was photographed for the first time in weeks.

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 17: Cain Velasquez reacts after his KO loss to Francis Ngannou of Cameroon in their heavyweight bout during the UFC Fight Night event at Talking Stick Resort Arena on February 17, 2019 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Josh H SAN JOSE, Calif. - Former UFC star Cain Velasquez is charged with shooting a semi-automatic gun into a Chevy Silverado carrying a 43-year-old man charged with molesting one of the former mixed martial arts champ's 4-year-old relatives at a daycare center, according to newly released court documents.One person was injured in the shooting, but it was not the person who'd allegedly abused Velasquez's relative. Velasquez, 39, of Gilroy, was formally arraigned on Wednesday with 10 counts of attempted murder and multiple gun assault charges in connection with an alleged act of vengeance.He's being accused of firing his .40-caliber handgun at Harry Goularte – charged with molesting a child – and ramming the truck that Goularte was in.

PHILADELPHIA - The School District of Philadelphia plans to make masks optional for students and faculty next week after the city dropped its indoor mask mandate on Wednesday. In a letter to families, Superintendent William Hite Jr. wrote that masks will be optional for students and faculty starting Wednesday, Mar.

SUPERIOR, Wis. (FOX 9) - As war rages in Europe and rising prices cause economic uncertainty in the U.S., President Joe Biden is visiting the Duluth-Superior region Wednesday for his first event after the State of the Union address.During a speech at the University of Wisconsin-Superior's student union, Biden will promote infrastructure spending and call on Congress to move forward with his stalled climate and child care agenda.The president, along with First Lady Jill Biden, landed in Duluth, Minn.

NEW DELHI :

United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday overwhelmingly voted to reprimand Russia over its invasion of Ukraine and demanded that Moscow stop fighting and withdraw its military forces, an action that aims to diplomatically isolate Russia at the world body.The resolution, supported by 141 of the assembly’s 193 members, ended a rare emergency session called by the UN Security Council and as Ukrainian forces battled on in the port of Kherson in the face of air strikes and a devastating bombardment that forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee.The text of the resolution “deplores” Russia’s “aggression against Ukraine.” The last time Security Council convened an emergency session of the General Assembly was in 1982, according to UN website.Thirty-five members including China abstained and five countries including Russia, Syria and Belarus voted against the resolution. While General Assembly resolutions are non-binding, they carry political weight.Russia has destroyed critical infrastructure, including drinking water and gas for millions of people and appeared to be preparing to increase the brutality of its campaign against Ukraine, U.S.

Adult COVID-19 patients who had an in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) were 35% less likely to receive potentially life-saving defibrillation without delay and survive to hospital release, according to a study today in JAMA Network Open.

COVID-19 vaccines at Toronto Public Library (TPL) branches as the city launches its Read and Vax campaign.In a press release issued Wednesday, the city said the campaign will bring COVID-19 vaccine clinics to many TPL branches beginning on Wednesday and extending until March 16. COVID-19: Toronto District School Board receives 1st shipment of medical masks for students The city says 22 vaccine clinics will be held over two weeks in 12 TPL branches across Toronto.The release said the campaign is “part of Team Toronto’s continued equity-focused, hyper-local mobile strategy to make COVID-19 vaccines as accessible and convenient as possible and to bring vaccines to where residents live, work, play, study and read.”According to the release, Toronto Public Health has selected libraries in “specific neighbourhoods” in order to “remove barriers” and bring vaccines to residents in areas or settings that have low vaccination coverage, and to those who are at high risk of contracting the virus.“Locations were chosen to facilitate easy access in places that are part of Torontonians’ everyday lives,” the release reads.

gathering restrictions implemented by the provincial government during the COVID-19 pandemic, deciding that their health benefits had outweighed the impact on religious freedom.The challenge was put forward by the Church of God in Aylmer and Trinity Bible Chapel in Waterloo, both of which have faced a variety of charges, including findings of contempt, for repeatedly defying restrictions.Superior Court Justice Renée Pomerance’s written decision can be read in full on the website for the Canadian Legal Information Institute.

Last Wednesday, LHSC was caring for 51 COVID-19 inpatients with eight in adult ICU. There are five or fewer COVID-19 inpatients in Children’s Hospital with five or fewer in pediatric critical care, down from six inpatients with five or fewer in critical care a week ago.LHSC says of its 42 COVID-19 inpatients, 14 are being treated for COVID-19, while 28 are being treated with COVID-19, meaning they were admitted for a different reason and were found to have an incidental COVID-19 infection.

PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphia police have identified the juvenile shot and killed by plain-clothed officers on Tuesday night. According to police, four officers assigned to the South Task Force were in an unmarked car in the area of 18th and Johnston Streets as part of an ongoing investigation. Police say the officers saw two males standing on the corner of 18th and Barbara Streets. One was allegedly wanted for questioning as part of the investigation. Authorities say officers turned on their police lights and drove down the street when they heard gunfire and the glass from the rear passenger window shattered. Two officers got out of the car and fired their weapons at the juvenile, shooting him in the upper right side of his back, police say.

The Fitbit Ionic smartwatches are pictured in a provided image. (Credit: U.S.

PHILADELPHIA - The Philadelphia Police Department announced the arrests of three suspects allegedly connected to the murder of a veteran and multiple carjackings across the city. On February 6, 60-year-old George Briscella was gunned down during a carjacking outside of his mother's house in Rhawnhurst. Weeks later, on February 22, Philadelphia police announced the arrest of 28-year-old Jonathan Akubu on charges of murder, aggravated assault, arson and carjacking connected to Briscella's murder, murder of 28-year-old Aiah Gbessay, and several carjackings. Police believed Akubu was the leader of a carjacking ring linked to dozens of crimes in the city. A police source told FOX 29's Kelly Rule that Akubu could be linked to over 40 carjackings.As the number of carjackings continue to surge in Philadelphia, police have announced the arrest of Jonathan Akubu in connection with at least five incidents.

A retrospective study of 17 COVID-19 survivors with lingering symptoms reveals that 10 (59%) had nerve damage, which the researchers said could have been triggered by potentially treatable infection-related immune dysfunction.In the study, published yesterday in Neurology:

COVID-19 outbreaks in the province.In a tweet Tuesday, federal emergency preparedness minister Bill Blair said the province had requested assistance, and that Canadian Red Cross personnel have been deployed to help Manitoba deal with the pandemic.Our health care system is still feeling the strain of COVID-19. In response to a Request for Federal Assistance from @MBGov, @redcrosscan personnel will deploy to help manage COVID-19 outbreaks in the province.— Bill Blair (@BillBlair) March 1, 2022 Manitoba asks feds to send ICU nurses amid worsening COVID-19 health care crisis According to a spokesperson from the province, that help comes in the form of three Red Cross nurses currently working out of Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg, who will continue to do so until mid-March.“This is simply a request for continued support of human health resources (nurses) to augment Manitoba’s COVID-19 response,” the spokesperson said.“While Manitoba’s COVID-19 case counts and hospitalization numbers continue to trend downwards, Manitoba’s ICU and acute care centres continue to be a few weeks behind those trends.“We appreciate the assistance from the federal government as we continue to add capacity in our health system to ensure Manitobans get the care they need, for COVID and other medical matters.”Red Cross spokesperson Jason Small said this is a continuation of support for Manitoba that began in late December.“We have had up to eight nurses working in support of the response,” he said.“At the moment, we have the three who have been extended for an additional two weeks.

At least five superyachts owned by Russian billionaires were anchored or cruising on Wednesday in Maldives, an Indian Ocean island nation that does not have an extradition treaty with the United States, ship tracking data showed.

Police are searching for this suspect who allegedly is connected to Anti-Semitic graffiti in Wilmington, Delaware.  WILMINGTON, Del. - Police in Delaware’s biggest city are investigating the vandalism of multiple locations and asking the public's health for assistance in identifying a suspect.

Joe Biden announced Tuesday night in his State of the Union address that the U.S. is banning Russian flights from its airspace in retaliation for the invasion of Ukraine.The move follows similar action by Canada and the European Union this week.

ORLANDO, Fla. - The Florida Senate is expected to pass legislation on Wednesday named in honor of a murdered Orlando college student. "Miya's Law" aims to improve apartment safety, in part, by requiring background checks for apartment building employees.DOWNLOAD: FOX 35 NEWS APP | FOX 35 STORM TEAM WEATHER APPSUBSCRIBE: FOX 35 NEWSLETTER | FOX 35 Orlando on YouTube FOLLOW: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter  Miya Marcano, 19, was reported missing after she did not board a scheduled flight from Orlando to Ft. Lauderdale on Friday, Sept.

FILE - President Joe Biden speaks on the January jobs reports during an event in the State Dining Room of the White House February 4, 2022 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) The strategy comes on the heels of Biden's State of the Union address, in which he repeated that the U.S.

COVID-19 Wednesday afternoon.Dr. Jazz Atwal will speak to media at 12:30 p.m.

Doug Ford says the province is on track to “very soon” lift “almost all” COVID-related restrictions on businesses.The premier made the remarks during a press conference Friday morning, where he declared a state of emergency in the province due to ongoing protests and blockades, sparked by opposition to COVID-19 measures.Ford said he understands many people are frustrated, but urged the “illegal occupation” in Ottawa and at the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor to end.“There’s no doubt these were the right decisions,” Ford said of his government’s move to impose measures in a bid to combat COVID-19. Timeline to lift all COVID-19 measures in Ontario coming soon, top doctor says “There’s no doubt they protected our hospitals from collapse and saved lives.

Ontario’s top doctor says a timeline for lifting all COVID-19 measures in the province is coming soon.Dr. Kieran Moore was asked during a COVID-19 media briefing Thursday whether the public can expect an update soon on when measures, including masking and the proof of vaccination system, will be lifted.“We will be reviewing the evidence and … the evidence is showing we’re making remarkable improvement in all of the key metrics in Ontario and that forces us to review all public health measures that are in play,” Moore said.

Dr. Kieran Moore was asked on Thursday about the eventual removal of COVID-19 restrictions in the province, including mask mandates and proof of vaccination.

Ontario’s top medical official, Dr.

On Thursday, due to a decrease in COVID-19 cases and higher rate of youth vaccinations, Ontario’s top doctor Dr. Kieran Moore announced schools have the green light to resume extra-curricular activities such as sports and musical practices – to which students could remove their face masks.

According to a government source, the Ford Tories are looking at eliminating the yearly fees to renew license plates. The timing close to the spring budget, but also the spring election. Matthew Bingley reports.

Ottawa says the officers sent from the province have been appreciated, but more help is needed and the support so far has been inadequate. Meanwhile, the leader of Ontario’s Liberals is calling on the province to turn up the heat further.

COVID-19,” but it doesn’t mean immediately returning to life as it was in 2019 and authorities should be refining their message, experts say.Dr. Kieran Moore, Ontario’s chief medical officer of health, is now using the phrase, as are Toronto’s top doctor, Ontario’s health minister and Premier Doug Ford.Shifting from the predominant message of “stay home” to “learn to live with it” is going to be difficult for a lot of people, said Dr.

COVID-19 testing volumes have plummeted since PCR access was sharply restricted in the face of an Omicron surge, but rather than widely re-expanding eligibility in the future, the province appears to be forging a new pandemic testing path.Demand for tests at the end of last year saw a high of more than 75,000 processed the day the government announced eligibility would be limited largely to high-risk individuals – including patients in hospital, residents and staff in long-term care, and people being considered for COVID-19 treatments.There have been calls to allow more residents to access gold-standard PCR tests, including students and staff in schools and child-care settings, now that an average of 25,460 tests have been processed each day over the past week, including a low of 15,008 one day on the weekend. 2,939 people in Ontario hospitals with COVID, 555 in intensive care Instead, the government is sending millions of rapid antigen tests to schools and recent comments from the chief medical officer of health suggest shifting testing priorities, with a declining emphasis provincewide on PCR tests.When asked about returning to a broader PCR eligibility, Dr.

As Ontario begins to loosen restrictions, it comes at a time when the appetite for future restrictions is lessening. Matthew Bingley reports on Ontario’s future of pandemic management, which may be moving away from lockdowns.

COVID-19.Ford made the comments in an interview that aired Friday on a local Peterborough, Ont., radio station, a day after the province’s top doctor made similar remarks.Asked whether Ontario’s reopening plan would work well, Ford said he’s confident it will because virus test positivity has dropped since public health restrictions took effect earlier this month.Restrictions on businesses like restaurants, gyms and theatres will ease on Monday, allowing such venues to open with capacity limits. Omicron infectivity period doesn’t appear shorter than other COVID variants: Public Health Ontario Ford said restrictions brought in this month to blunt a wave of Omicron infections are working.He noted that his government’s plan involves reopening cautiously, with 50 per cent capacity limits in place at first, and said the province needs to learn to live with the virus to get back to normal.“There’s no one in this province who wants to open up quicker than I do,” Ford told PTBO Today Radio.

COVID-19 so far this month, a grim figure the province’s top doctor largely attributes to the previous, more virulent strain of the virus, though he admits the data is murky.The province has logged persistently high numbers of fatalities each day this month, despite the dominant Omicron variant of the virus typically causing milder illness and all but replacing the more severe Delta variant almost six weeks ago, while circulating among a well-vaccinated population.Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore said officials are trying to ascertain what factors are causing so many Ontarians to die, including whether Delta or Omicron or a combination of the two is responsible, but whole genome sequencing to determine variant type takes weeks.Essentially 100 per cent of outbreaks in the community are Omicron right now, Moore said, but roughly 10 per cent of hospital admissions are still “relevant to Delta.” Ontario to update data reporting so that possible incidental COVID deaths are identified: top doc “Death is a delayed signal from an outbreak, given that we’ve got access to health care and an ability to try to protect people through hospitalization and intensive care unit settings,” he said this week.“In the first several weeks of January, we’re confident that a significant proportion of (the deaths) were from Delta.”Dr.

Ontario’s government gave the greenlight to loosen restrictions next Monday. The changes will also come with different directions on contact tracing, with the CMOH saying the province can’t eliminate the threat of Omicron.

Ontario’s chief medical officer of health Dr. Kieran Moore on Thursday defended the decision to drop contact tracing for businesses starting Monday, saying the government is trying to prioritize case and contact management capacity for the highest risk and vulnerable populations, such as shelters and long-term care facilities.

COVID-19 restrictions begin to ease starting Jan. 31.Last week, Ontario released a gradual reopening plan that would see a loosening of restrictions in 21-day intervals.Included in those are cinemas, which can operate at 50 per cent capacity starting on Jan.

COVID-19 situation in the province.Dr. Kieran Moore’s news conference comes after the provincial government announced its plan last week to gradually lift public health measures.It’s also Moore’s last regularly scheduled public appearance before restrictions are set to ease on Monday.Indoor social gathering limits are set to increase from five to 10, and restaurants will be able to reopen their dining rooms at 50 per cent capacity.

Details remain unclear for tens of thousands of Ontario patients awaiting surgeries. One patient is sharing her story with Global News after waiting nearly a full year for a procedure that will significantly improve her health.