BILLINGS, Mont. — Grizzly bears are part of life in the gateway communities around Yellowstone National Park, and backcountry snowmobile guide Charles “Carl” Mock knew well the risks that come with working, hiking and fishing among the fear-inspiring carnivores, his friends said. Mock was killed after being mauled by a 400-plus pound (181-plus kilogram) male grizzly while fishing alone at a favourite spot on Montana's Madison River, where it spills out of the park and into forested land that bears wander in search of food. The bear had a moose carcass stashed nearby and wildlife officials say it likely attacked Mock to defend the food. The grizzly was shot after charging at a group of seven game wardens and bear specialists who returned the next day. Bear spray residue found on Mock's clothing suggested he tried to ward off last week's attack using a canister of the Mace-like deterrent, considered an essential item in the backcountry. He usually carried a pistol, too, but wasn't on the day he was killed just a few miles north of the small town of West Yellowstone where he lived, according to two friends. While some on social media questioned the inherent perils of such a lifestyle in the wake of Mock's death, those who knew him said he accepted the risk as a trade-off for time spent in a wilderness teeming with elk, deer, wolves and other wildlife. “People don't understand that for us who live here, that's what we do every day,” said Scott Riley, who said he fished, hunted, hiked and kayaked numerous times with Mock over the past decade. West Yellowstone has just over 900 full time residents but gets throngs of summer tourists at one of the main entrances to the park. “We had a bear in town two nights after Carl was mauled. It's not like we're just running around in the forest tempting them. They are everywhere," said Riley, who manages a snowmobile dealership in West Yellowstone. Mock, 40, managed to call 911 following the mauling and was found by rescuers propped against a tree with the cannister of bear spray in one hand, his father, Chuck Mock, told the Billing Gazette. His other hand had been “chomped off” as he tried to protect himself. One of the animal's teeth punctured his skull and Mock died two days later in an Idaho hospital after undergoing extensive surgery. The Yellowstone region that spans portions of Montana, Idaho and Wyoming has more than 700 bears. Fatal attacks on humans are rare but have increased in recent decades as the grizzly population grew and more people moved into rural areas near bear habitat. Since 2010, grizzlies in the Yellowstone region killed eight people including Mock. The last fatality around West Yellowstone that town Mayor Jerry Johnson could recall happened in 1983, when a 600-pound (272-kilogram) bear dragged a Wisconsin man from his tent and killed at the Rainbow Point campground north of town. Grizzlies are protected under federal law outside Alaska. Members of the region’s congressional delegation have introduced legislation to lift protections and allow grizzly hunting. Mock had been “in awe” of Yellowstone from a young age, according to his father, and moved from Idaho to West Yellowstone about 10 years ago. For the past five years he worked as a guide for a snowmobile touring company owned by Johnson. He was known for being helpful to friends and his love of outdoor adventure, Johnson said. A community memorial service for Mock, is scheduled for Saturday at West Yellowstone's Union Pacific Dining Lodge. His relatives will hold a private funeral, Johnson said. Riley said he and Mock came upon bears in the wild numerous times. Sometimes a grizzly would make a bluff charge, running at Riley and Mock but always backing down before last week's attack. “I've held my bear spray 100 times but never had to use it,” Riley said. “What happened to Carl could happen to anybody that walks into these forests at any given time ... I would say if the forest kills me, the forest kills me." Matthew Brown, The Associated Press
Serious differences persist between the United States and Iran over how they might resume compliance with the 2015 Iran nuclear deal despite making some progress in their latest indirect talks in Vienna, a senior U.S. official said on Wednesday. The talks were likely to require several rounds, their outcome remained uncertain and they were not near conclusion, the senior U.S. State Department official told reporters in a conference call. The main differences are over what sanctions the United States will need to remove and what steps Iran will need to take to resume its obligations to curb its nuclear program, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Toronto reached a grim new high Wednesday, reporting 1,010 people with COVID-19 are in hospital and 194 are in the intensive care unit. "Today's numbers reflect the seriousness of the situation in which we find ourselves," said Medical Officer of Health Dr. Eileen de Villa, warning the city is on track to reach the milestone of 3,000 COVID-19 related deaths. The city reported 27 more deaths Wednesday, bringing the total to 2,970, along with 1,302 new cases of the virus. Toronto will ramp up vaccinations further in the 13 "hottest" of the hot spot neighbourhoods, as part of a "sprint strategy" Mayor John Tory said on Wednesday. Tory said Toronto will be "significantly" increasing vaccination capacity at city-run clinics by 20 to 25 per cent. "We have dramatically increased available capacity but we don't have the supply," the mayor said. A woman is vaccinated with a dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at a pop-up vaccine clinic in Toronto's Jane and Finch neighbourhood, in the M3N postal code, on Saturday, April 17, 2021. Despite rates of COVID-19 deaths and hospitalizations far exceeding other areas of the city, residents of the M3N postal code continue to struggle with the lowest vaccination rates in Toronto. (Cole Burston/The Canadian Press) The city expects that situation to change in about three weeks when the province increases supply of doses to more than 60,000 doses per week, up from 56,000. To match supply forecasts, 231,000 additional appointment spots will soon be available for May 10 through June 6, said Toronto Fire Chief and head of Emergency Management Matthew Pegg. As the city expands its mobile vaccination clinic efforts, it's enlisting the help of paramedics and firefighters, Pegg said. "This will further assist some of our most vulnerable residents, such as those experiencing homelessness, those who rely on shelters and drop-in centres and those living outdoors," Pegg said. The city vaccinated over 25,600 people yesterday, with thousands of doses administered at pop-up and mobile clinics in hot spot neighourhoods, according to Toronto Public Health, noting only a small number of appointments are available at city-run clinics for the next two weeks. A pop-up clinic for residents 18 years and older will run at Jane and Finch for postal codes M3L, M3N and M3M, the city said. A mobile clinic will operate in postal code M3N. Doctors say a record number of patients in the Toronto area are being transferred to other regions as the third wave puts incredible strain on the health-care system. There's concern about what would happen if there's a further spike in COVID-19 cases. "I am very concerned about the potential for us to not be able to meet the demand of the pace at which patients will present through the front doors of our hospital," said Dr. Andrew Healey, chief of emergency services and an emergency and critical care doctor at William Osler Health System, a network of hospitals in Toronto and Peel Region. "We are dangerously close to not being able to provide typical care in typical spaces to the patients who present with COVID-19 infection and others in our hospital system."
HALIFAX — Nova Scotia's COVID-19 case count continued to climb Wednesday as the province announced 25 new infections one day after banning non-essential travel from most of the rest of Canada. The province has identified 64 cases since last Friday and now has a total of 79 active infections. The steady rise prompted Premier Iain Rankin to step in and cancel next month's women's world hockey championship slated for Halifax and Truro. It is the second year in a row the pandemic has scuttled the tournament. The move came a day after chief medical officer of health Dr. Robert Strang defended the event as not posing a significant health risk to Nova Scotians. "I sincerely regret the short notice, but the rapidly changing environment dictates this decision in the interest of the safety of Nova Scotians and participants," Rankin said in a statement. Nineteen of Wednesday's cases were identified in the Halifax area, with four related to travel outside of Atlantic Canada, nine close contacts of previously reported cases, and six under investigation. One of the cases under investigation is a staff member at the Ocean View Continuing Care Centre in Eastern Passage, where all residents are being isolated and cared for in their rooms as a precaution and the facility is closed to visitors and designated caregivers. An investigation was also being conducted into a case connected to Joseph Giles Elementary school in Dartmouth. Officials said the school would remain closed to students who would learn from home until Tuesday while cleaning takes place. Officials said three of the other cases were in the northern zone with one related to international travel and two under investigation. The remaining three were in the eastern zone, all linked to domestic travel outside Atlantic Canada. "We are seeing a concerning rise in cases," chief medical officer of health Dr. Robert Strang said in a news release. Strang reiterated that health officials are seeing early signs of community spread in and around Halifax. "We're asking residents of these areas to closely follow public health measures and go get tested for COVID-19," he said. The heightened concern comes as new figures indicate Nova Scotia's COVID-19 vaccination program has picked up its pace after an admitted slow start. Tracey Barbrick, the associate deputy minister for Nova Scotia's vaccine strategy, said in an interview Wednesday the province administered 14,742 doses on Tuesday — the highest one-day total since the start of the campaign. Barbrick said 23.6 per cent of people who are eligible for a shot had received at least one dose, just below the national average of about 25 per cent. "As of yesterday us and New Brunswick were tied with vaccinating at the fastest rate in the country," she said. But Nova Scotia is still roughly one week behind other provinces because it held back about 25,000 doses for booster shots before changing its strategy to a four-month interval between first and second doses. Barbrick said the province also took time to develop a centralized booking system which meant it was "a little later out of the gate." She said a recent increase in supply of vaccine allowed the province to move from administering 11,000 doses the week of March 14 to an expected 65,000 doses this week. And despite an interruption in the supply of the Moderna vaccine, Rankin has said the province remains on track to reach its goal of giving all Nova Scotians who want vaccine at least one shot by the end of June. Barbrick said the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine had been the only supply with any relative certainty, and it's expected continued shipments of that vaccine would help the province reach its end-of-June target. "Right now with Pfizer alone we are darn close," said Barbrick. "If we get a little bit more of something else it might mean we can move even quicker." As of Wednesday, the province had also administered about half of its Oxford-AstraZeneca allotment of 60,000 vaccine doses for people aged 55-64. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 21, 2021. Keith Doucette, The Canadian Press
EDMONTON — Education Minister Adriana LaGrange says the group representing Alberta teachers is playing politics with a proposed new kindergarten to Grade 6 curriculum and isn’t sincere about real bridge-building. The Alberta Teachers' Association has publicly stated the proposed learning plan is “fatally flawed, and teachers, academics and curriculum experts should work on a revised version." “I have the utmost respect for teachers, and the work that they do, and the professionalism that they have,” LaGrange said when asked about the association Wednesday. “I want them to weigh in on the curriculum," she said. "The union for teachers appears to want to make it more political. I really don’t want to go down that path. I prefer to work collaboratively. “The fact they have not reached out to me or my department since the curriculum has come out to set up a meeting, to have a discussion, speaks volumes to me.” LaGrange’s spokeswoman, Nicole Sparrow, in a subsequent statement, said the minister’s door remains open. “Alberta’s government will continue to work with the education system, including the teachers' union, to gather all feedback to make this the best curriculum possible,” said Sparrow. “It is clear that the union is more interested in political theatre than actually providing feedback.” Teachers president Jason Schilling lobbed the accusation right back. “We need to have the whole curriculum redesign process depoliticized. In fact, I would like to see politicians get out of the way and let’s go back to the way we used to do curriculum redesign,” Schilling said in an interview. Schilling said LaGrange cancelled a memorandum of understanding in late 2019 that had put teachers and other experts at the centre of the curriculum review. Teachers have fought for a place at the table ever since, he said. “The association has essentially been shut out,” said Schilling. “The minister is very well aware of the fact I have concerns about the curriculum, that I want to make sure that teachers are involved, (so) that we can get this right.” The result has been a high-profile back-and-forth word fight. The teachers association says it was shut out of the curriculum consultation. LaGrange counters that 100 teachers were involved. Schilling has said it was 100 teachers for two days who had to sign non-disclosure agreements. The ATA has said 91 per cent of teachers in an in-house survey are against the curriculum. LaGrange has dismissed the survey sample she says was less than seven per cent as minuscule. Sarah Hoffman, the NDP Opposition's education critic, said LaGrange and the United Conservative government need to meaningfully work with teachers who have the expertise and front-line experience on what works and what doesn’t. “The minister is picking massive fights and trying to discredit teaching professionals who work to make sure students learn quality information to set them up for success,” said Hoffman. The draft is to be piloted in select schools this fall and fully implemented in September 2022. To date, almost 30 of Alberta’s 63 school boards, including the public school boards in Edmonton and Calgary as well as francophone school boards, say they won’t teach it. It’s been the subject of fierce debate since being outlined by LaGrange in late March. Advocates defend it as a common-sense approach that includes basic concepts, such as multiplication tables, along with real-life skills for the information age, including how to budget and computer code. The ATA and other critics say the plan is not developmentally appropriate for young kids, is jammed with random facts, and too loosely structured with concepts well over students' heads. They say it pushes Eurocentric history while giving short shrift to francophone and Indigenous cultures and perspectives. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 21, 2021. Dean Bennett, The Canadian Press
Students and seasonal workers who have returned to Yukon and are self-isolating won't have to wait to be vaccinated against COVID-19, says Yukon's chief medical officer. In his weekly news conference on Wednesday, Dr. Brendan Hanley said health officials have figured out a way to allow those in mandatory self-isolation to get a shot. Right now, most people arriving in Yukon are required to self-isolate for 14 days. Hanley said on Wednesday that returning students or seasonal workers will be allowed to leave isolation "for a short period of time" to attend a vaccination clinic. Before their shot, however, they'll be tested. Only those who test negative will then get a shot, he said. They'll then have to go back into self-isolation for the remainder of the 14-day period. "This is certainly not a get-out-of-self-isolation-early card," Hanley said. He also said health officials are now recommending that anybody sharing accommodation with someone in self-isolation should also be isolating. However, they are not required to do so by Yukon's Civil Emergency Measures Act (CEMA). "We know it is hard to keep apart unless completely separated," Hanley said, explaining his new recommendation. "And with the spread of variants, we need to be extra-cautious." Watch Wednesday's news conference here: 2 active cases 'close to recovery' Also on Wednesday, health officials announced one new case reported in Yukon, but said the person was never infectious in the territory. The affected person is an adult and the case is associated with international travel, according to a news release. The person tested positive on return to Canada, and completed self-isolation before arriving in Yukon. Officials say the person is now recovered, and there were no exposures in the territory. The case is the territory's 78th. Yukon's 77th case of COVID-19 was announced on Monday. Officials said the affected person is an adult in rural Yukon, and the case was connected to travel within Canada. An exposure notice was also issued for a restaurant in Watson Lake. On Wednesday, Hanley said that person was now recovered. Two other cases, in Whitehorse, were announced last week and health officials said they involved the P1 variant of concern. Hanley said on Wednesday that those people are "close to recovery." The territory's online vaccine tracker, updated Monday, says 71 per cent of eligible Yukoners had received their first shot of the Moderna vaccine, and 59 per cent had received their second shot. Vaccination rates in Yukon are 'moving up and that's great. And I think we just need to keep that upward movement going,' said Hanley.(Steve Silva/CBC) Hanley said Yukon is doing relatively well, but is still at risk of importing variants of concern. He says the territory is not immune to what's happening elsewhere in Canada. "It is hard to predict the next few weeks, but waves do come to an end and vaccine uptake is really starting to take off in the rest of Canada. And that is good news for us." He said younger adults in Yukon still lag when it comes to getting vaccinated — though the numbers are still climbing, he said. "It's moving up and that's great. And I think we just need to keep that upward movement going," he said. "If we can continue to get our younger people up to the same levels as our older citizens, we will be well-positioned to have great summer where we can ease up on many of our current restrictions." He would not say what restrictions might be eased, or when. Asked about the N.W.T.'s announcement on Wednesday that it was changing self-isolation requirements for vaccinated adults, Hanley said he was happy to see changes being made "where they can be," but would not say whether Yukon would make similar changes.
Workers in Alberta will be allowed three hours of paid leave to get vaccinated against COVID-19 thanks to changes to employment standards that took effect Wednesday night. It comes as new cases of COVID-19 hit the highest level in months. The government introduced legislation earlier Wednesday to amend the Employment Standards Act, which were to come into effect upon first reading. It passed second reading, committee of the whole and third and final reading within 30 minutes Wednesday night. "Hard-working Albertans want to get the vaccine, but some may not be able to schedule an appointment because of their working hours," Minister of Labour and Immigration Jason Copping said earlier in the day at a news conference. "And they may not be able to afford a loss of pay, which is a barrier to getting vaccinated," On Wednesday, Alberta Health confirmed 1,699 new cases, the highest single-day total since mid-December. Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta's chief medical officer of health, posted the numbers on Twitter late Wednesday afternoon, after the province's COVID-19 website experienced technical issues. Hinshaw said screening confirmed another 1,332 variant cases in the last 24 hours. Variants now make up about 59 per cent of the 18,873 active cases in the province. "I remain concerned about the high spread in our province," Hinshaw wrote in her post. "We all must continue to work together on behalf of our loved ones, neighbours, co-workers and communities to bend the curve and drive cases down provincewide." Copping said that as with other leaves "Albertans cannot be fired or disciplined by their employer for taking this leave. Leave can be used twice if Albertans are getting a two-dose vaccine." The leave applies to full-time and part-time workers, regardless of their length of service. The idea was first floated by the Opposition on Tuesday when NDP Leader Rachel Notley raised the issue during question period. Premier Jason Kenney said at the time he would look into it. Copping said the government consulted with the Opposition before bringing forward the proposed amendment. "This is something we've been watching for a number of weeks," he said. "As you may know, Saskatchewan passed a similar paid vaccine protected leave; B.C. just introduced this in the house this week. A question was raised by the leader of the Opposition, and our premier made a commitment that we would look seriously at this issue, which we are." Notley said on Wednesday she was pleased that the province will fast-track a bill similar to those in B.C. and Saskatchewan. "This is good news for Alberta workers and good news for Alberta's economy," Notley said. "These three hours of leave will benefit hundreds of thousands of working Albertans, because no one wants to log in to book their vaccine just to see that the only spots left are during their work hours when they can't otherwise afford to leave. "Lost income is already a barrier for so many working people throughout this COVID period in these difficult times but it should not be a barrier to vaccination. So I'm proud to help tear that barrier down, speed up the vaccination program and speed up our economic recovery." Copping said no one in Alberta should have to choose between getting vaccinated and collecting a paycheque. "Now, as always, we encourage employers and employees to work together on scheduling appointments, minimizing the impact on employees, and also minimizing the impact on employers when taking this leave," he said.
Nova Scotia's tightening of border restrictions on Thursday to allow only essential trips and returning permanent residents of the province to enter is being met with mixed reactions. The new restrictions apply to everyone crossing into Nova Scotia from all other places except Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island. People attempting to cross the border — including air travel — will be required to fill in a digital check-in form and receive approval. The measures are designed to help slow the spread of COVID-19. Twenty-five new cases were reported in Nova Scotia on Wednesday. "We need to stop the flow of people coming into the province for non-essential reasons, including moving here," Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Robert Strang said Tuesday. "Now is not the time." Amherst, N.S., Mayor Dave Kogon works as a doctor at the Moncton Hospital and lives in Nova Scotia. "I just want the provincial government to know people here are reaching their breaking point and they're not going to be able to cope with with the limitations and restrictions for a whole lot longer," he warned. David Kogon, the mayor of Amherst, N.S., says people are struggling with their mental health right now because of COVID-19 restrictions.(Patrick Callaghan/CBC) Kogon said many people who have a residence in one province and a summer cottage in the other will be looking to return to their vacation homes as the weather improves. "People complain they pay taxes in both provinces but can't access their own properties," Kogon said. New restrictions for entering Nova Scotia from outside of the province take effect on Thursday.(Patrick Callaghan/CBC) CBC News visited the New Brunswick-Nova Scotia border on Wednesday and found that while some people were resigned to the changes, others wanted an immediate reopening of the Atlantic bubble. Shannon Reid from Bedford, N.S., is a training instructor for Air Canada and has to drive across the border to conduct training exercises. Since her work only covers the Atlantic provinces, she doesn't expect too many problems. "I expect that I'll have to prove my identity and where I'm going and just declare my time and travel for each province," she said. "And that's been pretty routine since COVID started." Shannon Reid said she doesn't expect too experience too many problems with the border restriction changes.(Patrick Callaghan/CBC) John Magalong was driving into Nova Scotia to take an engineering exam. He was concerned the new restrictions would affect his ability to take his exam, so he emailed the province for clarification. He was told he had a valid reason to cross the border. "They let me in and they said I just need to follow the protocols that they've given me and I'm all good," Magalong said. Natalie and Scott Dixon are from Amherst, but have a farm in New Brunswick. They said they want the Atlantic bubble to return because the Atlantic provinces "need each other to thrive." Scott Dixon said the current restrictions make them feel like they are doing something illegal by simply crossing the border. John Magalong said the Nova Scotia government told him an engineering exam was a valid reason to cross the border.(Patrick Callaghan/CBC) "You just feel like you're a criminal when you're driving out of province," he said. "If I'm over here with the New Brunswick plate, I feel as if I'm going to get caught." He said he believes the tightened restrictions are going to lead people to smuggle family members across the border. Lloyd Shipley works for a car dealer and delivers cars to New Brunswick. He said he follows the rules and doesn't stop anywhere during his trips. He said he's in favour of restrictions because "we got to get rid of [COVID-19]." MORE TOP STORIES
Citing an expected increase in COVID-19 vaccine shipments, the Saskatchewan government is planning to offer doses to residents aged 44 and up through booked appointments beginning this Thursday. Then, by mid-next week, people aged 40 and up will become eligible and more front-line workers will be offered doses too, Premier Scott Moe said Tuesday. Moe said the province's plan is pegged on vaccine shipments picking up in early May, pointing in particular to a boost in Pfizer-BioNTech shipments touted earlier this week by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. In the meantime, Moe said, "we do have a difficult 10 days ahead of us." Saskatchewan is expected to receive about 31,000 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine this week — a figure officials have previously said provides about three days' worth of supply. Meanwhile, the province and other parts of the country have faced several Moderna vaccine delays in recent weeks. "We're hoping for a Moderna schedule that will include increases as well," Moe said. "We'd also like to see more AstraZeneca arrive." Supply crunch delays 9,000 appointments The current supply crunch has forced the province to reschedule around 9,000 appointments and temporarily close its Saskatoon and Regina drive-thrus, Moe said. It's hoped the increase in vaccine shipments in early May will allow Saskatchewan to ramp up its delivery of vaccines through pharmacies — an effort set to begin on April 26 — and potentially allow the province to reopen those shuttered drive-thrus, Moe said. Saskatchewan has been disappointed before when federal shipments of COVID-19 vaccines have fallen short of initial estimates. Moe and his ministers have frequently blamed the Trudeau government and its shipment schedules for any slowing in the pace of vaccinations in Saskatchewan, which has led all provinces in inoculations for much of 2021. Moe's announcement Tuesday about opening up vaccines to younger people and more front-line workers came despite those earlier frustrations. Once people aged 40 to 43 are able to book vaccine appointments next week, "We're then going to prioritize all remaining police officers and firefighters, front-line health care workers, corrections officers, border crossing officers, public health inspectors as well as our teachers and educators and others that are working in schools," Moe said. Eligible workers will need proof of employment before going to a clinic, according to a release. Anyone with those vocations currently eligible for a vaccine should immediately book an appointment, Moe added. Moe's government has been under pressure in recent weeks to add more groups of front-line workers, including teachers, to Saskatchewan's vaccine priority list. The premier looked ahead to a time when all adults aged 18 and over will be able to get a shot. "We'll all have equal priority at that point," he said, adding that the province's previously-stated hope of offering first doses to all people aged 18 and over by mid-May remains "a very ambitious target."
New Brunswick has lost another resident to COVID-19. Public Health confirmed Wednesday that an individual between the ages of 60 and 69 in the Saint John region, Zone 2, has died as a result of the disease. This brings the total number of COVID-related deaths in the province to 34. In a news release, Dr. Jennifer Russell and Health Minister Dorothy Shephard extended their sympathies to the victim's loved ones. "I am saddened to learn that another individual has lost their life as a result of COVID-19," Shephard said. "On behalf of all New Brunswickers, I share my sincere condolences with the family and friends of this person." There are currently 138 active cases in New Brunswick.(CBC News) Seven new cases reported Seven new cases were reported, affecting four zones, on Wednesday. The cases break down in this way: Moncton region, Zone 1, one case: an individual 20 to 29. This case is travel-related. Saint John region, Zone 2, two cases: an individual 50 to 59. an individual 90 or over. Both of these cases are contacts of previously confirmed cases. Edmundston region, Zone 4, three cases: an individual 19 or under. an individual 40 to 49. an individual 50 to 59. Two of the three cases are contacts of previously confirmed cases and the other one is under investigation. Miramichi region, Zone 7, one case: an individual 40 to 49. This case is travel-related. The number of confirmed cases in New Brunswick is 1,804. Since Tuesday, seven people have recovered for a total of 1,631 recoveries. There have been 34 deaths, and the number of active cases is 138. Fifteen patients are hospitalized, including five in an intensive care unit. A total of 278,711 tests have been conducted, including 1,005 since Tuesday's report. Elsewhere in Atlantic Canada: Outbreaks declared at two homes Outbreaks have been declared at two special care homes following a confirmed case of COVID-19 at each facility. The affected facilities are Pavillon Beau-Lieu, a special care home in Grand Falls in the Edmundston region, and Murray Street Lodge in Grand Bay-Westfield in the Saint John region. Members of the provincial rapid outbreak management team have been sent to provide support for residents and the facilities' care teams, Public Health said in a news release Wednesday. Possible exposure at child-care facility A possible exposure to a positive case of COVID-19 has been confirmed at Garderie Happy Feet Daycare in Grand Falls, in the Edmundston region. Families who have been affected have been notified, Public Health said Wednesday. "If you do not hear directly from Public Health, you have not been identified as a close contact," the department said in a news release. Health Minister Dorothy Shephard asked New Brunswickers to "be patient" as the province begins to vaccinate its largest age demographic, those 65 and older. "These appointments can fill up quite quickly," she said.(Government of New Brunswick) Why this next stage of the rollout will take some time If you're 65 or older, you can now book an appointment to get your COVID-19 vaccination. Odds are, you've already tried doing just that — and might have had a little trouble booking one. That's not a surprise to Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Jennifer Russell and Health Minister Dorothy Shephard, who have both made a point of asking this particular age group to pack a little patience as they queue up for the jab. The 65-and-up group is the largest demographic group in the province, so the sheer volume of callers and online bookers will mean it takes longer to get through this stage of the rollout. "These appointments can fill up quite quickly," Shephard said Tuesday in announcing the new age group's eligibility. "We know that the phones start ringing from the time we announce it at this press conference." But there are other reasons booking an appointment might take a few tries. "Keep in mind this is a really complex rollout," Russell told Information Morning Moncton Wednesday. "There are a lot of moving parts, recommendations change, prioritizations change." Russell noted there are "things we don't have control over, such as a Moderna shipment being delayed," as well as the fact that many pharmacies are already fully booked for appointments through the next few weeks. However, she said, the province is still on track for administering a first dose to every New Brunswicker who wants one by July 1. "We do ask people to be patient," Russell said. "I don't imagine that once an age category is introduced it will take more than a few weeks to get it done." If you are 65 or over and want to book a vaccine appointment, there are several ways you can do so. Here's how: Book online at gnb.ca/bookavaccine Call 1-833-437-1424 Contact a participating pharmacy New possible exposure warnings Public Health has identified potential public exposures to the virus at the following locations: E.& P. Sénéchal Center, Vitalité Health Network vaccination clinic, 60 Ouellette St., Grand Falls, on Monday, April 19 between1:15 p.m. and 7 p.m. Holy Spirit Parish (Saint Matthews worship site), 45 Dollard Dr., Saint John, on Sunday, April 18 between 11 a.m. and noon. Previous potential exposure notifications Public Health has identified recent possible public exposures to COVID-19 in Edmundston: Familiprix, 131 de l'Église St., on April 8, between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Jean Coutu, 77 Victoria St., Edmundston on April 16, between 1: 30 p.m. and 2 p.m.; on April 14, between noon and 12:45 p.m.; and on April 12, between 3 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Public Health also identified a traveller who may have been infected while on the following flights on April 14 and 15: Air Canada Flight 8970 – from Ottawa to Montreal, departed at 6:28 a.m. on April 14. Air Canada Flight 8898 – from Montreal to Moncton, departed at 8:14 a.m. on April 14. Air Canada Flight 318 – from Calgary to Montreal, departed at 11:53 a.m. on April 15. Air Canada Flight 8906 – from Montreal to Moncton, departed at 7:08 p.m. on April 15. People who were at these areas are eligible to be tested for COVID-19, even if they are not experiencing symptoms. Corrected possible exposures The dates and times for some recent possible public exposures in Saint John have changed on the government's website. "Through follow-up tracing work [Monday], it turns the individuals provided the wrong dates by mistake," Department of Health spokesperson Bruce Macfarlane said in an email. The new information information includes: Service New Brunswick, 15 King Square North, on April 15 between 3 p.m. and 3:45 p.m. Rocky's Sports Bar, 7 Market Square, on April 15 between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. What to do if you have a symptom People concerned they might have COVID-19 symptoms can take a self-assessment test online. Public Health says symptoms shown by people with COVID-19 have included: Fever above 38 C. New cough or worsening chronic cough. Sore throat. Runny nose. Headache. New onset of fatigue, muscle pain, diarrhea, loss of sense of taste or smell. Difficulty breathing. In children, symptoms have also included purple markings on the fingers and toes. People with one of those symptoms should: Stay at home. Call Tele-Care 811 or their doctor. Describe symptoms and travel history. Follow instructions.
It’s been a catastrophic few days for Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s government, with calls for the premier to resign growing amidst a COVID-19 third wave response which has been criticized by politicians, journalists and medical experts.
The desperate search for a young Grand Bay-Westfield woman has come to a tragic end. A body discovered in Martinon over the weekend has been identified as a 31-year-old woman reported missing from the town in February, Saint John police announced in a news release Wednesday. The release does not name the woman, but Andrea Limkilde, 31, was last seen on Feb. 5 on River Valley Drive — less than a minute drive from the Martinon area. She was reported missing to the local RCMP on Feb. 9, prompting numerous searches, which involved the RCMP dog and air services, as well as ground search and rescue crews, and hundreds of community volunteers. An autopsy was conducted to confirm the identification of the body discovered by a hiker in neighbouring Saint John Police Force's jurisdiction on Saturday around 3:30 p.m., said spokesperson Jim Hennessy. Foul play is not suspected, said Hennessy. The investigation is complete and the cause of death is not being released, he said. Family members could not immediately be reached for comment, but in an obituary, they announced her "sad passing" with "broken hearts." "Andrea had a loving heart and would help anyone," it says. "She had a strong religious faith" and "will be deeply missed by everyone." Hundreds of people searched for Andrea Limkilde, who was found dead by a hiker on Saturday.(Fundy Funeral Home) An older sister, Heather Limkilde, posted a quote on Facebook Wednesday morning. "As your sister please always remember … I loved you yesterday. I love you still. I always have. I always will." Her other older sister, Laura Limkilde, posted a photo of the three of them together, surrounded by red and pink hearts. The family has been very active on social media over the past two months, regularly posting photos of Limkilde and repeatedly pleading for the public's help with the case. "Someone knows something," her mother, Mary Allen Limkilde, posted on Facebook on March 25. "We need answers. Our hearts are broken," she wrote. On March 30, Heather Limkilde urged anyone with information to "reach out." "Our family needs some peace and closure," she wrote. "We are living a never-ending nightmare in this torture bubble." Condolences to family, friends The Saint John Police Force "extends its condolences to the woman's family and friends at this very difficult time," said Hennessy. RCMP Cpl. Jullie Rogers-Marsh, who is in charge of the detachment in Grand Bay-Westfield, said members' "thoughts go out to the [woman's] family and her friends as well. "It's certainly not the outcome that anyone was hoping for," she told CBC. "We were certainly hoping to find her" alive. A funeral service for Limkilde will be held at Fundy Funeral Home chapel on Monday at 10 a.m. People who plan to attend are asked to call. The service will also be live streamed.(RCMP) Earlier in the day, the RCMP had issued a news release, saying the local missing woman had been located deceased, but they did not name her. The case has had a big impact on the small community, said Rogers-Marsh. "From the beginning, we had several leads and tips that we followed up on," she said. Some people created missing person flyers, which were posted throughout Grand Bay-Westfield and Saint John. And a community-organized search over Easter weekend covered a large area near Blueberry Hill and left the family overwhelmed by the turnout. "The RCMP would like to thank members of the community, partner agencies and specialized policing services for their assistance during the search for the missing woman," the release said. Limkilde was last seen at about 2 p.m. at the Scholten's gas station. Security video later obtained by RCMP showed she used the crosswalk on River Valley Drive between 3:30 p.m. and 3:45 p.m., and turned onto Station Road. Police had asked anyone who saw her walking on River Valley Drive, the walking trail, around the Epworth Park area or getting into a vehicle to contact them. The family asks donations in memory of Limkilde be made to the SPCA Animal Rescue in Saint John or the Sophia Recovery Centre, a non-residential centre providing continuing care for women in recovery from addiction, according to the obituary.
Speaking to Global News reporter Richard Zussman, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke about how his government plans to deliver $10-a-day childcare as promised in the 2021 federal budget. Trudeau says Canadians should see "immediate improvements" and provincial governments must be willing partners.
COLUMBIA, Mo. — The Missouri House on Wednesday ousted a lawmaker accused of sexually and physically abusing his children years ago. The Republican-led House voted almost unanimously to kick out Rick Roeber, a Republican from Lee's Summit who was elected in November to represent his suburban Kansas City district. Nobody voted against his ouster, though one lawmaker voted “present" to sidestep taking a position. Roeber's expulsion followed a House Ethics Committee investigation into claims made by his now-adult children that he sexually abused two of them at the ages of 5 and 9. The committee found their allegations credible. “It is unacceptable what he has done to the home life of these children,” GOP House Speaker Rob Vescovo said during an emotional speech from the chamber floor. “And I find him in the worst capacity to represent the people, and more specifically represent the children, of the 34th District or the children of the state of Missouri.” Roeber didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. He previously told the committee that he didn’t sexually abuse his children. Several of Roeber's children testified to House investigators this year that he also frequently beat them with a belt, choked them and once drowned a litter of puppies. One child who said Roeber was sexually abusive told investigators that “to have someone that you are trusting as your parent to treat you in that manner and to not treat you like a child ... takes away your innocence.” The committee found records showing that his children reported the abuse around the time it allegedly occurred in the 1990s, but the Jackson County prosecutor's office didn't file charges. Mike Mansur, a spokesman for the prosecutor's office, said records from the time show that the office didn't file charges because there was insufficient evidence, but that it is reviewing documents provided by the Missouri House. State Rep. Robert Sauls, a Democrat from Independence who served on the Ethics Committee, said: “The state of Missouri has failed these children, and I will not sit back and let the state of Missouri continue to fail them.” Roeber tried to resign last week after the Missouri Independent first reported that House leaders went to the Jackson County prosecutor with concerns that Roeber currently has weekend visitations with a child. Roeber didn't mention any of the allegations against him in his resignation letter, saying he planned to move out of state to be closer to family. But the House refused to let him resign, which allowed the Ethics Committee to complete its report and recommend that he be publicly expelled. “I don’t think it is appropriate for him to walk away on his own terms as he has continued to walk away on his own terms on his children his entire life,” Vescovo said to his colleagues Wednesday. Lawmakers also agreed with the committee's recommendation that Roeber should reimburse the House for the roughly $1,570 it spent investigating the claims. House leaders said in a joint statement Wednesday that they hope law enforcement "will continue the work we started by thoroughly investigating Rick Roeber and the serious allegations against him.” Summer Ballentine, The Associated Press
LAS VEGAS — A convicted killer who is fighting a possible June execution date that would make him the first person put to death in Nevada in 15 years is calling for the state to consider the firing squad as an option, a rare method in the United States. Attorneys for Zane Michael Floyd say he does not want to die and are challenging the state plan to use a proposed three-drug lethal injection, which led to court challenges that twice delayed the execution of another convicted killer who later took his own life in prison. “This is not a delaying tactic,” Brad Levenson, a federal public defender representing Floyd, said Monday. But a challenge of the state execution protocol requires the defence to provide an alternative method, and Levenson said gunshots to the brain stem would be “the most humane way.” “Execution by firing squad ... causes a faster and less painful death than lethal injection,” the attorneys said in a court filing Friday. Nevada once allowed firing squads, but state law now requires the use of lethal injection in sentences of capital punishment. Three U.S. states — Mississippi, Oklahoma and Utah — and the U.S. military allow capital punishment by gunfire. The last time that method was used in the United States was in Utah in 2010. Floyd's attorneys are asking a federal judge in Las Vegas to stop Floyd from being put to death until prison officials “devise a new procedure or procedures to carry out a lawful execution.” Levenson said he and attorney David Anthony are fighting multiple issues in state and federal courts, with the possibility that Floyd’s death could be set for the week of June 7. Prosecutors will seek an execution warrant at a state court hearing next month. The 45-year-old was convicted in 2000 of killing four people with a shotgun in a Las Vegas supermarket in 1999 and badly wounding a fifth person. Floyd appeared to exhaust his federal appeals last November, and the U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear his case. Floyd wants a chance to seek clemency at a June 22 meeting of the Nevada State Pardons Board, Levenson said. Floyd's attorneys argue that a three-drug injection combination the state wants to use — the sedative diazepam, the powerful synthetic painkiller fentanyl and a paralytic, cisatracurium — would amount to cruel and unusual punishment in violation of his constitutional rights. Anthony made similar arguments on behalf of Scott Raymond Dozier before Nevada's last scheduled execution was called off in 2017 and 2018. Dozier killed himself in prison in January 2019. A judge blocked the first date after deciding that use of the paralytic might cause painful suffocation while Dozier was aware but unable to move. Pharmaceutical companies that made the three drugs stopped the second date with arguments against using their products in an execution, an issue several states are facing. Floyd would be the first person executed in Nevada since 2006, when Daryl Mack asked to be put to death for his conviction in a 1988 rape and murder in Reno. Nevada has 65 inmates awaiting execution, a state Department of Corrections spokeswoman said. ___ This story was first published on April 19, 2021. It was updated on April 21, 2021, to correct the number of Nevada inmates awaiting execution based on information from the Department of Corrections. There are 65 inmates, not 72. Ken Ritter, The Associated Press
A wood carving destined to overlook the Williams Lake Stampede grounds was destroyed in a fire that ripped through the creator's studio last Friday. The cedar cow boss statue, a replacement for the 15-year-old original that collapsed due to rot, was accidentally set ablaze by the wood stove that carver Ken Sheen uses to burn off sawdust in his studio located off Highway 97 near McLeese Lake. The highway was reduced to single-lane traffic for two hours as a result of the fire. The statue was charred along with Sheen's carving tools and a number of other wood sculptures. Over the years, Sheen has been hired by Williams Lake to create wood sculptures that are displayed across the city, including the Heart of a Champion located at the intersection of two local highways. Sheen's wood works are also displayed in Quesnel and 100 Mile House. The carver says he was in shock when he discovered fire had spread from his sawdust burner to the entire studio after he left it to go to his house and check his computer. Fire at Ken Sheen's studio near the McLeese Lake.(Marlene Pegg) "I could hear [the fire] sounded like gunshots going off," Sheen said Monday to Shelley Joyce, the host of CBC's Daybreak Kamloops. "My dogs were barking outside … I finally went out to see what they were barking about and there was a huge flame. It must have been 60 feet or 80 feet tall." "It was intense and everything was on fire," he said. "It was so intense you couldn't get anywhere near that." Sheen says he lost not only several months of work carving the cow boss statue but also chainsaws and many other specialized sculpting tools estimated to be worth about $7,000. "It burned up thousands and thousands of dollars worth of tools that I've been collecting over 20 years," he said. "Everything is gone." A carved wooden eagle side table was one of many artworks destroyed by the fire in Ken Sheen's studio last Friday. (Ken Sheen) Williams Lake Coun. Scott Nelson says the entire council feels for Sheen and the losses he's sustained. "Our hearts are with Ken Sheen and the family," Nelson said. "He's certainly got the entrepreneurial spirit of the Cariboo inside of him." Sheen says the community helped clean up the mess and is holding a fundraiser to help him get back to work. "I'm just trying to figure out what to do …I'm trying to get my ducks in a row," he said. Tap the link below to hear Ken Sheen's interview on Daybreak Kamloops:
Wildlife officials in Ontario are drafting a new strategy to keep wild pigs from establishing themselves in the province, to prevent what officials have referred to as an "ecological train wreck." The province published its proposal on Wednesday, asking hunters, trappers and other outdoor enthusiasts for their input into how to deal with a potential porcine invasion, should it arrive. "Based on experiences from other jurisdictions, it is clear that the least costly and most effective approach for managing wild pigs is to act early," the Ontario government website said. The proposal seeks to add wild pigs, along with 12 other invasive species, to the Ontario Invasive Species Act, giving authorities more means at their disposal to eradicate the wily and elusive animals. The new regulations would also ban the release of pigs into the wild. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) is drafting protocols in the event a pig escapes from a farm or transport truck, so it can be notified immediately, and the animal can be recaptured or dispatched as soon as possible. Sask. expert says Ontario on right track Ontario's announcement Wednesday follows the introduction of a wild pig protocol this spring by the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH) to help hunters, trappers and outdoor enthusiasts properly identify the animals and report their locations to the MNRF. A wild pig spotted at the side of the road near Alderville First Nation, north of Cobourg, Ont.(Inaturalist.org) "Once they become established, it's virtually unheard of to get rid of them. If they become widespread in a place like Ontario, there's virtually no chance of eradication," said Ryan Brook, a wild pig expert and an associate professor at the University of Saskatchewan. "We've missed that window in Saskatchewan. I think Ontario is in a good position to get on it. If I were grading this as a project, I would give them an A-plus for effort." Brook and his team have been studying wild pigs in Canada for 11 years. He said there is so far no evidence of any established populations in Ontario, and the province is doing the right thing by showing leadership on the issue and acting early. "I would argue they are the worst invasive large mammal on the planet. They have an amazing ability to reproduce," he said. "A small problem can turn into a massive out-of-control problem very quickly." "They can be very large. They're very dangerous to people. They have razor-sharp tusks. They can be aggressive and they're highly mobile, and they're incredibly smart. So all those characteristics and the fact that they will eat literally almost anything means they will be very successful." React 'as soon as you find pigs' Brook said wild pigs were introduced to Saskatchewan many years ago when a tractor-trailer carrying a load of domestic wild boar across the province crashed. The 11 animals on board escaped and only seven were recovered. "There was four that went into a park and they turned into well over 100 animals in a few years," he said. Brook said Saskatchewan has tried a number of methods to eradicate wild pigs without success, including traps and highly trained ground teams who quickly go into an area and physically remove the pigs. In his studies of wild pigs, Brook has travelled to other jurisdictions, including the United States, to see how other places have handled the problem, and in all of them, he's seen only one common thread for dealing with the animal effectively. "You need really good leadership that's going to make tough decisions. You need to be monitoring very hard, and as soon as you find pigs, you have to react." 'Active surveilliance' needed for eradication Brook said that, more than any other province, Ontario is showing solid leadership on the wild pig issue and is embracing a science-based approach. Researchers net a wild pig in Saskatchewan. The animal's legs are put in handcuff-like restraints and they are blindfolded while biologists examine and collar them.(Submitted by Ryan Brook) "I think eradication is on the table, but it will still take major effort, especially through active surveillance," said Brook. He said most jurisdictions rely on passive surveillance, by encouraging hunters, trappers and anglers to report pig sightings to a tip line. Ontario just recently added wild pigs to the list of animals that can be reported to its invasive species tip line. But Brook said finding wild pigs is more complicated than just sitting by the phone. The more proactive we are and aggressive we are in searching out those pigs, the better. - Ryan Brook, University of Saskatchewan, wild pig expert "'We'll wait and you call us,' that's useful, but we've found in our research here in the Prairies that you probably only get one to three per cent of actual pig sightings from that. The overwhelming majority of pig sightings we have is by putting out trail cameras or going out and knocking on doors." Brook said pigs are nocturnal, elusive and often hide in thick cover, making underground burrows or nesting among cattails in wetlands, spruce trees in forests and building what he calls "pigloos" in the winter. "They tunnel into snowbanks and make almost like an igloo," he said, noting he's fitted pigs with radio collars, and even with the aid of satellites and a helicopter, still wasn't able to spot them with his own eyes. "They're very hard to find," said Brook. "I don't think we should pretend this is easy. The more proactive we are and aggressive we are in searching out those pigs, the better."
An Edmonton non-profit has created a new wallet-sized card to help Indigenous people know their rights if stopped by police in Alberta. The statement to police card created by the Native Counselling Services of Alberta (NCSA) provides a list of people's rights and a paragraph that can be read to police. It also lists the organization's contact information. Staff say the card is to help Indigenous people invoke their rights. "This is basically to help, especially in interactions with the police where it's potentially a crisis, or you get flustered or caught off guard, to just have what you need to say there, so police also know that there are responsibilities on both sides," said Daena Crosby, director of legal education, media and research with NCSA. "We tried to make it as easy as possible." The NCSA offered a slightly different version of the card previously, and the new iteration of the free card was started shortly after the provincial government banned the practice of carding by police last November and imposed new rules on street checks. "This is an NCSA-specific project so it is focused on Indigenous communities themselves but with Black Lives Matter and the conviction yesterday for George Floyd's murder, this information is paramount to all people, all Canadians. Everyone has the right to know what their legal rights are," said Crosby. "It's just getting access to that information that's a challenge and having the tools the people need to be able to keep themselves alert to what their rights are and also safe in those interactions as well." Daena Crosby, director of legal education, media and research with Native Counselling Services of Alberta, holds up the printed card with the statement to police that can be read.(CBC News) Carding is "disproportionately targeting Indigenous and Black communities in Alberta," NCSA said in a news release. "NCSA recognizes that the solutions to systemic racism go well beyond this card. However, this is one small step in the right direction." Carding refers to arbitrary stops by police and asking members of the public for their personal information, even if there is no suspicion of wrongdoing. Ajay Juneja, a criminal defence lawyer in Edmonton, said the card will help people know their rights. "This is particularly important for [Indigenous people] and the majority of clients serviced by Native Counselling Services because they're disproportionately targeted by the police, subject to street checks and carding," he said. "I think this card will go a long way assisting people in knowing when they have the right to not identify themselves and to walk away." In the first six months of 2020, Edmonton police conducted 3,591 street checks. (CBC) A 2017 CBC News investigation found that in 2016, Indigenous women were nearly 10 times as likely to be street checked as white women. The same year, Indigenous people were six times more likely than white people to be stopped by Edmonton police. Black people were almost five times as likely as white people to be stopped, data showed. Carding was banned by the provincial government last year but street checks, when police say there is a specific reason to stop and question a member of the public, continue. Edmonton Police Service staff worked with NCSA to develop the card, according to the NCSA press release. "We see the value in this card as an opportunity to provide that knowledge and mutual understanding between individuals and officers regarding their rights and responsibilities … we hope it removes any feelings of fear or uncertainty while also allowing room to build on relationships with the communities our members serve," EPS Deputy Chief Alan Murphy said in a statement. Crosby said the goal now is to circulate the free cards, which can be downloaded online, to as many Indigenous communities in Alberta as possible. "The more people who know, the better."
BARCELONA, Spain — Since the coronavirus pandemic struck Spain, a glass pane has separated Xavier Antó and Carmen Panzano for the first prolonged period of the couple’s 65-year marriage. Antó, age 90, appears three or four times a week at the street-level window that looks into the Barcelona nursing home where his 92-year-old wife lives, which closed to visitors more than a year ago to protect residents from COVID-19. Employees from the home provide him with a chair and bring Panzano to the other side of the window. Antó shows her photos of their grandchildren on his phone to try to counteract the effects of her Alzheimer’s disease. Both have vaccines against the coronavirus, but Spain’s nursing homes still are under tight controls after tens of thousands of the country’s oldest adults died in senior care facilities during the early months of the pandemic. The couple met in 1953 and got married in 1955. Except for a spell early in their marriage when he worked away from home, they always were together. “We had never been apart,” Antó told The Associated Press. “Last March, the home’s director told me that when I left I wouldn’t be able to come back because the local authorities had established some very strict protocols,” At first, workers at the home made video calls on a tablet two or three times a week so he and Panzano could see each other, he said. “Then they set up a booth with a transparent divider, but I prefer this window because with the booth you were limited to a certain day, and then only had half an hour,” Antó recalled. “I come to the window since in the booth there is also a screen between you, and I can’t touch her or give her a kiss anyway.” When he comes to visit, the wife and husband put their hands on the glass and blow each other kisses. Although they cannot hear each other speak, at least they don’t worry about how much time they have to share. When he cannot come, a home assistant who worked for the couple for over 20 years comes in his place. “She is like a daughter to us,” Antó said. “I come as often as I can and will keep doing so as long as my body allows me,” he said. “If I were the sick one, she would do the same thing for me, and then some.” ___ AP writer Joseph Wilson contributed to this report. ___ Follow all of AP’s pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic, https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak Emilio Morenatti, The Associated Press
B.C. health officials announced 862 new cases of COVID-19 and seven more deaths on Wednesday. In a written statement, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix said there are 8,906 active cases of the disease caused by the novel coronavirus in B.C. A total of 483 people are in hospital, 164 of whom are in intensive care. The new case numbers show B.C.'s rolling caseload average is on a downward trend, but hospitalizations — which typically lag behind spikes and dips in new cases — are up from last Wednesday. At that time, 397 people were in hospital, with 120 in intensive care. The provincial death toll from the disease is now 1,546. That includes, for the first time in B.C., a person in their 20s who has died of COVID-19. "This case, as in all cases of young people who pass away, is particularly tragic," Dix told reporters Wednesday. Few details have been released about the case, but according to a situation report from the B.C. Centre for Disease Control, the person died sometime between April 3 and 10. Public health is actively monitoring 13,135 people across the province who are self-isolating after being exposed to COVID-19. On Tuesday, Northern Health declared a COVID-19 outbreak at Dawson Creek and District Hospital in the medical inpatient unit, after two patients tested positive for the virus. The provincial statement Wednesday said "there is no new update on the variants of concern." However, the health ministry confirmed that as of April 4, there had been 39 cases of the B1617 variant in B.C. — a variant first identified in India, where COVID-19 is now surging. The B.C. Centre for Disease Control is now calling B1617 a variant of interest, and more information about its presence in the province will be available later this week. So far, 1,456,946 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered, with 88,335 of those being second doses. Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) said in a statement transmission in Whistler, a long-running hot spot, has dropped by more than half compared to last week. The authority identified 72 new cases this week after confirming 179 last week. VCH said Wednesday it will be running an additional vaccination clinic day in Whistler on April 28 for those who missed or were unable to attend the one-week clinic last week. Incoming travel restrictions Earlier this week, Premier John Horgan announced Solicitor General Mike Farnworth would be drafting orders for strict new travel measures that will come into effect Friday and last until after the May long weekend. Those orders, Horgan said Monday, are intended to stop people leaving their health authorities for non-essential reasons. There will be random audits of travellers to make sure people are in compliance. Full details on the official rules will be announced Friday, including a clearer definition of what constitutes "essential travel" and what penalties might be in store for those who break the rules. In the meantime, Farnworth provided a piece of further clarity on Wednesday for two neighbouring health authorities: The minister said Vancouver Coastal Health and Fraser Health will be considered a single region under the new orders. B.C. Premier John Horgan is pictured on March 18. The province announced Monday new travel restrictions are being drafted in B.C. to come into effect this Friday.(Mike McArthur/CBC) He told reporters the restrictions will be most focused on catching people travelling for recreation, with roadblocks set up around BC Ferries' terminals as well the area of Highway 1 where people leave the Lower Mainland en route to the Interior. The province has also asked the tourism industry to reject bookings from people travelling outside their local areas. Restrictions banning indoor dining and adult fitness activities at gyms have been extended for another five weeks. Who is eligible for vaccination? As of Wednesday, British Columbians born in 1991 or earlier can register online, by phone or in-person at a Service B.C. office. Once registered, individuals will be contacted when it is their time to book an appointment. People born in 1981 or earlier are eligible for the AstraZeneca vaccine now through pharmacies and, in some hard-hit areas, special clinics. Officials have released a list of 13 community health service areas that have seen the highest COVID-19 case rates, which will be given top priority through the clinics. Eligibility for those clinics is based on postal code. People who wish to get the AstraZeneca vaccine through a pharmacy need to book their shot with the pharmacy itself. The province provides a list of participating pharmacies online. Pharmacies have limited supplies of the vaccine. Also on Wednesday, the Abbotsford School District informed teachers and staff they are now eligible to receive the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, with priority being given to those employees who work directly with students.
