Security around the U.S. Capitol remained tight on Saturday, a day after a man rammed a car into two officers at a barricade outside. (April 3)
Don Jayasinghe stands near a search and rescue operation on Thursday afternoon in Flatrock, a day after his son Supul slipped on rocks near the water and fell in.(Terry Roberts/CBC) Supul Jayasinghe had just closed the books on his final exam at Memorial University. To celebrate, the 21-year-old biology student and his family strolled along the Flatrock coast Wednesday evening, soaking up the sun. "We simply looked around [at] the sea," Don Jayasinghe, Supul's father, told CBC News Thursday at the very place where a family outing took a tragic turn in just a matter of seconds. Don Jayasinghe said his son, running after the family dog Neo, slipped on the rocks and ended up in the water as his parents looked on. "No, don't go son, don't go there," Jayasinghe recalled shouting. His father said Supul, surprised by ending up in the water, initially took the fall lightly. "But when he was trying to come out ... whatever he touched, slipped," Jayasinghe said. His son tumbled in the waves as the current carried him further out from shore. This photo of Supul Jayasinghe, sent to CBC by his family, was taken minutes before the young man slipped and fell into the water.(Submitted by Don Jayasinghe) "I was following him, talking to him. And suddenly he understood it is difficult. He asked my help, 'Dad, help me,'" Jayasinghe said. His father tried to throw the dog's leash to Supul, and nearly fell into the water himself. His son seemed to float, treading water, as darkness fell. Ten minutes later, he vanished. 'He's gone' Supul's family expressed stoic acceptance of their loss Wednesday, speaking openly to CBC about the ordeal. "I am a Buddhist. So everything happens with a reason. So therefore I have the courage still to stand and talk to you," Jayasinghe said. "What has happened has happened … He's gone." Jayasinghe described his son as a "very beautiful soul," a well-rounded young man who excelled in sports and at school. He volunteered and had aspirations in medicine, and as a teenager even earned a private pilot's licence and a spot in the local Alberta paper, according to his tearful mother, Chandima. The search continues for a 21-year-old man who went into the ocean in Flatrock Wednesday night. (Ted Dillon/CBC) Supul dreamed one day about joining Doctors Without Borders, travelling the world to help the sick, his father said, even saying he'd give up his salary to locals who needed it more. "That's how he was ... all the time he was thinking [of] other people, not himself." The Jayasinghe family moved to Canada from Sri Lanka to encourage that dream. They spent years in Ontario, then Alberta, before settling in Newfoundland and Labrador in 2017. "So far," Jayasinghe said, "we don't have any idea what's next." The father, standing near the shore that took his son, implored others to stay vigilant near the icy water. "Young people, please listen to your parents ... don't ignore their advice," he said firmly. "Because if our son heard our words — 'come back, come back, don't go there, don't go there' — he would have been still alive today." As of Thursday afternoon, rescuers haven't yet deemed the operation a recovery mission. If that happens, and if a body is eventually found, the family says it won't change how they feel. "It doesn't return our son," Jayasinghe said. "Our son is gone forever." Search continues in air and at sea The sea and air search continues Thursday, as the young man's parents and friends remain at the scene. A spokesperson from the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary was expected to speak with reporters early Thursday afternoon. A helicopter from 103 Search and Rescue Squadron in Gander, a Canadian Coast Guard ship from St. John's as well as Royal Newfoundland Constabulary officers spent Wednesday night searching the area, after police were alerted to the missing person. Officers arrived in the Flatrock area around 8:15 p.m., according to an RNC report, with the Cormorant helicopter arriving shortly afterward. They scoured the coastline and waters, at times using flares to illuminate the area. A Canadian Coast Guard Zodiac was on scene Thursday morning as search parties organized to resume their efforts.(Jonny Hodder/CBC) Just after 2 a.m., police announced on Twitter they had scaled back their search efforts, focused on the water and shoreline, until daylight. By daybreak, both a Canadian Coast guard vessel and Zodiac were present at the scene, with a command centre from the Rovers Search and Rescue from Paradise also set up. Read more articles from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador
The province reported 19 new cases of COVID-19 in five zones Thursday, prompting calls from Premier Blaine Higgs and Dr. Jennifer Russell for people to step up vaccination appointments and strictly observe Public Health guidelines around travel and self-isolation. Nine of the new cases are at a care home in Grand Falls, in Zone 4, where an outbreak was declared Wednesday. An outbreak was also declared at Murray Street Lodge in Grand Bay-Westfield in the Saint John region Wednesday. On Thursday, Higgs noted that "only 59 per cent of long-term care workers have chosen to be vaccinated," compared with more than 90 per cent of residents and about 90 per cent of workers at regional health authorities. "It is essential that in the coming weeks, more long-term care workers get vaccinated," Higgs said at a live-streamed update. He also singled out truck drivers as a group that must step up vaccination efforts. Russell stressed the importance of following travel and self-isolation guidelines, particularly as new variants loom. "We are very, very, very concerned about the arrival of variant from India," which has already been identified in Quebec and other provinces, Russell said. "Family members should not pick you up from the airport," Russell said. "They should not handle your dishes from delivered meals. The risk is just too high." Union president doubts Higgs's numbers The president of the New Brunswick Council of Nursing Home Unions says she's skeptical of the numbers Premier Blaine Higgs provided at Thursday's update regarding the percentage of long-term care home workers who have been vaccinated. In detailing the growing outbreak at Pavillon Beau-Lieu care home in Grand Falls, Higgs said "only 59 per cent of long-term care workers have chosen to be vaccinated," compared with about 90 per cent of workers at regional health authorities. "It's a concern," Higgs said. "Fortunately, the residents are over 90 per cent vaccinated, so the residents are protected but we need to ensure the long-term care employees remain protected. We're encouraging them to protect themselves, because they are providing a service to a vulnerable population, and also they risk infecting others in the community." In an interview after the update, council president Sharon Teare questioned that figure. "How did they reach that number, how is that data collected to get to that number they arrived at? Because I have not heard the hesitancy that would match that number." Teare said the "inconsistent" planning of the rollout and clinics for care workers, as well as limited information provided about the vaccines, hurt the compliance rates initially. Of the 51 nursing homes that fall under the New Brunswick Council of Nursing Home Unions, "not one of the nursing homes have had an outbreak. Not one," she said. "It's a unionized facility, so when we're talking about workers in ... non-unionized facilities, what is lacking there? A big key is education." Stricter enforcement of isolation rules could be coming New, stricter enforcement measures, such as mandatory hotel stays for travellers arriving in New Brunswick, could soon be implemented to ensure isolation guidelines are being followed. "This is under very active consideration," Premier Blaine Higgs said at Thursday's live COVID-19 update. "We're meeting now daily ... it may become a reality." Higgs said that as the province counts down the 10 weeks till everyone has been vaccinated, there is evidence that the existing rules aren't being followed. "We have seen cases" where travellers go home from the airport with family "and isolate with the family and then the family becomes infected," he said, noting a person can test negative upon arrival in New Brunswick and then become positive days later. "We're at the tipping point right now," Higgs said. "Rather than saying 'Oh, I'm fine I don't need to worry about this, I didn't have a problem.' Just assume you have a problem, and act accordingly … Let's just hang in there for the next 10 weeks, so we can get back to a summer in New Brunswick." Maine not sharing vaccines for now Premier Blaine Higgs said Thursday he has asked the governor of Maine to see if New Brunswick truckers can be vaccinated when they're in that state. This would be similar to the partnership between Manitobia and North Dakota announced Tuesday. Jackie Farwell, spokesperson for the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, said Maine is keeping its vaccines for its residents for now because the state's allocation is based on its population. "Demand for the vaccine continues to outpace supply in the state," Farwell said, although she did not close the door on future sharing. "We expect to engage with our Canadian colleagues in the future to discuss cross-border collaboration with respect to vaccinations once supply for the vaccine increases." The municipal election will go ahead May 10 in all but the Edmundston-Haut Madawaska region, which is still under lockdown, Dr. Jennifer Russell said Thursday.(Government of New Brunswick) 19 new cases, in five zones Dr. Jennifer Russell announced 19 new cases Thursday, including nine at the Pavillon Beau-Lieu special care home in Grand Falls, where an outbreak of one case was declared Wednesday. Moncton region, Zone 1, two cases: an individual 30 to 39 an individual 60 to 69 Both cases are travel-related, including one temporary foreign worker. Saint John region, Zone 2, three cases: two people 20 to 29 an individual 30 to 39 All three cases are travel-related. Fredericton region, Zone 3, two cases: an individual 30 to 39 an individual 80 to 89 One case is travel-related and the other is under investigation. Edmundston region, Zone 4, 11 cases: an individual 19 or under an individual 40 to 49 an individual 70 to 79 six people 80 to 89 two people 90 or over All 11 cases are contacts of previously confirmed cases. Nine of the 11 cases are connected to the outbreak in Pavillon Beau-Lieu, a special care home in Grand Falls. It is not believed that these cases are related to the outbreak in the Edmundston area. Bathurst region, Zone 6, one case: an individual 50-59. This case is travel-related. The number of confirmed cases in New Brunswick is 1,823. Since Wednesday, 11 people have recovered for a total of 1,642 recoveries. There have been 34 deaths, and the number of active cases is 146. Fifteen patients are hospitalized, including five in an intensive care unit. A total of 280,010 tests have been conducted, including 1,299 since Wednesday's report. Elsewhere in Atlantic Canada There are currently 146 active cases in the province.(CBC News) Lockdown to be reassessed on Monday Public Health has recommended to cabinet that the Edmundston area remain in lockdown for now, with a reassessment on Monday. "We recognize that Zone 4 has been making progress and cases are slowly decreasing, but we need to wait a few more days to ensure this trend continues," Dr. Jennifer Russell, chief medical officer of health, said Thursday. "There are still untraced cases in the Edmundston region that pose a risk, so for now the areas that are in lockdown and at the orange level will remain there." Dr. Jennifer Russell shared a graphic showing "why we remain concerned" about the outbreak in Edmundston region on Thursday. The graphic indicates the confirmed cases in the current outbreak, including three large clusters of cases with confirmed linkages, and a number of cases with no connection to any other known case. (Government of New Brunswick) Municipal elections to go ahead May 10, in most zones Municipal elections will be held across New Brunswick on May 10, Dr. Jennifer Russell said at Thursday's COVID-19 update. However, "like so much else in the past year, this election campaign will look and feel different from what we have experienced in the past," she said. Campaigning guidelines have been provided for candidates, including using social media or leaflet dropoffs to get their message out. In yellow and orange-phase zones, candidates can campaign door-to-door "but if you do, please ... wear a mask, maintain two metres of physical distance at all times, and do not go into voters' homes," Russell said. The election will not go ahead in Edmundston-Haut Madawaska region, which is still in lockdown, the province later clarified. Public Health to hold live Q&A session on Friday New Brunswickers will have a chance to ask the province's chief medical officer of health their questions about COVID-19, vaccines and the situation in the Edmundston region, Zone 4, on Friday. A Q&A session will be live-streamed at 1:30 p.m. on the Government of New Brunswick's Youtube channel, and residents are being asked to submit their questions now to be asked at the session. Dr. Jennifer Russell and Dr. John Tobin, head of the family medicine department in Zone 4 for the Vitalité Health Network, will both be participating in the Q&A session, according to posts on the gnb.ca Twitter account and Government of New Brunswick Facebook page. Residents can submit their questions on either of these platforms. Dozens of questions have already been posted, on topics ranging from self-isolation rules after vaccination to the safety of the AstraZeneca vaccine. Potential exposure notifications Saint John: Holy Spirit Parish (Saint Matthews worship site), 45 Dollard Dr., Saint John, on Sunday, April 18 between 11 a.m. and noon. The church has closed for two weeks as a preventive measure, and St. Rose of Lima Church (part of Holy Spirit Parish) will also be closed for the next two weeks, until May 8-9. 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. Edmundston and region: 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. 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. 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.
A Saskatchewan mother is relieved after hearing her children will be back to in-person learning on Monday. Brooklyn Karnes-Herbst is working full-time in Regina, her husband is working full-time as a subcontractor and four of their five children are doing remote learning in their community of Pangman, Sask. Pangman is about 90 kilometres south of Regina. It's a busy time for the blended family. Most of the children — who are aged three, eight, eight, 10 and 10 — are forced to learn on tablets because the family doesn't have the means to buy laptops for each of them. "It's tough because you want to be as positive as you can for them. But when you're also not really feeling the positivity and when the teachers are showing their frustrations, it's really hard," Karnes-Herbst said. Karnes-Herbst said it's important they take precautions and stay safe, but they need to balance that with the mental health and quality of learning for students. She said she's relieved the South East Cornerstone School Division is letting some classrooms return to in-person learning with precautions on April 26. Learning on tablets, iPhone, with slow Internet Karnes-Herbst currently works from home two days a week and her grandmother watches the children on the other days. Internet access and connectivity is tough in the small town. "Now, when you get everyone from that area, phone calls are dropping. People can't connect," she said. "The links for their Teams conversations don't come through." It's honestly making sure that they don't feel at fault because none of this is their fault. - Brooklyn Karnes-Herbst Karnes-Herbst said it's been incredibly tough on the teachers as well, because they're trying to organize tests or assignments yet children's internet connections cut out. She said she's working to help her children understand it's OK if technology fails. "It is what it is," she said. "It's honestly making sure that they don't feel at fault because none of this is their fault." No masks at home but less learning: Children "It's kind of just even more stressful than at school," Carter Karnes, aged 10, said of learning at home. When the school closed, Carter and his brother Nixon, also 10, were told to take their textbooks home but not much else. Karnes-Herbst said the boys weren't told there was a positive case within the school. "I was like, what? Why are we doing remote learning? Because everybody was here at school today. The kindergarten's, every single person in their classes were there," Nixon said. Nixon Karnes has to currently learn on a tablet in Brooklyn Karnes-Herbst bedroom so that he doesn't have many distractions around. (Google Meet) Nixon works on a laptop and Carter on a tablet, both in Brooklyn's bedroom. Blake, eight, is at the kitchen counter with an iPhone 6 and Parker, also eight, at the breakfast nook on a tablet. The two couldn't be close together due to feedback from being in the same meeting. "It's a little bit of both, easy and hard," Parker said. Meanwhile, Blake said he likes that he doesn't need to wear a mask when at home, but both he and Parker agreed they learn more in school. Carter, Parker and Blake all mentioned they miss their friends. Blake Herbst had to learn for some time on an iPhone because the family didn't have the means to buy a new laptop. (Google Meet) Karnes-Herbst said her older boys are feeling overwhelmed also because of the amount of homework that comes with remote learning. Karnes-Herbst said the average person doesn't know how tough this is. "We've never received anything from the school board asking us if we would be willing to have our children still attend," she said. "We understand that we're taking that risk simply because their mental status and their learning abilities are so much more in-person than on the Internet." Karnes-Herbst 's children school has about 60 students in Kindergarten to Grade 12. It has its first positive case in early April during the entire pandemic. "So to clump us in with Weyburn and Estevan is really unfortunate because as a small community, we've had very little cases within even the community," Karnes-Herbst said. "So now you've taken everything away from my kids, including school." Karnes-Herbst said the importance of schools shows how teachers need to be vaccinated sooner. On Tuesday, the provincial government announced teachers could start booking appointments to be vaccinated late next week. "Their education is huge and it's on the line right now and that's not fair to these kids."
VIDRA, Romania — In the trash-strewn slums of Sintesti, less than 10 miles from Romania’s capital, Mihai Bratu scrapes a dangerous living for his Roma family amid the foul reek of burning plastic that cloys the air day and night. Like many in this community, for him illegally setting fire to whatever he can find that contains metal — from computers to tires to electrical cables — seems like his only means of survival. “We’re selling it to people who buy metal, we are poor people … we have to work hard for a week or two to get one kilogram of metal,” 34-year-old Bratu, perched on an old wooden cart, told The Associated Press. “We are struggling to feed our kids ... The rich people have the villas, look at the rich people’s palaces.” You don't have to look far. The main road that runs through Sintesti, a largely Roma village in the Vidra commune, is lined with ornate, semi-constructed villas and dotted with shiny SUVs. Behind lurk the parts where Bratu and his young children live, a social black hole with no sanitation or running water. The two worlds are strongly connected. For Octavian Berceanu, the new head of Romania’s National Environmental Guard, the government environmental protection agency, the pollution from the fires that burn here almost ceaselessly, in breach of environmental laws, was so bad that he started regular raids in the community — where he says “mafia structures” lord it over “modern slaves.” “This is a kind of slavery, because the people living here have no opportunity for school, to get a job in the city, which is very close, they don’t have infrastructure like an official power grid, water, roads — and that is destroying their perspective on life,” Berceanu told The Associated Press during a police-escorted tour in April. The slums of Sintesti, like Roma communities elsewhere, have long been ignored by authorities. They're made up of makeshift homes, where unofficially rigged electricity cables hug the ground and run over a sea of trash. “For too many years, they were allowed in some way to do this dirty job," Berceanu said. "Nobody came here in the past ... to see what's happening.” But on top of the considerable social ills, according to the environment chief, the fires can significantly hike pollution in Bucharest, potentially by as much as 20-30%, at times pushing air quality to dangerous levels. “The smoke particulates are taken by the wind 10 miles, it’s like rain over Bucharest and it’s destroying the quality of the air in the capital. It’s one hundred times more dangerous than wood-fire particles — there are a lot of toxic components,” Berceanu said. “If the local authorities are not applying the law, of course people — whatever their ethnic origin — are encouraged to continue doing what they are doing,” said Gelu Duminica, a sociologist and executive director of the Impreuna Agency, a Roma-focused non-governmental organization. Focusing on pollution from the Roma community, Duminica says, instead of on big industry or the more than 1 million cars in the densely populated capital of 2 million, is “scapegoating” and part of a political “branding campaign.” “Everywhere in the world, the poorest are exploiting the marginal resources in order to survive. We have a chain of causes: low education, low infrastructure, low development … a lot of things are low,” Duminica said “The rich Roma are controlling the poor Roma, but the rich Roma are controlled by others. If you look at who is leading and who is controlling things, it’s more than likely you'll have huge surprises. Let’s not treat it as an ethnic issue," he said. The Council of Europe estimates that 1.85 million Roma live in the country of more than 19 million, and face many challenges. A 2016 human rights report published by the European Commission, said that “systematic societal discrimination against Roma" affected their access to adequate education, housing, health care, and employment. In January this year, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis promulgated a law making anti-Roma hate crimes — verbal or physical — punishable by up to 10 years in prison. In the future, Berceanu the environment chief hopes surveillance drones with pollution sensors and infrared cameras can help paint a clearer picture of how the networks operate. “We’re working against organized crime and it’s very hard,” he said. “If we solve this problem here, very close to Bucharest, we can solve any kind of problem similar to this all around the country.” For local resident Floria, who refused to give a surname but said she was 40-something, a lack of official documents, education, and options leave her and her community with no alternatives. “We don’t want to do this. Why don’t they give us jobs like (communist dictator Nicolae) Ceausescu used to, they would come with buses, with cars, and take us to town to work,” she told The Associated Press. “Gypsies are seen as the worst people no matter where we go or what we do.” Mihai Bratu blames local authorities for the plight of his community, for the lack of roads, the lack of action. “The mayor doesn’t help us!” he exclaims, as a small boy shifts building materials from Bratu's horse cart to the muddy yard next door. “What do we have? What can we have? Some little house? — whatever God granted us.” Stephen McGrath, The Associated Press
The family of a Montreal woman who was found dead on the floor of a room in the ER at Lakeshore General Hospital on Montreal's West Island two months ago is asking Premier François Legault to personally intervene in the case to help them get answers. At a virtual news conference Thursday, family members said they've heard next to nothing from both the hospital and the coroner's office since the death of their mother, Candida Macarine. "We've been waiting for a phone call, a letter, or an email that never came," Macarine's daughter, Gilda, said. "This silence is very disturbing. My mother cannot rest in peace until we get the answers," she added. Candida Macarine died Feb. 27, a few hours after being admitted to the hospital. She was found dead on the floor of a negative pressure room. Nurses had warned managers several times that it was next-to-impossible to see a patient in the room. Macarine's family was never told that she was found dead and alone on the floor. Staff at the hospital only told them their mother died of cardiac arrest. It wasn't until they noticed a CBC News story two weeks later about a woman found "dead and ice cold" on the floor beside her bed that they realized that woman was their mother. It wasn't until March 23, a month after Macarine died, that the hospital finally admitted its communications with the family were "incomplete" and apologized. Family begs premier for help At that time, the hospital asked the coroner's office to investigate, and said it had already launched an internal investigation into what happened. The family says, since then, they've had no contact from either the hospital or the coroner's office. "We're calling on Premier Legault to help our family get the answers. We believe that he has compassion and he understands ordinary families," Gilda Macarine told the news conference. Gilda Macarine was often in tears during Thursday's news conference, as she talked about the frustration of not having answers about the circumstances of her mother's death.(CBC News) "I'm begging you Mr. Legault," she added, tears streaming down her cheeks. Coroner's office, health agency say they're open to talking Jake Lamotta-Granato, a spokesperson for the Quebec Coroner's office, emailed CBC a statement. "An investigation has been well underway into the death of Mrs. Candida Macarine since the notification of the death to the Coroner's Office at the end of March," Lamotta-Granato said. He said generally coroners keep families up to date on major developments in investigations, and he urged the Macarine family to get in touch if they had questions. The Macarine family said they sent a letter to Quebec's chief coroner last week and haven't heard back. Annie Charbonneau, a spokesperson for the CIUSSS de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, the health agency that governs Lakeshore General Hospital, also emailed a statement to CBC. "We reiterate our wish to first meet the family to build bridges with them. The coroner's inquest is underway. We are actively participating in it," Charbonneau said. The head of the CIUSSS, Lynne McVey, offered to meet with the Macarine family last month. They refused, saying they no longer trusted the CIUSSS. Gilda Macarine said Thursday that the family was offered a 30-minute meeting with McVey. "What can you do for that 30-minute meeting? Just to say hi, hello, how are you and sit down? For me, it's not enough," she said. Family haunted Glida Macarine and her brother Emmanuel both say they're haunted by their mother's death. Emmanuel is currently staying at the condo where his mother lived. "I can't sleep. I stay up until 3:00 in the morning just thinking about it. Everywhere I look, it's my mom. I see my mom," he said. Gilda Macarine is herself a nurse. She said when she cares for elderly patients, she can't help but think of her mother. "It's so heavy in my heart every time I go to work," she said. "These people we are taking care of them, feeding them, cleaning them, and then I always look back to my mother," she said. "My mom died because nobody took care of her in their hospital," she said. Timeline Feb. 26: Candida Macarine is admitted to Lakeshore General Hospital suffering from breathing problems. Feb. 27: Macarine is found "dead and ice cold" on the floor of a negative pressure room in the ER. Hospital staff only tell the Macarine family she died of cardiac arrest, and don't mention the other circumstances surrounding her death. March 9: The day of Candida Macarine's funeral, Health Minister Christian Dubé offers condolences and says the ministry will monitor the situation; the family goes to the hospital after the funeral to try to get answers. April 22: Family holds news conference asking premier Francois Legault to intervene, saying they've heard nothing from coroner's office or CIUSSS for a month
Ontario’s chief coroner Dr. Dirk Huyer said Thursday that “a number of people” in Ontario have died of COVID-19 before they could be admitted to hospital, adding that such deaths are “new, unfortunate and sad.”
Several new homeowners in Campbell River, B.C., got a shock earlier this week when the city put a freeze on issuing new occupancy permits, after staff discovered the municipal sewage system in the Maryland neighborhood was already at capacity. The city said this affects 20 properties in various states of construction in the area — including one belonging to Aleda and Chris Staffanson, who said they were planning to move into their new home this coming weekend. Instead, they were told on Tuesday that they would not be given an occupancy permit, leaving the couple with nowhere to stay but the camper van in their backyard. Chris Staffanson said they bought a lot in the neighbourhood last year and had spent upwards of three-quarters of a million dollars on the property, including building their dream home. "It's utter incompetence," he said. "Surely to god the engineers could figure out how much sewage comes out of one house and how many houses are here and would have known this before they gave a building permit out. An eight-year-old kid could do that math." Unable to move into their home, the Staffansons will be living in a camper in their backyard.(Aleda Staffanson) City officials said it's not clear how the oversight happened. Deputy city manager Ron Neufeld said the municipality regularly upgrades their infrastructure, but there is only so much work they can do every year. "This area, which is at the southern extreme of our community, services one neighbourhood and so it was placed as a lower priority," he said. 'A ton of lost opportunity' The uncertainty over when homeowners can move in is also causing problems for those working on the properties, even though the city has given the green light for construction to continue as it tries to address the sewer issue. "If we have a lot that isn't already sold, who is going to buy it if we can't promise them occupancy?" said Bruce Calendar, who runs Big Island Construction and is working on several projects in the area. They include a planned 19-lot development whose future is now unclear, Calendar said. "There is a ton of lost opportunity up here. There is a 19-lot strata that has stopped development now," he said. The city is now working with an engineering firm to come up with possible solutions. But Neufeld said they won't know until next week what their options are, or a potential timeline for people like the Staffansons to move into their homes.
Newfoundland and Labrador is reporting three new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday. (Patrick Butler/Radio-Canada) As Newfoundland and Labrador's neighbours find themselves battling a COVID-19 spike, the Health Department is reporting three new cases on Thursday. According to a media release from the department, one case is a man in his 60s in the Eastern Health region, related to travel within Canada. The two other cases are in the Western Health region: a woman between 20 and 39 years old and man under 20 years old. Both cases are close contacts to a previously known case. Contact tracing by public health is underway. Anyone considered a close contact has been advised to quarantine. Related to one of the new cases, public health is asking passengers who travelled on Air Canada Flight 8996 from Halifax to St. John's on Tuesday to arrange COVID-19 testing. Passengers can complete the online self-assessment tool or call 811. The department is also reporting four new recoveries: one in the Eastern Health region and three in Western Health. For the first time in more than two weeks, the province's caseload has dropped — by one, to 26. Nobody is in hospital due to the virus. To date, 130,909 people have been tested, including 468 since Wednesday's update. The Health Department says an investigation into a case reported April 8 in the Eastern Health region was unable to identify the source. "This is called a non-epidemiologically linked case and indicates that there is, or was, an unknown case of COVID-19," reads Thursday's media release. "This could happen for any number of reasons, including the individual may have been asymptomatic and recovered, the individual may have left the province or the individual did not seek testing." The Department of Health is also advising rotational workers of COVID-19 outbreaks at worksites in Alberta: Cenovus Foster Creek. Suncor Fort Hills. Syncrude Aurora. The department says it was notified about the outbreaks by the Public Health Agency of Canada as workers include people from Newfoundland and Labrador. Rotational workers with these projects who have returned to Newfoundland and Labrador in the last two weeks now must self-isolate and distance themselves from household members, call 811 to arrange testing and complete the full 14-day self-isolation period, regardless of test result. Phase 2 vaccinations Elsewhere, Nova Scotia added 38 cases overnight, its highest daily count since the early days of the pandemic. Premier Iain Rankin said Wednesday the province was seeing early signs of community spread, further endangering the prospect of a mid-May Atlantic bubble reopening date. On Wednesday, Newfoundland and Labrador Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Janice Fitzgerald said three of the province's four regional health authorities will deliver an open call Monday for workers — including air crew and truck drivers who travel outside the province — to book vaccine appointments. The fourth, Labrador-Grenfell Health, has already started vaccinating rotational workers. Health Minister John Haggie said he's looking at a mid-May wrap-up for Phase 2, when health regions will invite appointments from all Phase 2 groups. Haggie said 31 per cent of Newfoundland and Labrador's eligible population had been vaccinated with at least one dose as of Tuesday night, with deliveries expected to increase substantially in May and June. Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador
SAN FRANCISCO — California public schools have experienced a sharp decline in enrolment this year as the pandemic forced millions into online school, according to data made public Thursday. The drop came as the state's school districts dawdled in bringing children back to the classroom, making California one of the slowest in the country to reopen schools. The California Department of Education data shows that the number of students at K-12 schools dropped by more than 160,000 this academic year, most of them at the K-6 level, to a total of 6 million. The drop is by far the biggest decline in years and represents the clearest picture yet of the pandemic’s devastating toll on California public schools. “The annual snapshot of fall enrolment shows a sharp one-year decline as the state and nation grappled with a deadly pandemic that disrupted all aspects of public education,” the education department said in a statement. The exodus was led by white students who account for just 22% of California’s public school population but represent about half of the departing students for the 2020-21 school year, which could increase disparities in California’s public education system. California has the most students of all states in the U.S. and the overall student body has hovered at about 6.2 million in recent years. In previous years, the number of students fell by about 20,000 to 30,000 annually, led by declining birth rates, and that rate was expected to continue. When the pandemic hit and Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered public schools to close in March 2020, no one expected the closures would last as long as they did. Most of California’s public schools started this academic year with distance learning and many continued that method into the spring. In-person classes started resuming this month in the state’s largest urban school districts. Among the concerned parents who switched to private school was Aurora Guel, a San Diego County mother who said distance learning sent her high school senior into a downward spiral. “She became really depressed with all the isolation that started when school closed,” said Guel. Her 18-year-old daughter’s grades had dropped to the point she was failing three classes; she lost motivation to apply for college and wouldn’t leave her room, even for dinner with the family. “We needed to do something to get her out of this deep hole she had fallen into," Guel said. After transferring to a private Catholic school in October, the teen's spirits and her grades are up. She has a college acceptance and is looking forward to her prom, a milestone that many public schools have scrapped. “She's doing so much better now," her mother said. Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond called the numbers concerning but said officials are optimistic that enrolment will rebound as more schools reopen to in-person learning. He said officials are working with schools and families to understand why so many families left and how to bring them back. The public school exodus happened nationwide. There is no national data available on the 2020-2021 enrolment decline but an analysis from 33 states by the Chalkbeat non-profit news organization covering education and The Associated Press published in December showed that public K-12 enrolment in the fall had dropped by about 500,000 students compared to the previous school year. California’s 2020-2021 enrolment declined 2.6% from the previous school year, driven by a combination of factors. Fewer California parents enrolled their children in kindergarten, which accounts for a decline of 61,000 students and the largest drop in enrolment. That could indicate that parents either held off sending their children to kindergarten or enrolled them in private schools, which saw an overall enrolment increase of 20,000, or 4%, from the previous year. The data also indicate that homeschooling surged in the fall, the CDE said. Some of California's biggest urban districts had the largest declines. Los Angeles Unified School District, the largest in the state, experienced an enrolment decline of almost 22,000, or 4%, to 575,000, the CDE said. The data released Thursday was collected from all of the state's school districts in October, and education officials say it is too soon to know if the trend has continued since then. Year-end figures won’t be known for months but the data help illustrate how the pandemic upended public schools and has prompted concerns about funding for California’s 1,000 school districts, which is tied to headcounts. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom's budget proposal calls for schools not to be penalized for enrolment declines, but education advocates are seeking extra money for low-income students, English learners and foster kids. “Any changes in enrolment will have impacts on funding and equity,” said Christopher Nellum, interim executive director for The Education Trust-West, an education equity advocacy group. “It’s just going to exacerbate the problems that already existed.” Nellum said schools will need to think strategically about how to engage Black and brown students, who were more likely to spend the year in distance learning than their white peers who moved to private schools or other learning options. Those families, who were disproportionately hit by the virus, have also been more hesitant to return their children to classrooms as they reopen. Schools will also need to find ways to convince private school defectors to return, he said. For parents like Jonathan Alloy of San Francisco, that will be a lost cause. Alloy kept his 8- and 10-year-old children in a distance learning “pod” as classrooms stayed closed but recently decided to abandon the school district and the city. Alloy said he lost faith in the city's school district, which has been embroiled in scandals, infighting and lawsuits, including one launched by the city attorney for the district's failure to reopen schools more quickly. San Francisco still no timetable for returning middle and high school students to classrooms. Because of that combined with San Francisco’s high cost of living and more expensive private school tuition, Alloy is moving to Connecticut, closer to his wife's family. “To leave is just crushing,” he said. Jocelyn Gecker, The Associated Press
The Oscars are finally being handed out this weekend after being delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and public health restrictions against gathering and travel.
The ambitious Taza development project on Tsuut'ina Nation is announcing the confirmation of new tenants. Located on 1,200 acres of the nation, Taza retail, office and tourism development is on the the outskirts of southwest Calgary. Currently, the land sits empty but for its neighbouring anchor tenant Costco, which occupies 151,000 square feet of land nearby. The vice president of Taza Development Corporation, who are leading the project, says several tenants including a Bank of Montreal, Tim Hortons and a Dollarama, have already signed on to become tenants of the Shops at Buffalo Run. "The tenants who are working with us have enough confidence in the way that we're doing things to invest millions of dollars of time, of effort, of resources into our community," Bryce Starlight, told The Homestretch. An experience centre is also being set up in the nearby Seven Chiefs Sportsplex. The intent is for community members to connect and learn more about the 40-year development project and take part in employment sessions. Tsuut'ina member, Jacob Crane says the centre is important for the nation's future and will help create scholarship, internship and employment opportunities. "For our young people so that they're equipped to go out into the world, to succeed," said Crane. Due to COVID-19. the new experience centre is taking visitors by online appointment only. The company held a "Taza Talks" discussion Thursda at the centre. It was the first of a panel series meant to cover a range of topic including developing in a sustainable way that partners with the community. "[We're] looking for different opportunities that may not exist or just connecting the dots between tenants, between our our service providers and the nation's community and and individuals there," said Starlight . He says more tenants, construction updates and other programs will likely be confirmed in the coming months.
Iran has reduced the number of centrifuges enriching uranium to up to 60% purity at an above-ground plant at Natanz to one cluster from two, a report by the U.N. nuclear watchdog seen by Reuters indicated on Thursday. Iran announced the shift to 60%, a big step towards weapons-grade from the 20% it had previously achieved, in response to an explosion and power cut at Natanz last week that Tehran has blamed on Israel. Iran's move complicated the current indirect talks with the United States on rescuing its nuclear deal with major powers.
Pfizer-BioNTech will send double the amount of vaccine to P.E.I. in May and June than was previously announced, Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Heather Morrison said in a public briefing Thursday. Morrison said she was pleased to announce some "good news:" Pfizer-BioNTech will send an additional 47,430 doses, which will allow for more appointments sooner and Islanders receiving second doses sooner. "Certain groups have been prioritized to receive their second dose of vaccine as close as possible to one month after their first dose, based on their risk or likelihood of experiencing severe outcomes from the disease," Morrison said. Those include: Residents of long-term care and community care facilities. Rotational workers and truck drivers who travel outside Atlantic Canada. Seniors 80 and older living in the community. People having cancer treatment. Morrison said given the new supply forecast, the previous plan to deliver a second dose to everyone within 16 weeks has now changed to within 12 weeks. Pfizer-BioNTech's vaccine could also be approved in Canada for use in 12- to 15-year-olds and would be offered on P.E.I. this spring, Morrison said. Next week, Islanders 40 to 49 can begin booking vaccine appointments. P.E.I.'s Chief Nurse Marion Dowling suggested booking online is fastest and most efficient, although Islanders may also book by phone. More vaccinations per week Dowling said P.E.I.'s vaccination effort has been going "smoothly." There will be COVID-19 vaccinations for all Islanders who want them, health officials say. (Stephane Mahe/Reuters) More than 6,000 people are scheduled to be vaccinated this week alone, and that will rise to about 10,000 a week in May, with the extra vaccine. As of Tuesday this week: 46,278 doses of vaccine have been given on P.E.I. as well as 9,768 second doses. 27.4 per cent of adults over age 16 have received at least one dose. 7.3 per cent of Island residents have received two doses. P.E.I. pharmacies still have supplies of AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine available to those 55 and older. Some other provinces have begun offering that vaccine to younger Canadians, although P.E.I. has not. Morrison said that could change later this week as she receives new recommendations from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization. P.E.I. is aiming for herd immunity, which officials say will require 80 per cent of the population to be vaccinated. Dowling also reminded Islanders that P.E.I. health facilities such as hospitals are safe, and urged them to keep non-COVID-19-related health appointments. More from CBC P.E.I.
TORONTO — Health-care workers from other provinces and non-hospital settings could be deployed to Ontario's overburdened intensive care units as early as next week, the health minister said Thursday as the government issued emergency orders to pave the way for those transfers. Christine Elliott said the moves are meant to get the most out of available resources as the province fights a devastating third wave of COVID-19 infections that have been pushing Ontario hospitals to their limits. "It's one thing to create a bed space, but if you don't have the staff there, it's not really helpful, so this will allow us to continue to expand our capacity to be able to care for both COVID and non-COVID patients who require placement in intensive care," Elliott said in an interview Thursday. Hospitals have been transferring patients between regions and ramping down non-urgent procedures in recent weeks in an effort to deal with an onslaught of COVID-19. There were 2,350 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 on Thursday, with 806 in intensive care, according to provincial data. The government detailed its new emergency orders in a memo to hospitals, civil servants and unions on Thursday, saying they will help with the capacity crunch but should only be used when necessary. "Our health care system continues to face unprecedented staffing and capacity pressures as positive cases, hospitalizations and admission to intensive care units due to COVID-19, escalates," Deputy Health Minister Helen Angus wrote in the document. "There is a critical need for public hospitals to maximize their capacity in order to provide care to their communities.” One order allows workers to provide patient care outside their regular scope of practice, consistent with duties assigned by a hospital. The other allows out-of-province health care workers to practice in an Ontario hospital without registering with regulatory colleges in the province. Elliott said workers won’t be asked to perform tasks they aren't qualified for. Talks have begun to redeploy specialists including plastic surgeons and cataract surgeons to work in intensive care units, assisting with emergency, life-saving surgeries, Elliott said. She said 45 health-care workers have already volunteered to work in intensive care and the province is working with another 55 individuals about potentially making the move. The province is also preparing to bring in intensive care teams from Newfoundland and Labrador, Elliott said. Those would include intensive care physicians, nurses and respiratory therapists who could be in the province by the weekend or early next week, likely deployed to COVID-19 hot spots. Ontario is also in talks with Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia about potentially sending workers. Elliott said Ontario has also reached out to other countries to gauge their ability to send workers to help. Some discussions have begun with the United States, the Philippines and other countries, she said, but those conversations are still ongoing as governments contend with their own needs. "I know that there are many that want to help but they need to look at their own situation," Elliott said. "The countries that we have gone to and the groups that we've gone to are determining right now what the level of help is that they might be able to provide." There have also been considerations about sending Ontarians who need "significant surgeries" to areas of the U.S. where Ontario has established relationships, but Elliott said the province isn't at that point. Elliott added that the new orders also allow for changes in staff to patient ratios if needed. For example, she said, the province might expand the ratio of patients individual nurses are asked to work with, assigning more than one patient to each nurse. Health-care workers have raised concerns about burnout and their ever-growing workload during the third wave. The CEO of the Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario said she's concerned that expanding the ratio of patients nurses are required to work will overburden those on the front line. "The end result of it will be we will lose more people," Doris Grinspun said. "They already require very complex care and are in dire need. It will also result in an even higher (staff) exodus." Grinspun also expressed skepticism about the province’s efforts to recruit workers from other jurisdictions, saying they simply won’t have enough to spare. The president of the Ontario Hospital Association said the latest emergency orders are necessary as hospitals try their best to cope. "The human health costs of the people of Ontario from COVID-19, and those who survive after hospitalization and the hundreds of thousands of people who had access to their surgery disrupted ... the consequences are going to last for a generation." This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 22, 2021. Holly McKenzie-Sutter and Shawn Jeffords, The Canadian Press
The Canadian government has introduced a travel ban for passenger flights from India and Pakistan for the next 30 days due to growing concerns around the spread of COVID-19 variants.
The family of a former top Saudi intelligence official who is living in exile and locked in an international feud with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman say they have become pawns in the kingdom’s efforts to bring the spy chief home. Now, an attempt by the family to appeal the convictions has failed, according to Saudi authorities. The Jabri family alleges that Saudi authorities interfered in the legal process, including circumventing appeals proceedings, which Riyadh denies.
Plans for a multi-building development in North Vancouver have been altered to accommodate an ancient cedar tree, after an online petition garnered thousands of signatures to save it. Estimated to be more than 200 years old, the tree at the corner of 21st Street and Eastern Avenue in Central Lonsdale was slated to be cut down for a development on what is known as the Harry Jerome Neighbourhood Lands. The Darwin Properties development includes two towers — one 30 storeys tall and the other 26 storeys — as well as four mid-rise buildings that will be five to six storeys tall. In a statement, Darwin Properties said a six-storey rental building will be redesigned to accommodate the tree. Ted Satake, 13, is pictured in the branches of the 200-year-old tree on March 16. (Ben Nelms/CBC) The company said its team worked with an arborist who determined the tree was healthy, with a wide and shallow root system. "As a result, our entire team of architects, engineers and consultants spent the last four weeks redesigning the building, carving into the original design," the statement read. The redesign will delay the construction of the rental building, but CEO Oliver Webbe said he is glad there is a solution. "We know the tree means a lot to many people, and we are proud to have found a solution that allows the tree to remain in the community." Symbolic win "We as a community are just elated that that the tree will be preserved and staying in its community," said Gabriel Hendry, who started an online petition to save the tree. The petition garnered over 23,000 signatures. Residents of the City of North Vancouver rallied around the cedar tree in March. Over 23,000 people signed a petition to save the tree.(Ben Nelms/CBC) Hendry thanked Darwin for listening to the community and working with them. However, he said the incident is a lesson that more work needs to be done, pointing out the City of North Vancouver is one of the few municipalities in British Columbia with no form of tree protection on private land. "We are working with the city in that in getting some dialogue going and regarding tree protection on private land. But time is of the essence. Every day that goes by another tree, just like this one, can be cut down," he said. Hendry has hope. "This tree represents all of the old trees in our city here in North Vancouver. And the fact that we were able to save this one, I think means that we can save many more."
A First Nations chief in northern New Brunswick says he has started one-on-one negotiations with the Higgs government for an agreement that could include a modified tax-sharing formula. Pabineau First Nation Chief Terry Richardson says he met with Premier Blaine Higgs and Aboriginal Affairs Minister Arlene Dunn in Moncton on Wednesday "to see if we can make some movement on the taxation agreements." That meeting came just more than a week after Higgs announced he was cancelling the tax-sharing deals with 13 First Nations and appeared to rule out any form of tax sharing in the future. Richardson says a modified formula is possible now that negotiations are underway. "I believe it would be a revamped type of position, an agreement that would include, possibly, some form of a taxation agreement," he said. "That is on the table." He said a revised deal could make it "more of a palatable situation" for Higgs, who said April 13 that the revenues being diverted to bands was projected to grow to $75 million a decade from now. Richardson agreed with the premier that's not sustainable so he's willing to strike a deal "that could actually make it so that it's more acceptable to government and more acceptable to First Nations." That might include a tax-sharing element that would be phased out over time as a band's economy develops, the chief said. Any tax-sharing would be a shift in position for Higgs, who said when he announced the cancellation that diverting of tax revenue to bands would not be on the table in future talks and that on-reserve retailers would now collect and remit provincial tax like any other business. Higgs did not respond directly to a question about the possibility of tax sharing being part of a deal with Pabineau. "We're looking at a sustainable path forward and right now we don't have one," he said. "There are a lot of factors that can contribute to a sustainable path forward." Higgs said there was "tremendous alignment" during his meeting with Richardson. Pabineau is a member of Mi'gmawe'l Tplu'taqnn Incorporated, which on April 13 called Higgs's cancellation of the agreements "a new low in the relationship with Indigenous people." The agreements allow bands to get 95 per cent of all the provincial tax revenue from on-reserve retail operations up to $8 million, and 70 per cent of the revenue above that amount. Community approach Mi'gmawe'l Tplu'taqnn said the revenue helps fund on-reserve education and social services that don't receive enough money from the federal government and called the cancellation "completely disrespectful." Richardson said his decision to negotiate one-on-one with the province isn't a blow to a united front but a recognition that reserves have different circumstances. "This agreement is going to affect each First Nation differently, so what we've decided to do is take a community approach to go and see what's in the best interest of Pabineau First Nation, if we can come up with an agreement," he said. "We're all at different places in our development, in our economic growth." He also said his reserve is "under a gun" to start negotiating. While seven bands have tax agreements that aren't cancellable until next year, Pabineau is one of six whose deals can be cancelled with 90 days notice, which Higgs gave them earlier this month. Figures provided by the province show Pabineau brought in $2.2 million from the tax-sharing agreements in 2020-21, the sixth-highest amount among the 13 bands with agreements. The band has a restaurant, gas station and store and is planning a larger gas station, strip mall and a combined gaming centre, bingo hall and farmer's market on new reserve land. Appeal to MLAs News of the chief's meeting came a day after six Wolastoqey chiefs wrote to Progressive Conservative MLAs, appealing to them to persuade Higgs to change his mind on the cancelled deals. In a letter, the six chiefs specially called out PC MLAs whose ridings are on traditional Wolastoqey territory along the Saint John River. "Your constituents living in First Nation communities up and down the beautiful Wolastoq, need your voice," the letter says. "We deserve no less. We ask that you encourage your government to stop and reconsider the cancellation of our agreements." 'Really hurtful' Kingsclear First Nation Chief Gabriel Atwin says revenue from his band's gas station and convenience store outside Fredericton, on the way to Mactaquac Provincial Park, funds recreation, mental health and education programs. "It's such a vital part of our economy," he said. "It's really hurtful when I think about it, what we're going to have to do if we can't reach some sort of new agreement." "This store is a community store. It's not owned by an individual. There's no individual that's benefiting. We're benefiting as a community." Kingsclear First Nation Chief Gabriel Atwin said he's also 'keen' to meet with the premier.(Jacques Poitras/CBC) The letter said the cancellation of the agreements will lead to "conflict, legal battles, and loss of revenue for Indigenous and non-Indigenous governments alike." It also argues the band already compromised four years ago when the deals were renewed and they agreed to the smaller 70 per cent share of revenue above $8 million and to not undercut off-reserve competitors on gas and tobacco prices. Atwin said chiefs are looking at asserting their self-governance rights, which could see them refuse to recognize the province's taxation power on reserves. That in turn would allow them to sell gas and other products tax-free at much more competitive prices. But he also said he's willing to negotiate. "I'm very keen on meeting with the premier and discussing next steps," he said. "Cancelling the agreement is nonsense. It shouldn't have happened this way, but it did, and we're going to move forward and hopefully have some dialogue soon with the premier." York PC MLA Richard Ames, whose riding includes Woodstock First Nation, said in an email statement that because the letter mentions the possibility of legal battles, he would not comment on the plea for backbenchers to lobby Higgs. "I would encourage all chiefs that signed the letter that was sent to me to please reach out to the minister responsible for Aboriginal affairs directly as the provincial government has invited all First Nation chiefs to co-create a modern and sustainable economic partnership," Ames said. No other PC backbench MLAs responded to an interview request. Dunn did not immediately respond to a request for a comment on the letter and her Wednesday meeting with Richardson. A spokesperson for the six Wolastoqey chiefs said none of them would be seeking individual agreements with the province.
A potentially harmful algae bloom in Wood Lake near Kelowna, B.C., has prompted health authorities to warn people to stay out of the water. Interior Health says while most algae blooms are harmless, some have the potential to produce toxins that can be harmful to humans. The health authority advised residents and visitors to avoid all contact with the bloom, avoid swimming in the lake, and to make sure pets and livestock don't use the lake as a source of drinking water. "I have lived here for over 20 years and have never seen the lake look this bad," said resident Stacy Robyn Stephenson, who observed children and dogs wading in the water near Beasley Park on the south end of the lake Sunday. Interior Health says there are no toxicity tests being conducted on the bloom, which cannot be remediated. "Best practice is to not come into contact with a visible bloom and keep your pets out," Interior Health said in a statement. 'Like pea soup' In a community Facebook group, some residents commented that while an algae bloom is not uncommon in Wood Lake, they had not seen it occur this early in the year. "Our dog went in white and came out green," wrote Truman Van Nes. "I've never seen it this bad, it's like pea soup." Algae blooms occur naturally in many lakes throughout B.C. and can last from several days to a few weeks. Interior Health says they cannot be remediated.(Government of B.C.) Wood Lake, which is situated between Kelowna and Vernon, is a popular destination for fishing, swimming, canoeing and camping. Algae blooms occur naturally throughout B.C. and can vary in colour from blue, green and brown to yellow, orange and red. They appear like foam or scum on the surface of the water. Consuming or coming into contact with contaminated water can cause a range of symptoms that include headaches, nausea, fever, sore throat, dizziness, stomach cramps, diarrhea, abdominal pain, vomiting, muscle aches, mouth ulcers, blistering of the lips, skin rashes and irritation of the ears and eyes. People who have come into contact with an algae bloom and are displaying any these symptoms are advised to see a health-care provider.
Kelsey Doucette has become used to the whooshing sound of a ventilator. For more than a year, Doucette has been caring for COVID-19 patients as a nurse in the intensive care unit at Saskatoon's Royal University Hospital. Doucette says the hospital's ICU is full of patients on ventilators, with doctors, nurses and respiratory therapists doing minute-by-minute care. All patients with COVID-19 are now in isolation wards, and medical personnel must put on full personal protective equipment before stepping inside. Doucette says the ICU ward has become a stressful place, with anxious health-care providers carefully watching COVID-19 cases, looking for a spike in numbers. As of Wednesday, eight people were in ICU beds in Saskatoon, a far cry from Regina, which had 34 patients in intensive care. "That's always scary, not knowing what's to come," Doucette said. "It's been a long few months." I want people to recognize that the numbers that they hear on the news is a person,. - Kelsey Doucette Doucette says the biggest and most difficult change during the pandemic is that families and loved ones can't visit patients for fear of infection. As a result, many sick people are left to struggle without close contact from their families. "That is really emotionally taxing for the staff and obviously for the patients and their families," Doucette said. "I would say that's the hardest part." Doucette says it's easy to forget that every patient being cared for in the hospital is a person, with a family and a story. "I want people to recognize that the numbers that they hear on the news is a person," she said. "That's somebody's mom, that somebody's dad, that's somebody's brother or friend or sister." She is pleading with the public to get vaccinated as soon as possible, and to follow public health measures to avoid getting sick. "I feel that we're on the home stretch, as far as vaccinations go," she said. "I feel as though if we can really buckle down and follow the public health orders, stay home as much as possible, we might be able to get ahead."
