Canada is officially in the midst of a flu epidemic while continuing to battle COVID, with a possible return of a mask-wearing mandate.
The rapid rise in influenza cases prompted Health Canada, the government agency, to say “at the national level, influenza activity has crossed the seasonal threshold, indicating the start of an influenza epidemic.”
“All surveillance indicators are increasing and most are above-expected levels typical of this time of year,” the report said, while advocating everyone should get a flu shot, especially to protect youngsters as hospitals are operating above capacity.
A positivity rate of 11.7% crossed the threshold of 5% positivity after two years of lower numbers while dealing with the pandemic.
Doctors are urging people to get their COVID booster shots at the same time as flu vaccines and suggest people should again wear mask protection, especially indoors and places with poor air circulation but provincial governments remain uncommitted to take the unpopular step of a mandate.
Toronto, Ontario educators remain on strike
Students and their parents are again left wondering if Toronto and Ontario schools will open on Monday in the midst of ongoing strike protests by educational support staff seeking a new contract.
After a five-day walkout last week, negotiations resumed but broke down again, with the union threatening the resumption of a strike on Monday.
Reports say the staff rejected the province’s offer of a $1 an hour raise in each year of a new contract for the lowest-paid workers in the group said to be earning $39,000 a year for mostly part-time work.
This includes educational assistants, librarians, custodians and other classroom-support positions.
The affected schools are switching to virtual teaching online at home with computers provided by the school boards.
In brief
- A week after temperatures reaching near 60 degrees, Toronto and parts of central Canada across Lake Erie from snow-burdened Buffalo, N.Y. are getting hammered this weekend with off-the-lake blizzards with heavy snow of up to three feet and near-zero visibility in some areas. Environment Canada gave the grim warning of prolonged snow squalls and urged people to consider postponing non-essential travel during the storm.
- The Canadian government is moving ahead with a pledge to provide no-cost national dental care coverage for children up to age 12 and other measures to “act on affordability issues,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said. These include a top up to a housing benefit for lower-income renters, and a doubling of the federal sales GST rebate.
Facts and figures
- The Canadian dollar is higher at 75 U.S. cents while the U.S. dollar returns $1.38 in Canadian funds, before exchange fees.
- The Bank of Canada’s key interest rate is steady at 3.75% while the prime lending rate at commercial banks is 5.95%.
- Canadian stock markets are lower, with the Toronto index at 19,937 points while the TSX Venture index is 577 points.
- The average price for gas in Canada is lower at $1.63 a liter or $6.19 for a U.S. gallon in Canadian funds.
- Lotto Max: (Nov. 15) 9, 12, 13, 22, 25, 35 and 47; bonus 24. (Nov. 11) 5, 23, 34, 35, 46, 47 and 50; bonus 10.
- Lotto 6/49: (Nov. 16) 4, 6, 12, 20, 41and 44; bonus 31. (Nov. 12) 1, 20, 24, 32, 36 and 37; bonus 5).
Regional briefs
- David Eby has become the premier of British Columbia, succeeding John Horgan who had led the provincial government since July 2017. Among the challenges Eby said he faces are the health-care system, global economy and managing public safety.
- Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Health Minister Jason Copping announced plans to reform the province’s health-care system, saying an administrator will take over in place of the now-disbanded Health Services board. “The current process isn’t working fast enough, so we need to do something different,” Smith said. “I promised Albertans that I’d address the decades-long issue that we have in our health-care system and that I would do it without delay.”
