Some developments across the country you may have missed last night
Graphic: Darren Francey/Postmedia
Text: Postmedia and Canadian Press
COVIDCANADA
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B.C.'s provincial health officer says out-of-control social gatherings are leading to a jump in COVID-19 cases in that province. Dr. Bonnie Henry said there had been a number of weddings over the past few weeks where more people attended than originally planned. There have also been cases linked to party buses and Thanksgiving events.
Some developments across the country you may have missed last night
Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he’s considering imposing stricter COVID-19 restrictions on Halton, one more Toronto-area region where daily new cases are surging. Halton would join Toronto, Peel Region, York Region and Ottawa in moving to a modified Stage 2, which includes the closure of gyms and movie theatres, and a ban on indoor dining in restaurants or bars.
A man in his 80s is the latest death linked to an outbreak at Parkview Place care home in Winnipeg, where a total of 15 people have died. There were 163 new infections Friday, most of them in Winnipeg. A total of 33 cases have now also been connected to a poultry plant in Blumenort, and the company says one employee has died.
Canada’s mink breeders are increasing safety measures on their farms to avoid the devastating COVID-19 outbreaks that have plagued their European and American counterparts. Infections on mink farms in Europe and the United States have revealed the animals are susceptible to the coronavirus. Mink farmers in Newfoundland and Labrador are prepared to cull their animals in event of an outbreak.
More than 4.6 million people have arrived in Canada since the border closed last March but less than one-quarter of them were ordered to quarantine for two weeks. The rest were deemed “essential” and exempted from the requirement. Essential travellers include truck drivers, airline crews, health-care workers, members of the military, people living in border communities who need to perform everyday functions in Canada.
Seven employees at Jasper Park Lodge have tested positive for COVID-19, the hotel said Thursday. Fairmont said all of the cases occurred in staff housing and the hotel is employing measures to mitigate risk of COVID-19, which include a deep clean of the entire hotel and extensive contact tracing.
Rising COVID-19 cases in the Quebec City area risk causing a service breakdown in the local health-care network, Quebec’s deputy premier warned Friday. The Capitale nationale region, which includes Quebec City, holds the dubious distinction of having the highest number of active cases in the province per 100,000 people. “If we keep on the same track as we are currently, we are going straight into a wall,” Genevieve Guilbault told reporters.