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A brand new variant of the coronavirus first seen in Britain has been detected in a number of nations — together with Canada — amplifying worries about its unfold.
The primary reported Canadian circumstances, recognized in a couple in southern Ontario, got here because the province went right into a lockdown on Saturday. The pair had contact with somebody who had not too long ago returned from the U.Ok., well being officers later stated.
“This additional reinforces the necessity for Ontarians to remain dwelling as a lot as attainable and proceed to observe all public well being recommendation, together with the provincewide shutdown measures starting at this time,” Dr. Barbara Yaffe, Ontario’s affiliate chief medical officer of well being, stated in a press release.
On Sunday, well being officers in British Columbia and the Ottawa space stated that they had recognized folks contaminated with the variant of the coronavirus first recognized within the U.Ok.
The B.C. case was present in somebody from the Island Well being area who had not too long ago returned from the U.Ok. The case was detected when the individual developed signs whereas in quarantine, a press release from Provincial Well being Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Well being Minister Adrian Dix stated.
The assertion stated a “small variety of shut contacts have been remoted and public well being is following up with them each day.”
Well being officers within the Ottawa space stated the case in that area additionally concerned somebody who had not too long ago travelled from the U.Ok.
“The Ottawa Public Well being Division has knowledgeable the person who’s now in self-isolation. Case and phone administration investigation is underway,” a press release stated.
As of early Monday morning, Canada’s COVID-19 case depend stood at 552,020, with 79,863 of these circumstances thought of energetic. A CBC Information tally of deaths stood at 14,964.
Here is a take a look at a few of the newest developments from throughout Canada:
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau final week introduced that Canada is extending its ban on passenger flights coming from the U.Ok. till Jan. 6.
The variant was first recognized in the UK however has since been detected in a number of different international locations, together with France, Belgium, Australia, the Netherlands and South Korea.
The Korea Illness Management and Prevention Company stated Monday the circumstances have been confirmed in a household of three individuals who got here to South Korea on Dec. 22.
Well being officers in Finland reported their first case of the brand new variant on Monday, saying the case was in a Finnish citizen who had not too long ago arrived from Britain for a Christmas vacation. The individual’s current connections had been traced and his members of the family have been remoted. Finnish well being officers stated they believed the variant hasn’t unfold additional.
Nordic neighbours Sweden and Norway reported their first circumstances of the brand new COVID-19 variant on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. Denmark reported its first such case earlier in December.
Dr. Bruce Aylward, a senior adviser to the World Well being Group director normal, informed CBC’s The Present on Monday that it is nonetheless “early days” when it comes to the brand new variants within the U.Ok. and South Africa.
Mutations occur, stated the Canadian doctor, noting that analysis into new variants is ongoing. He stated governments and other people must maintain “as a lot stress” on the virus as attainable by sticking with public well being measures like bodily distancing, masking and handwashing.
The Public Well being Company of Canada has stated early knowledge suggests the brand new variant could also be extra transmissible, however there is no such thing as a proof the variant causes extra extreme signs or impacts vaccine effectiveness.
What’s taking place within the U.S.
WATCH | Trump indicators COVID-19 aid invoice, extending advantages for thousands and thousands:
U.S. President Donald Trump has signed a COVID-19 aid invoice to increase unemployment advantages, delay evictions and ship stimulus cheques to thousands and thousands. 2:23
U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday signed into legislation a $2.3-trillion US pandemic support and spending bundle, restoring unemployment advantages to thousands and thousands of Individuals and averting a federal authorities shutdown in a disaster of his personal making.
The U.S. Transportation Safety Administration stated it screened 1.28 million passengers on Sunday on the nation’s airports, the best quantity since mid-March, when the coronavirus pandemic slashed journey demand.
The variety of U.S. air travellers remains to be about 50 per cent decrease than the identical date final 12 months, however Sunday was the sixth day within the final 10 that quantity surpassed 1 million. The rise comes regardless of public well being officers urging Individuals to keep away from vacation journey this 12 months.
The U.S. has now seen greater than 19 million circumstances of coronavirus an infection because the pandemic started, knowledge compiled by Johns Hopkins College reveals. America handed that mark on Sunday, simply six days after it reached 18 million. The nation’s case numbers have greater than doubled in lower than two months.
COVID-19 deaths within the U.S. even have been rising, and now complete greater than 333,000. That is a couple of loss of life for each 1,000 Individuals.
California, which has seen greater than two million confirmed circumstances of the novel virus, is anticipating its scenario to worsen as travellers return dwelling after the vacations.
State officers are anticipated to increase the strictest stay-at-home orders in central and Southern California as hospitals there are rapidly working out of intensive care unit beds for coronavirus sufferers forward of the presumed post-holiday surge.
State stay-at-home orders for the San Joaquin Valley and Southern California are set to run out Monday. State officers say the orders are prone to be prolonged however didn’t make a definitive ruling Sunday afternoon.
– From Reuters and The Related Press, final up to date at 8:50 a.m. ET
What’s taking place all over the world
As of early Monday morning, greater than 80.8 million circumstances of COVID-19 had been reported worldwide with greater than 45.7 million thought of recovered or resolved, in keeping with a case-tracking instrument maintained by Johns Hopkins College. The worldwide loss of life toll stood at greater than 1.7 million.
In Africa, South Africa’s complete infections crossed 1,000,000 on Sunday, days after a brand new sooner spreading variant was confirmed to be current within the nation.
Within the Center East, Iran reported the bottom each day fatalities in additional than three months.
Within the Asia-Pacific area, Beijing tightened COVID-19 curbs over issues that China’s mass journey in the course of the vacation interval might trigger circumstances to spike within the capital.
South Korea, which continues to report near-record numbers of latest circumstances every day, stated it would lengthen bodily distancing measures for one more six days, to Jan. 3.
Sydney’s outbreak continued with greater than 1 / 4 million folks in lockdown as Australia’s largest metropolis awaited phrase on whether or not any public New Yr’s Eve celebrations shall be allowed.
Within the Americas, Brazil’s vice-president Hamilton Mourao has examined optimistic for COVID-19, his workplace stated Sunday. Brazil has seen greater than 7.4 million circumstances of the novel virus, with greater than 191,000 deaths, in keeping with Johns Hopkins.
Argentina will start vaccinating its residents on Tuesday utilizing the not too long ago delivered Sputnik V vaccine.
In Europe, British regulatory approval of a COVID-19 vaccine candidate developed by Oxford College and AstraZeneca might speed up the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions, cupboard workplace minister Michael Gove stated.
Germany’s confirmed loss of life toll within the coronavirus pandemic has topped 30,000 because the nation hopes its lockdown will deliver down case numbers. The nationwide illness management centre, the Robert Koch Institute, stated Monday that one other 348 deaths had been reported over the previous 24 hours, bringing the nation’s complete to 30,126.
Moscow has began providing a domestically developed coronavirus vaccine to folks older than 60 after Russia’s well being ministry cleared it to be used among the many aged.
Earlier this month, mass vaccination towards COVID-19 began in Russia with the Sputnik V vaccine, which remains to be present process superior checks amongst tens of 1000’s of individuals wanted to make sure its security and effectiveness. Entrance-line employees, reminiscent of docs and academics, had been the primary in line to get the pictures, and till Saturday solely these aged 18-60 had been allowed to be vaccinated.
– From The Related Press and Reuters, final up to date at 7:25 a.m. ET
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