Ottawa, Oct 6 (IANS) Canada has confirmed 1,406 cases of monkeypox, including 38 hospitalisations, the Public Health Agency of Canada said.
Of the confirmed cases, 674 are from Ontario, 521 from Quebec, 162 from British Columbia, 41 from Alberta, three from Saskatchewan, two from the Yukon and one each from Nova Scotia, Manitoba and New Brunswick, the health agency added on Wednesday.
The National Advisory Committee on Immunisation (NACI) recommended in an updated guidance document that those at highest risk should receive the two doses "when vaccine supply is adequate".
The rollout of second doses in Canada is starting this week. The second dose, only for people who do not have symptoms, can be administered 28 days after the first, Xinhua news agency reported.
Monkeypox is a viral disease that can spread from person to person through close contact with an infected person, including through hugs, kisses, massages or sexual intercourse, according to experts.
In the U.N. health agency’s weekly review of the COVID-19 pandemic, WHO said there were 5.7 million new infections confirmed last week, marking a 6% increase. There were 9.800 deaths, roughly similar to the previous week’s figure.
Ottawa paused the random testing of vaccinated travellers entering Canada by air on June 11, while it worked on moving the tests themselves locations outside of airports. The government now says testing will resume as of July 19 for fully vaccinated travellers arriving at the Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal and Toronto airports.
"After a thorough and independent scientific review of the evidence, the department has determined that the vaccine is safe and effective at preventing COVID-19 in children between 6 months and 5 years of age," the department said in a statement.
In at least 44 per cent of the cases, benzodiazepine was detected, which the coroner says doesn't respond to naloxone and makes reversing an overdose very difficult. At least 940 people died from toxic drugs in B.C. between January and May, which is also a record number for the start of a calendar year.
First responders were called to a gravel lot near a vacant building on Norland Avenue near Laurel Street around 9:45 am on Thursday, July 14 after a member of the public found an adult male who was deceased. The victim had injuries consistent with foul play. Efforts are underway to identify the victim, but there are early indications it was a targeted incident.
Once complete, Fleming says it will take just 22 minutes to travel from Langley to King George station in Surrey, and just over an hour to get from Langley to downtown Vancouver. The province says in a release that work on the project, including utility relocations and road widening, is already underway and major construction is expected to begin in 2024.
