Provincial health officials says uncertainty about new variants BA.2
Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 02 Mar, 2022 11:05 AM
British Columbia's provincial health officer says there are still some uncertainties about new variants, including B-A-point-2, with some cases present in B-C.
Doctor Bonnie Henry says the province is prepared for a potential uptick in COVID-19 cases during the next respiratory season.
She says the province will integrate wastewater surveillance testing into its regular surveillance of respiratory illness including influenza, and also include other pathogens to get a periodic snapshot of what else may be circulating in communities.
Henry says a decline in hospitalizations, immunity from vaccination and the availability of at-home rapid tests point the way forward to normal activities like high school graduations, which young people need to feel connected to others.
A government bill seeking to ban conversion therapy has cleared the House of Commons and is on its way to the Senate. Erin O'Toole had been set to once again allow his caucus to have a free vote on the bill, but also pledged that his MPs would work to get it passed quickly.
Amita Kuttner, the new interim Green leader, says they will be ready to take tough disciplinary action to deal with party members who "have been at each other's throats." The astrophysicist, who is nonbinary, says they want to "listen and love" to "heal" the party, which has been riven by infighting and accusations of racism and antisemitism.
The official announcement from Public Services and Procurement Canada comes nearly a week after The Canadian Press first reported Boeing had been told its bid for the $19-billion fighter-jet contract did not meet Canada's requirements.
Flood warnings have been issued for several major rivers in British Columbia's Fraser Valley and Interior following a series of major storms that are crossing the province. The B.C. government's River Forecast Centre has issued warnings around the Tulameen, Similkameen, Coldwater and Lower Nicola rivers, as well as Spius Creek.
The victim, a 32-year-old woman, was crossing Quebec Street at Central Street around 10:20 p.m. on November 27 when she was struck by a vehicle that was heading south. Though the driver fled, significant debris, including a driver-side mirror, were left behind on the road.
In September 2021, McCarty, who used an alias, allegedly contacted and communicated with a 14-year-old Surrey youth, on social media. He then allegedly groomed the youth for a sexual purpose, and coerced them to create, and distribute self-exploitive sexual material.