Quebec gets 6,300 Paxlovid treatments as COVID-19 hospitalization pace slows
Quebec is set to receive 6,300 Paxlovid treatments, the new medication to treat COVID-19, as hospitalization numbers begin to slow, Quebec's interim director of public health Dr. Luc Boileau said Tuesday.
The new-look team from Quebec's Ministry of Health provided an update on the COVID-19 pandemic in the province, saying that the peak number of new daily infections is nearing.
Health Minister Christian Dubé sat alongside Boileau, the newly appointed interim head of public health, and the assistant deputy to the minister of health, Dr. Lucie Opatrny.
Boileau said though cases have likely come close to peaking, some restrictions will remain in place and be lightened over time.
"This disease will not disappear quickly -- it will stay for quite a while," Boileau said.
Tuesday was the first day of in-person classes for daycare, elementary and high-school students, and the province lifted its 10 p.m. curfew on Monday.
Dube said the health network still is dealing with a staff shortage, though the situation is improving. At the lowest point, the province was lacking around 20,000 workers, and that number has dropped to around 12,000.
"We still need, however, a lot of people to come back," said Dubé.
It is the first time officials have spoken to the press since Health Canada approved the first oral COVID-19 medication, Paxlovid, and it comes after the province saw huge increases in deaths on the weekend.
Dubé said that although the antiviral pill is good news, the province continues to push vaccination.
"Our best weapon is still the vaccination," said Dubé.
Opatrny said the province will be getting just 6,300 Paxlovid treatments, and those will go to priority patients.
"There are a few doses, and they have to be focused on those who are at risk," Boileau added.
The province is expecting to receive 19,000 treatments in April.
Dube said it is "too soon" to say whether the booster shot will be added to the COVID-19 vaccine passport.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Ontario woman says daughter was discriminated against over face mask
An Ontario woman believes her daughter was discriminated against after she was allegedly kicked out of a local activity centre over her choice to wear a face mask.
Price of gas remains high across Canada heading into long weekend
Canadians may find a lot of long faces at the pump heading into the long weekend as gas prices across the country remain high.
Officials confirm 10 cases of acute severe hepatitis in children in Canada
Ten children in Canada were found to be suffering from acute severe hepatitis not caused by known hepatitis viruses over a nearly six-month period recently, the Public Health Agency of Canada announced Friday.
'Hurts like hell': What goes into the price of gas in Canada
With the price of gas rising above $2 per litre and setting new records in Canada this year, CTVNews.ca looks at what goes into the price per litre of gasoline and where the situation could go from here.
'This is an unusual situation': Feds monitoring monkeypox cases in Canada
Canada's Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam says the federal government is monitoring monkeypox cases and their chains of transmission after two cases were confirmed in this country.
'Fight for a stronger Alberta': Kenney comments for first time since announcing resignation
Premier Jason Kenney spoke publicly Friday for the first time since dropping the bombshell announcement that he plans to step down as UCP leader and premier of Alberta.
WHO calls emergency meeting as monkeypox cases cross 100 in Europe
The World Health Organization was due to hold an emergency meeting on Friday to discuss the recent outbreak of monkeypox, a viral infection more common to west and central Africa, after more than 100 cases were confirmed or suspected in Europe.
Decision to ban Huawei and ZTE from 5G wasn't easy, PM Trudeau says
On the heels of news that Canada is banning Huawei Technologies and ZTE from participating in the country’s 5G wireless networks, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the decision wasn't easy to make. The prime minister also defended the timing of the decision, saying that while it will be years before all use of products from these Chinese companies will be outlawed, it's happening before the country is even more interconnected by the next-generation telecommunications infrastructure.
Russia claims to have taken full control of Mariupol
Russia claimed to have captured Mariupol on Friday in what would be its biggest victory yet in its war with Ukraine, following a nearly three-month siege that reduced much of the strategic port city to a smoking ruin, with over 20,000 civilians feared dead.
Toronto
-
Ontario woman says daughter was discriminated against over face mask
An Ontario woman believes her daughter was discriminated against after she was allegedly kicked out of a local activity centre over her choice to wear a face mask.
-
Toronto police ID two suspects in Main Street TTC station stabbing
Toronto police have identified the two suspects being sought in connection with a stabbing at Main Street subway station that left a man critically injured last week.
-
TABLE TALK
TABLE TALK | Ice cream with a twist on tradition is returning to Toronto
Ice cream was a vehicle for confectioner Ed Wong to explore his identity as the son of Chinese immigrants. After a brief hiatus, his East and Southeast Asian flavours are returning to the city.
Atlantic
-
'I'm just in shock': Fire at Dartmouth scrap metal business out; air quality improves
A section of Dartmouth's Burnside Industrial Park was shut down Friday after a fire in a scrapyard triggered alerts and air quality warnings.
-
Kalin's Call: Warmer temperatures, risk of thunderstorms expected for long weekend
Some warmer temperatures are expected for the Maritimes during the upcoming May long weekend. With that, however, brings a few rounds of showers with a risk of thunderstorms.
-
Costs reach $25.6 million for public inquiry into 2020 mass shooting in Nova Scotia
The public inquiry into Nova Scotia's mass shooting has already cost $25.6 million to investigate the April 18-19, 2020, rampage -- and there are still about five months remaining in its mandate.
London
-
OPP promote road safety ahead of long weekend
The OPP is reminding drivers to put safety first when they head out for long weekend road trips.
-
Pump pain may keep some boaters out of the water
Dave Willacy was out early Friday to get his boat in the water and tuned up.
-
London police investigate 'suspicious' fire
London police have deemed a fire at Ark Aid Street Mission that caused an estimated $50,000 ‘suspicious.’
Northern Ontario
-
Bike patrols offer Sudbury police a unique view of the city
This week, police officers in Sudbury and one from Sault Ste. Marie completed bicycle patrol training and fine-tuned their skills.
-
Sault Summer Moon Festival returns
Preparations are underway for the upcoming Summer Moon Festival in Sault Ste. Marie.
-
Drivers in northern Ontario hit the road for the holiday weekend
The May long weekend is upon us and northern Ontarians didn't waste time Friday hitting the road and getting to their camp or cottage.
Calgary
-
Edmonton Oilers douse Calgary Flames 5-3 to even playoff series 1-1
Zach Hyman scored the winning goal shorthanded for the Edmonton Oilers in Friday's 5-3 win over the Calgary Flames to even their playoff series at one victory apiece.
-
Man charged in sexual assault of 14-year-old Calgary girl
Police say the victim, a 14-year-old girl, was walking to school at the time.
-
Matthew Tkachuk sends support to Edmonton Oilers mega-fan Ben Stelter
Matthew Tkachuk says all of the Flames are behind Oilers fan Ben Stelter.
Kitchener
-
DEVELOPING
DEVELOPING | Father of deceased Cambridge boy found dead: WRPS
A man found dead in Milton early Friday morning is believed to be Curtis Hesselink, the father of an 8-year-old boy found dead in Cambridge last week.
-
Mysterious foam erupts from Cambridge, Ont. roadway
The City of Cambridge is investigating after a mysterious foam erupted from the intersection of Fountain Street and King Street twice in the past 24 hours.
-
Girl found in water in Dunnville, Ont. under two-and-a-half-years-old: OPP
Provincial police have provided new information about the age of a young girl whose body was found in the Grand River near Dunnville, Ont. earlier this week.
Vancouver
-
Shroom boom? Psilocybin mushroom dispensaries sprouting up in Vancouver
More and more magic mushroom dispensaries are popping up around Vancouver, and some say the movement is just getting started.
-
Exotic cat found roaming around Vancouver is prohibited as a pet, city confirms
An exotic feline found prowling through Vancouver’s Shaughnessey neighbourhood is prohibited as a pet in the city, staff confirmed Friday.
-
Tackling a future of expected 'extreme' wildfires in B.C.
How does B.C. prepare for a future with more “extreme” wildfires? A former wildland firefighter turned researcher has some ideas.
Edmonton
-
Edmonton Oilers douse Calgary Flames 5-3 to even playoff series 1-1
Zach Hyman scored the winning goal shorthanded for the Edmonton Oilers in Friday's 5-3 win over the Calgary Flames to even their playoff series at one victory apiece.
-
Second-degree murder charges laid in Edmonton Chinatown deaths
A 36-year-old man was charged with two counts of second-degree murder Friday after two men, both in their 60s, were killed in central Edmonton on Wednesday.
-
'Really bad place': People in Edmonton's Chinatown sad, scared after deaths
Terry Dell has been living on the streets of central Edmonton for a few months now, and he's scared.
Windsor
-
Family still trying to pay for burial costs two months after cyclist killed on Windsor street
The family of Ken McEldowney has organized a fundraiser for this Sunday to help pay for a headstone and burial fees.
-
Border city boaters wish CBSA's reopening of small vessel reporting sites happened sooner
Docked at the Sun Parlour Boat Club in LaSalle, Ont., where watercrafts of all sizes can be found along the Detroit River, Sam Zlotnik says one of his favourite things to do is visit the U.S. by water.
-
Cyclists share feedback to help make Windsor a bike-friendlier city
With the warmer weather and steep gas prices, many are turning to their bikes to get around.
Regina
-
'No one is surprised': Sask. gets snow to start long weekend
While the May long weekend is known as the unofficial start of summer, oftentimes in Saskatchewan, the holiday weekend comes with cold weather.
-
SHA leasing 110K square feet of College Ave. office building
The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) has leased more than 110,000 sq. ft. of the former Co-operators building on College Avenue, with plans to move hundreds of employees into the space.
-
Regina police dog seriously injured during arrest
A Regina police dog was seriously injured during an arrest of a man charged with sexual assault, on Thursday morning.
Ottawa
-
Long weekend kicks off in Ottawa
Ottawa has plenty of events for Victoria Day which not only could be popular with the hometown crowd, but for tourists as well.
-
Ottawa gas prices drop, but not for long
Your long weekend road trip will be a little cheaper today, as gas prices drop below $2 a litre at Ottawa stations.
-
Here's what's open and closed in Ottawa on Victoria Day
CTVNewsOttawa.ca looks at what's open and closed in Ottawa over the Victoria Day long weekend.