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Her life shows how Ontario’s mental health system failed

On a frigid December morning, Flo Coulter drove an hour north from her Richmond Hill home to Royal Victoria Hospital in Barrie.She had just received a call that her daughter, Stephanie, had spent the night at the psychiatry unit after being dropped off by police. Coulter was worried. Stephanie had long struggled with her mental health, and had recently suffered a string of life-altering hardships. Her relationship of five years had ended; her Ontario disability payments had been cut due to a paperwork error; and she was on the verge of being evicted from her rented home.The night before, Stephanie...

New studies say COVID-19 virus originated in Wuhan market in China – National

Two new studies provide more evidence that the coronavirus pandemic originated in a Wuhan, China market where live animals were sold — further bolstering the theory that the virus emerged in the wild rather than escaping from a Chinese lab. The research, published online Tuesday by the journal Science, shows that the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market was likely the early epicenter of the scourge that has now killed nearly 6.4 million people around the world. Scientists conclude that the virus that causes COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, likely spilled from animals into people two separate times. Read more: 4th COVID-19 dose: What is...

COVID-19 hospitalizations, cases rise in Manitoba: health data – Winnipeg

Manitoba saw an increase in both the number of COVID-19 cases reported and hospitalizations linked to the virus last week, according to health data. The province’s latest epidemiology update, which covers July 3 to July 9, reports 229 new lab-confirmed COVID-19 infections and new 59 hospitalizations — seven of which required intensive care. Read more: Sick time, overtime skyrocket for Winnipeg paramedics and firefighters Another two COVID-19-related deaths were reported last week, bringing the province’s COVID-19 death toll to 2,053.While provincial case counts no longer give an accurate picture of active infection rates because the government has significantly scaled back testing,...

Mask up, get boosted: Independent B.C. report warns next COVID wave is here

British Columbians should get back to wearing masks and potentially seek out a COVID-19 booster shot as soon as possible, according to a new independent report. The independent B.C. COVID-19 modelling group’s latest report, released Wednesday, says the province is already facing a third Omicron wave, driven by the highly-transmissible BA.5 variant. Read more: COVID-19 cases in B.C. hospitals jump by nearly 100, admissions rise for 2nd week “Anybody with any health concerns should absolutely be getting boosted if they’re eligible and can get one right now,” said UBC mathematical biologist and modelling group member Sarah Otto.“Our next wave is...

Comprehending public health – The Hindu

With planned investments in health and education, Tamil Nadu has become a national leader in disease prevention With planned investments in health and education, Tamil Nadu has become a national leader in disease prevention The recently articulated vision of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, for decentralised district level health management, is very timely in the post-pandemic era. Tamil Nadu is ahead of most other States in socio-economic development, thanks to the high priority given to health and education, by successive governments. During the British Raj, doctors were mandated to report every case of 24 “notified communicable diseases” to health officers,...

CUPE calls for Saskatchewan long-term health care facilities to remain in public sector

The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) is calling on the Saskatchewan government to reconsider a private option for the Regina Pioneer Village. Last week, the Ministry of Health and the Saskatchewan Health Authority issued a request for proposal to find proponents to provide up to 375 standard long-term care beds in Regina. Read more: Scott Moe talks energy security and health transfer ahead of premiers meeting “We are committed to providing the best possible services for long-term care residents in Regina, now and into the future,” Mental Health and Addictions, Seniors and Rural and Remote Health Minister Everett Hindley...

N.S. to remove remaining COVID-19 restrictions, including isolation for positive cases

Nova Scotia is moving to lift all remaining COVID-19 restrictions this week, including the mandatory self-isolation period for those who test positive. Dr. Robert Strang, the province’s chief medical officer of health, said it is the “right time” to remove the remaining rules because vaccine coverage is high and the risk of severe disease from Omicron variants is low. He did say, however, he expects “smaller waves” of virus activity over the summer. Read more: COVID-19: Nova Scotia reports four more deaths in weekly report The change takes place on Wednesday.“COVID isn’t going away. We’re going to have some level...

Is Omicron BA.5 ‘Worst Version’ Of Covid-19 Coronavirus Seen?

As can be seen in the U.K.'s Heathrow Airport on June 1, 2022 in London, England, many people have ... [+] stopped maintaining Covid-19 precautions such as face mask wearing and social distancing. This may have been fueling the BA.5 Omicron subvariant upswing that has hit the U.K. and is now reaching the U.S. (Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images) Getty Images Let’s clear up one misconception. Viruses aren’t like deodorant on your armpit or a fart in a room. They don’t necessarily automatically get weaker over time. In fact, often it’s quite the opposite. Mutations and natural selection can help...

France mulls return to masks as COVID-19 hospitalizations rebound – National

Tourism is booming again in France _ and so is COVID-19. French officials have “invited” or “recommended” people to go back to using face masks but stopped short of renewing restrictions that would scare visitors away or revive antigovernment protests. From Paris commuters to tourists on the French Riviera, many people seem to welcome the government’s light touch, while some worry that required prevention measures may be needed.Virus-related hospitalizations rose quickly in France over the past two weeks, with nearly 1,000 patients with COVID-19 hospitalized per day, according to government data. Infections are also rising across Europe and the United...

The Secrets of Covid ‘Brain Fog’ Are Starting to Lift

Allison Guy was having a great start to 2021. Her health was the best it had ever been. She loved her job and the people she worked with as a communications manager for a conservation nonprofit. She could get up early in the mornings to work on creative projects. Things were looking “really, really good,” she says—until she got Covid-19.While the initial infection was not fun, what followed was worse. Four weeks later, when Guy had recovered enough to go back to work full-time, she woke up one day with an overwhelming fatigue that just never went away. It was...