timer 30 min.read The latest coronavirus news from Canada and around the world Friday.This file will be updated throughout the day.Web links to longer stories if available .
8:55 p.m.: Australia’s most populous state recorded more than 6,000 new COVID-19 cases for the first time Saturday, adding a somber note to Christmas celebrations.
New South Wales reported 6,288 new infections over the past 24 hours, an increase of 676 cases from the previous day and by far the highest number of cases in any Australian state since the pandemic began.
The number of COVID-19 patients in the state rose by six to 388, and 52 people were in intensive care.
There was some good news: No deaths were reported and the number of people who have received at least one vaccine dose reached 95%.
Victoria, Australia’s second most populous state, reported 2,108 new cases and six deaths on Saturday.
8:30 p.m.: U.S.Vice President Kamala Harris tested negative Friday for the coronavirus following her close contact earlier this week with an aide who later tested positive, her office said.
Harris, who is spending the holidays in Los Angeles, had tested negative Wednesday after she was told that the aide who had accompanied her throughout the day Tuesday had tested positive.
Her office said she would be tested again Friday.A pair of tests — a rapid test and a more sensitive laboratory test — found no trace of the coronavirus, her office said.
Read the full story here: Harris tests negative for coronavirus after close contact
6:30 p.m.: So long eggnog, shrimp cocktail and pet-shaped sugar cookies.
It’s been a less merry holiday scene at the White House this year under COVID-19’s shadow.U.S.President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden have replaced the packed parties and overflowing buffet tables of the past with food-free open houses, face masks and testing for the unvaccinated.
Beyond the impact on Biden’s first Christmas in office, the virus and its variants largely put the kibosh on the entire White House social scene for 2021, starting with an inauguration that positioned flags in place of people on the National Mall.
“I think it’s been really tough on them,“ said Philip Dufour, who was Vice President Al Gore’s social secretary.
He noted that many events were not held while the president and first lady did others over Zoom.
Read the full story here: COVID-19 makes Biden’s 1st White House Christmas less merry
6:07 p.m.: Spain’s King Felipe VI has warned citizens to remain cautious as the coronavirus can still inflict widespread damage.His annual Christmas Eve speech came amid a record number of infections in the country Friday.
Spanish health authorities have reported three days in a row of record-breaking caseloads and have reinstituted mandatory mask-wearing in open spaces with few exceptions.
“We all have to do everything possible not to take steps backwards in this health crisis that has caused so much suffering,” Felipe said.
6:00 p.m.: For most of the past three decades, Queen Elizabeth II of Britain has attended church services on Christmas Day in Sandringham, near her English country estate, and spent the day with immediate family.
But this year the holiday season is pointedly different as she celebrates her first Christmas without her husband, Prince Philip, who died in April, and as other family members mark the holiday at a distance.
Because of concerns about the spread of the Omicron variant, the monarch, 95, will instead spend Christmas at Windsor Castle.She will celebrate with her son Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla, but her daughter Princess Anne is not attending because her husband, Timothy Laurence, tested positive for the virus, according to Buckingham Palace.
Read the full story here: Queen Elizabeth II is having a quiet Christmas, her first since Prince Philip’s death
5:00 p.m.: Yukon has reported seven new cases of COVID-19 for a total of 49 active infections.
Close to 1,700 cases have been diagnosed in the territory since the pandemic began, including 14 people whose deaths were linked to the illness.
As of Wednesday, the majority of cases were located in Whitehorse and Old Crow.
The territory says 88 per cent of eligible people aged five and up have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 80 per cent have received two shots.
A further 11,155 adults have had a third dose out of about 42,000 Yukon residents.
With the highly transmissible Omicron variant of COVID-19 surging in other parts of the country, the territory is encouraging residents to take extra precautions if they’re spending time over the holidays with anyone who’s older, unvaccinated or who has underlying health conditions that could put them at greater risk of severe illness.
4:30 p.m.: Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie has tested positive for COVID-19.
She shared the diagnosis in a statement on Twitter on Christmas Eve.
“I’ve unfortunately tested positive for #COVID19 ,” she tweeted.
“I’m isolating at home and continue to follow public health guidelines.My symptoms are thankfully mild, which is a reminder of the importance of getting vaccinated, if you haven’t been yet.”
Ontario reported more than 9,000 COVID cases on Friday.
4:15 p.m.: The Toronto Maple Leafs reached their 13th player protocol case, announcing on Christmas Eve that William Nylander has been placed under the NHL’s COVID protocols.
Nylander’s case follows on the heels of Morgan Rielly two days ago, and marks a rash of protocol cases that have struck the team as it gets set to return from COVID pause on Sunday.
So far, Toronto has had to place 13 players, three coaches, and four support staff, under the protocols.
Read the full story here: William Nylander becomes 13th Leafs player in COVID protocols
3:36 p.m.: The lights are going dark on “Jesus Christ Superstar” this Christmas Eve.
A representative for Mirvish Productions says it has called off all remaining performances of the travelling show at Toronto’s Princess of Wales Theatre after three backstage cast, crew and staff tested positive for COVID-19.
In total, 11 performances of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical have been cancelled running through Jan.
2, 2022.
The company says it will be impossible to reschedule the shows since the production is booked to play Boston after its run in Toronto.
Mirvish says it was “regrettable” that the decision had to be made, especially on Christmas Eve, as it affects thousands of theatregoers and hundreds of jobs.
It says ticketholders will be contacted by email for full refunds, an exchange of tickets or a credit.
The announcement comes a day after Mirvish temporarily halted performances of “Come From Away” at the Royal Alexandra Theatre following a positive COVID-19 test among the backstage crew.
The Gander, N.L., musical is scheduled to resume on Dec.28.
“Come From Away” reopened at the Royal Alexandra Theatre only last week as a new round of tighter capacity restrictions were introduced in Ontario that limited all live theatres and concert halls to 50 per cent capacity.
The uncertainty around how COVID-19 may affect future shows led Mirvish to pull Tom Stoppard’s play “Leopoldstadt” from the schedule in January at the Princess of Wales Theatre.
Earlier this week, the Shaw Festival announced it was shutting down its production of “A Christmas Carol” after a company member tested positive for COVID-19.
3:23 p.m.: A COVID-19 outbreak took place on a South Florida-based cruise ship for the third time this week, as the number of coronavirus cases in Florida hit its highest level since the start of the pandemic.
An undisclosed number of passengers and crew aboard the Carnival Freedom cruise caught the virus so the ship was denied entry to Bonaire and Aruba, Carnival said in a statement.
The ship has 2,497 passengers and 1,112 crew members and was scheduled to return to Miami on Sunday following an 8-day cruise.Passengers were required to be vaccinated and they were tested before leaving last Saturday, according to Carnival.
“Carnival Freedom is following all protocols and has a small number on board who are in isolation due to a positive COVID test,” the statement said.“Our protocols anticipate this possibility and we implement them as necessary to protect the health and safety of our guests and crew.”
Ashley Peterson, a passenger on the ship, tweeted a photo of a Dec.22 letter from the ship’s captain apologizing for being unable to make stops in Aruba and Bonaire.The letter said passengers would get $100 per room in onboard credit, as well refunds for planned excursions.
It was the third outbreak this week affecting cruise ships operated by Carnival and Royal Caribbean departing Miami and Fort Lauderdale.
Meanwhile, Florida had 31,758 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, breaking a record for the most cases in a single day since the start of the pandemic in the U.S.
in March 2020, according to data from the U.S.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The new record was driven by the spread of the new omicron variant through the Sunshine State.
The previous single-day highest number of cases was in last August, during the height of the delta variant wave in Florida, when 27,802 cases were reported.
3:11 p.m.: New Brunswick is reporting 265 new COVID-19 cases today, another daily record.
Health officials are also reporting one more death attributed to the novel coronavirus.
They say a person in their 70s died in the Saint John area.
There are 34 people in hospital with the disease, including 15 patients in intensive care.
On Thursday, officials reported 257 new cases, which was a record at the time.
They say 147 cases in the province have been identified as the Omicron variant of the virus.
3:03 p.m.: Prince Edward Island is reporting 40 new cases of COVID-19 today, a record daily high for the province.
Chief public health officer Dr.Heather Morrison said today in a news release that all of the cases are still under investigation.
There are 198 active infections on the Island, and officials say there have been 621 cases since the pandemic began.
Officials say COVID-19 testing will be limited to people with symptoms of the disease or to those who have been identified by public health as close contacts of people who have tested positive.
Testing will also be conducted to confirm results of rapid tests.
Officials say people with positive results will be notified directly within four hours of taking a test.
2:45 p.m.: Pope Francis celebrated Christmas Eve Mass before an estimated 1,500 people in St.Peter’s Basilica on Friday, going ahead with the service despite the resurgence in COVID-19 cases that has prompted a new vaccine mandate for Vatican employees.
A maskless Francis processed down the central aisle of the basilica as the Sistine Chapel choir sang “Noel,” kicking off the Vatican’s Christmas holiday that commemorates the birth of Jesus in a manger in Bethlehem.
In his homily, Francis urged the faithful to focus on the “littleness” of Jesus, and remember that he came into the world poor, without even a proper crib.
“That is where God is, in littleness,” Francis said.“This is the message: God does not rise up in grandeur, but lowers himself into littleness.Littleness is the path that he chose to draw near to us, to touch our hearts, to save us and to bring us back to what really matters.”
The “Midnight Mass” actually began at 7:30 p.m., a nod to the 85-year-old pope’s endurance and a hold-over from last year, when the service had to end before Italy’s nationwide COVID-19 curfew.
No curfew is in place this year, but cases this week have surged even beyond 2020 levels.
For the second day in a row, Italy on Friday set a new pandemic daily record with 50,599 new cases.
Another 141 people died, bringing Italy’s official death toll to 136,386.
The Vatican secretary of state on Thursday imposed a new vaccine mandate on all Vatican staff, extending it to all employees except those who have recovered from the coronavirus.Previously, only employees who dealt with the public directly had to be vaccinated, such as staff at the Vatican Museums and the Swiss Guards, while others could access their offices with regular testing.
The mandate does not apply to the faithful attending Mass, but they are required to wear masks.The faithful attending Friday’s Mass, and the priests, bishops and cardinals concelebrating it, all wore masks.Francis, who is missing part of one lung and had intestinal surgery in July, has largely eschewed masks, even when greeting prelates and the general public.
Francis is believed to have received the third booster shot, as has emeritus Pope Benedict XVI.Francis has said vaccination is an “act of love” and he has called for wealthier countries to provide the shots to the developing world.
2:33 p.m.: British Columbia has hit its COVID-19 testing capacity as the provincial health officer asked residents to not get tested unless they have symptoms.
Dr.
Bonnie Henry says the province administered 20,000 COVID-19 PCR tests on Thursday.
She says if someone develops symptoms then they need to adjust holiday plans and self-isolate.
As a result of hitting the testing capacity, Henry says health staff are prioritizing those most at risk and giving take-home antigen tests to younger people at less risk.
She says B.C.is in a “different pandemic” as a result of the Omicron variant.
Health Minister Adrian Dix says the province expects to give out 147,371 vaccinations from Dec.22 to Jan.2.
2:06 p.m.: Public health officials in Manitoba are urging residents to significantly scale back holiday celebrations as the province reported nearly 750 new COVID-19 cases Friday, making it the highest daily count since the pandemic started.
The government didn’t implement new restrictions as case numbers continue to climb due to the highly transmissible Omicron variant, but the province’s top doctor said officials are closely watching developments.
“We’re here today to strongly recommend Manitobans limit their close contacts throughout this holiday season.Manitobans must, and I stress must, follow the current public health orders,” said Audrey Gordon, the minister of health and seniors care.
Chief public health officer Dr.
Brent Roussin said residents need to adjust their plans this weekend as the province is seeing rapid transmission of Omicron.
“Many people were having multiple gatherings planned this weekend,” Roussin said.”If you were going to three or four gatherings this weekend, this should be down to one.If you’re having 10 people over you should limit that number further.”
The province announced 742 new cases of COVID-19 Friday for a total of 3,626 active cases.The province also announced two more deaths linked to the virus.
There were 135 Manitobans hospitalized with COVID-19, with 24 of those patients in intensive care.
Four new cases of the Omicron variant were reported for a total of 22.
Roussin also said the latest case counts are likely an underestimate, as the province’s testing system is at capacity and there was a backlog of 10,000 tests.The wait time for results is about four days.
Roussin estimated 10 per cent of the backlogged tests are positive cases.
He encouraged young people under the age of 40 to stay home and isolate if they have cold or flu-like symptoms, saying “you can assume you have Omicron.”
The province reported 556 cases on Thursday.
Roussin was pressed Friday on why the province wasn’t implementing new restrictions immediately.
“We’re looking at this by the hour.We need to pivot quickly with the messaging and so we’re sending out some very clear messaging that holiday plans need to change,” he said.
Tighter public health orders previously came into effect Tuesday in the face of the emerging Omicron variant.
Private indoor gatherings with vaccinated people are limited to household members plus 10 other people, while gatherings that include anyone who is unvaccinated are limited to one household plus five guests.Gyms, movie theatres and restaurants, which have required people to show proof of vaccination, are limited to half capacity.
2:00 p.m.: Nunavut ordered an immediate “circuit-breaker” lockdown just before Christmas over rising COVID-19 cases in various communities.
The government said Friday that all indoor gatherings are banned and all non-essential businesses are to close.
Libraries, gyms, arenas and churches must also close.Restaurants are limited to takeout food only.
Visitors are no longer allowed in long-term care homes and elders’ facilities.Daycares can remain open for essential workers only.And schools are to remain closed until at least Jan.10.
Outdoor gatherings are limited to five people.
The changes come one day after the territory announced tighter restrictions in Iqaluit, when a case was confirmed in a person who has not left the city for more than a month.
“With introductions of COVID-19 in multiple communities over the past week, we must move to the strictest public health restrictions across the entire territory,” Dr.Michael Patterson, the chief public health officer for the territory, said in a news release Friday.
“This is a circuit-breaker approach to minimize further spread to more of our communities.
We need to act quickly to help trace and contain the outbreak.
Patterson said the lockdown will make the holiday season harder for many, “but it is necessary for the health and safety of our communities and loved ones.”
Health officials reported five new COVID-19 cases Friday, a jump from the three announced the day before.
Patterson said there were three cases in Iqaluit, three in Pangnirtung, one in Sanirajak and one in Rankin Inlet.
The territory said travel in and out of Rankin Inlet is restricted to essential purposes only.Travel would remain limited for essential travel only for Iqaluit and Pangnirtung as well.
Residents of the community are able to travel home if they are essential workers and have an exemption letter from their employer or the chief public health officer of Canada.
Also Friday, NDP MP Lori Idlout, who represents the Nunavut riding, said she tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday.
“After learning that I was recently a close contact of someone who tested positive for COVID-19, I followed the public health measures by isolating and getting myself tested as quickly as I could,” she said in a statement.
The MP said she is isolating at home in Iqaluit and is “doing well” and “in good spirits.”
“I am double vaccinated, which is helping to keep my symptoms mild,” Idlout said.
“I am sharing my diagnosis as a reminder that the pandemic is still ongoing.
Even though we are all tired of the pandemic, it is very important to get vaccinated and get your booster shot when you can.”
She added that people must remain calm as the territory deals with COVID-19 cases appearing in more communities.
1:27 p.m.Newfoundland and Labrador health officials are reporting 85 new cases of COVID-19.
Authorities say 28 new infections involve people in their 20s and 30s in the eastern region of the province, which includes the capital city St.John’s.
The news comes after several days of potential exposure notifications involving many of the most popular restaurants and cafes in the St.John’s downtown core.
Newfoundland and Labrador has 389 active reported infections, 198 of which are in the eastern health area.
Public health says one person in the province is hospitalized with COVID-19, in the eastern health region.
Bars, cinemas, theatres and bingo halls were closed as of Thursday in an effort to curb the spread of the virus, and the province remains under heightened public health restrictions until at least Jan.
10.
1:06 p.m.
Numerous U.S.
churches have cancelled in-person Christmas services, disappointing pastors and churchgoers who consider them an annual highlight.
Other churches planned outdoor services or proposed a hybrid of online and in-person worship, often imposing tight restrictions for those in attendance.These included requirements to wear masks and show proof of COVID-19 vaccinations.
Among the prominent churches cancelling some or all of their in-person Christmas services were Washington National Cathedral in the nation’s capital; St.John the Divine, the cathedral of the Episcopal Diocese of New York; and the historic Old South Church in Boston.
12:46 p.m.Nunavut has ordered an immediate “circuit-breaker” lockdown over rising COVID-19 cases in various communities.
The government said Friday that all indoor gatherings are banned and all non-essential businesses are to close.
Libraries, gyms, arenas and churches must also close.Restaurants are limited to takeout food only.
Visitors are no longer allowed in long-term care homes and elders’ facilities.
Daycares can remain open for essential workers only.And schools are to remain closed until at least Jan.10.
The changes come one day after the territory announced tighter restrictions in Iqaluit, when a case was confirmed in a person who has not left the capital city for more than a month.
As of Friday, there were eight active cases in Nunavut, up from three on Thursday.
11:52 a.m.A COVID-19 outbreak took place on a South Florida-based cruise ship for the third time this week, as the number of coronavirus cases in Florida hit its second-highest level since the start of the pandemic.
An undisclosed number of passengers and crew aboard the Carnival Freedom cruise caught the virus so the ship was denied entry to Bonaire and Aruba, Carnival said in a statement.
The ship has 2,497 passengers and 1,112 crew members and was scheduled to return to Miami on Sunday following an 8-day cruise.
Passengers were required to be vaccinated and they were tested before leaving last Saturday, according to Carnival.
“Carnival Freedom is following all protocols and has a small number on board who are in isolation due to a positive COVID test,” the statement said.“Our protocols anticipate this possibility and we implement them as necessary to protect the health and safety of our guests and crew.”
11:32 a.m.Manitoba is reporting nearly 750 new COVID-19 cases — it’s highest daily count of the pandemic.
Chief public health officer Dr.Brent Roussin says the exact number will be out later today but it is a record for the province.
He says it’s also likely an underestimate, as the province’s testing system is at capacity and there’s a current backlog of 10,000 tests.
The province reported 556 cases yesterday.
Health Minister Audrey Gordon says she strongly recommends Manitobans limit their close contacts over the holidays.
11:25 a.m.
The International Ice Hockey Federation announced Friday that tournaments scheduled to begin in January have been cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns, including the under-18 women’s world championship.
The U18 championship was scheduled to take place Jan.8-15 in Linkoping and Mjolby, Sweden.It’s the second straight year the tournament has been cancelled after the 2021 event, also scheduled for Linkoping and Mjolby, was scrapped due to the pandemic.
“Our staff and athletes are extremely disappointed to learn of the cancellation of the 2022 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship for the second year in a row, Gina Kingsbury, Hockey Canada’s director of women’s national teams, said in a statement.
News of the cancellations came two days before the men’s world junior hockey championship was set to begin in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alta.
11:17 a.m.Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says there is still reason for Canadians to be hopeful despite the ongoing crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In his annual Christmas message, Trudeau says that while 2021 was another tough year, Canadians got through it together.
He says in the past year Canadians helped neighbours, supported local businesses, skipped social gatherings, and wore masks to keep each other safe.
Trudeau says Canadians should reflect on how they can keep up efforts to mitigate the effects of the pandemic now and into the new year.
The prime minister is calling on Canadians to “keep showing up for one another” by following public health measures and encouraging friends and family to get vaccinated and boosted.
11:11 a.m.
The Omicron variant threatens to tamp down retail sales on Boxing Day, as COVID-19 concerns rise along with case counts and pandemic restrictions.
Experts say Black Friday had already overtaken Dec.26 as the most popular day for juicy consumer deals, but the trend now looks likely to ramp up further.
The Retail Council of Canada, whose annual holiday shopping survey in August found that Nov.26 could be the biggest shopping event of the year, now says it will further overshadow Boxing Day after Omicron fears shot up in early December.
Retail council spokesman Karl Littler says capacity restrictions in at least six provinces including Ontario and Quebec will have a minimal impact on outlets used to adapting to the measures, but that consumer confidence may be shaken.
Customers have divergent aims on the two days, with gifts such as clothing and toys topping the list on Black Friday while so-called self-purchases — particularly of electronics — define the day after Christmas.
But those digital items also remain among the most impacted by strangled global supply chains, making them harder to get a hold of.
10:17 a.m.(updated) Ontario is reporting 9,571 new cases of COVID-19, with 508 people hospitalized and 164 in ICU.Positivity is 18.7 per cent on 72,639 tests.
The seven-day average has climbed 157 per cent since last week, from 1,914 to 4,923.
Ontario administered 229,000 vaccines on Thursday.
90.6 per cent of Ontarians 12+ have one dose and 88 per cent have two doses.
A spokeswoman for Health Minister Christine Elliott said the situation is only expected to worsen.
“Due to the highly transmissible nature of the Omicron variant, it was expected that case numbers would increase in the winter months,” Alexandra Hilkene said in an emailed statement.
“We expect they will continue to increase over the coming days and weeks, as other jurisdictions are seeing similar case rate increases per capita.”
Experts said Thursday the current spike in daily infections doesn’t present a full picture of the COVID-19 situation in the province, as testing systems are increasingly strained in several regions due to the fast-spreading Omicron variant.
Even as cases rise, Hilkene said the hospital system is holding up.
9:36 a.m.COVID-19 infections were rising all across Spain, but the message from the country’s leader was clear: The government was not entering 2022 with the restrictions of 2020.
“The situation is different this time, and because of that, we’re taking different measures,” Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said this week, adding that he understood his people had grown impatient with the pandemic and that he was “fully aware of the fatigue.”
Across Europe , that fatigue is as palpable as the dampened Christmas spirit.The fatigue of another named variant of the coronavirus and another wave of infections.
The fatigue of another grim year watching New Year’s Eve gatherings get cancelled or curtailed, one by one.
But along with the exhaustion, another feeling is taking root: that the coronavirus will not be eradicated with vaccines or lockdowns, but has become something endemic that people must learn to live with, maybe for years to come.
Read more from The New York Times.
9:02 a.m.How can I protect a child too young for a COVID-19 vaccine?
Children younger than 5 can’t get COVID-19 vaccines in Canada or the U.S.yet, but there are steps you can take to protect them from infection over the holidays.
“Surround them with adults and siblings who are vaccinated, boosted if eligible,” advises Dr.Rochelle Walensky, director of the U.S.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
She also encourages taking COVID-19 home tests before gatherings.
The CDC recommends that anyone who’s not vaccinated — including children ages 2 and older — wear masks indoors in public.If your child is younger than 2 — or cannot wear a mask for other reasons — the agency suggests limiting visits with unvaccinated people.And it says to keep a distance between the child and others in public places.
Adults might also opt to wear a mask indoors in public to set an example for young children, the CDC says.But in virus hot spots, it says everyone should wear masks in those settings, regardless of whether they’re vaccinated.
8:40 a.m.
India’s Health Ministry says an analysis of 183 Omicron variant infections showed that 87 were in fully vaccinated people and three involved individuals who had booster doses.
India has confirmed a total of 358 COVID-19 cases involving the Omicron variant since Dec.2, and 114 of the infected individuals already have recovered , from the infection, Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan told reporters Friday.
He says Asian countries are seeing COVID-19 cases decline overall, unlike in North America and Europe.
India was overwhelmed by two massive outbreaks in September 2020 and in May of this year.
It recorded more than 400,00 new cases in 24 hours at the peak of its second surge in May.
In the past two weeks, the country has averaged around 7,000 new cases a day.
Bhushan says 89 per cent of India’s over-18 population has received one vaccine dose and 61 per cent has received two doses.Despite being home to some of the world’s largest vaccine makers, India has relied largely on two vaccines: the Astra Zeneca vaccine made by Serum Institute and Bharat Biotech’s domestically developed vaccine.
8:15 a.m.The Omicron variant, which is now dominant in the United States and spreading faster than any variant yet, has already pushed daily coronavirus case counts higher than the peak of the recent Delta wave.By most estimates, the country is in for a significant winter surge.
Although there are early positive signs out of South Africa and Britain that Omicron infections more often result in mild illness than previous variants, officials are warning that the new variant could swiftly overtax the health care system and bring significant disease to many communities.
The highly transmissible variant is causing near-vertical case growth in multiple U.S.cities, with figures doubling about every two to three days.
Officials expect it to break records.The high for average daily cases was 251,232, set in January.
By some estimates, the United States could reach 1 million cases a day, even before the end of the year.
While Omicron’s speed now speaks for itself, scientists are still racing to understand its threat.Preliminary studies out of Scotland and England suggest that infections from the variant could be milder, but scientists caution that omicron infections must be observed in the U.S.population before drawing conclusions.
7:40 a.m.Germany’s health minister said Friday that the proportion of coronavirus infections with the new Omicron variant will increase sharply in the days ahead, and he appealed to people to take steps to avoid infection during Christmas festivities.
German authorities are anticipating another wave of COVID-19 cases as a result of Omicron, though so far the Delta variant remains dominant in the country and case numbers have drifted downward after spiking last month.
“The proportion of omicron cases will rise VERY strongly in the coming days,” German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach wrote on Twitter.He acknowledged there would be delays in local health offices reporting figures over the holidays but said, “We are still keeping an eye on developments.”
“Please avoid infections during the celebrations,” Lauterbach wrote.“Even the vaccinated should test themselves.”
Chancellor Olaf Scholz tweeted that he knows it’s difficult to reduce contacts over Christmas “but if we stand together and get vaccinated, we will get through this crisis.”
7:20 a.m.
Japan has approved the COVID-19 pill developed by U.S.
pharmaceutical company Merck & Co.for use beginning next week, the Japanese health minister said Friday.
Health Minister Shigeyuki Goto told reporters that a ministry drug panel authorized Merck’s molnupiravir under a fast-track process and the drug will be shipped to hospitals and pharmacies beginning next week.
It’s one of two medications for treating COVID-19 that Japan has secured.Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said the country is procuring 1.6 million doses from Merck.
Japan has also arranged for a shipment of 2 million doses of a COVID-19 pill made by Pfizer that hasn’t yet received approval for use in the country.
6 a.m.The Greek alphabet arrived on the world stage and into everyday lexicon riding on waves of the novel coronavirus as the World Health Organization began naming variants in the Glagolitic script.
As the variants mutated, from Alpha to Delta and then Omicron, people began taking note of the 24 Greek letters.Omicron is the 15th letter of the Greek alphabet.Omega is the last.
In June, an expert committee led by a working group of the World Health Organization announced they would be using the Greek alphabet to name the variants.
“These will be easier to remember and more practical to use than alphanumerical designations,” said the paper.
Read more from The Canadian Press.
5:30 a.m.New public health restrictions in Alberta announced earlier this week to help slow the spread of the COVID-19 Omicron variant take effect today.
Venues that seat more than 1,000 people will be limited to half capacity, a restriction that includes Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames hockey games and the upcoming World Junior Hockey championships in Edmonton and Red Deer.
Venues that seat between 500 and 1,000 can have no more than 500 people.
There is mandatory masking at these events and no food or drink can be consumed in the seats.
Pubs and restaurants that have signed on to the province’s form of vaccine passport must limit guests to 10 people per table and not allow interactive social activities such as billiards, darts or dancing.
5:20 a.m.
On the eve of the Christmas holiday, COVID-19 booster shots and rapid test kits are topping the wish lists of many Canadians as case numbers rocket to record highs across much of the nation.
Fuelled by the explosive growth of the Omicron variant, Quebec reported 9,397 cases Thursday and Ontario 5,790, while coronavirus cases in British Columbia topped 2,000 for the first time.
In Montreal, a top health official, Dr.Mylène Drouin, confirmed that one of every five tests for the virus was coming back positive, that 60 per cent of positive cases were among people aged 18 to 44, and that 90 per cent of new infections involved the Omicron variant.
COVID case records were also broken in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island.
Most provinces, except Saskatchewan, have responded by reinstating stricter public health measures, including in some cases caps on social gatherings, capacity limits for many venues, and closures of some businesses.
People have been lining up, often for hours, to get highly sought after vaccine booster shots as well as rapid test kits to try to ensure that holiday gatherings are as safe as possible.
5:15 a.m.As COVID-19 infections in Ontario hit record highs Thursday, some health experts say the true number of new cases is likely much higher than is being reported, raising concerns of a homegrown variant developing.
Ontario hit a record 5,790 reported cases Thursday and Toronto followed suit with its highest-ever daily count of 2,309, but experts say these numbers no longer tell the full story.
They say the actual number of infections has likely become unknowable and far beyond what are reported in the daily case counts.
The province’s PCR lab test network, which is how case counts get reported, is strained , unable to test everyone who may have the virus.
Read more from the Star’s Ben Cohen and David Rider .
5:10 a.m.
Hundreds of City of Toronto employees face termination in less than two weeks unless they prove they have received at least two doses of COVID-19 vaccine.
They include Scarlett Martyn, an advanced care paramedic who has been speaking publicly about her opposition to the city’s strict vaccination mandate.
“I’m sure that what awaits me is termination from the city,” said Martyn, a 23-year-employee and mother of four kids who has been suspended without pay since Nov.8.“I’m shocked (this) has led down this path.”
Martyn, who has received other vaccinations, believes she has natural protection from COVID-19 caught on the job early in the pandemic, wants more time to gauge safety, and says she’s willing to pay for her own daily tests.
About 100 Toronto paramedics who privately shared with each other concerns about the mandate have dwindled, but holdouts facing termination are mostly “senior staff,” the loss of whom could affect the service’s level of care, she says.
Read more from the Star’s David Rider.
5 a.m.Officials in the United States have loosened rules that call on health care workers to stay out of work for 10 days if they test positive for COVID-19, fearing that a new wave could overwhelm understaffed hospitals.
Those workers now will be allowed to come back to work after seven days if they test negative and don’t have symptoms.Isolation time can be cut if there are severe staffing shortages, according to the new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance.
“As the health care community prepares for an anticipated surge in patients due to omicron, CDC is updating our recommendations to reflect what we know about infection and exposure in the context of vaccination and booster doses,” CDC director Rochelle Walensky said in a statement.
Isolation is designed to keep infected people away from uninfected people, to prevent further spread of the virus.
4:45 a.m.
It’s beginning to look a lot like …last year.
Festive feasts, gift exchanges and winter fun with loved ones are being cancelled or limited as COVID-19 rips through Canada for the second holiday season in a row, the highly-transmissible Omicron variant driving extra caution.
Still, some are moving forward with plans to celebrate, weighing the risk of contracting the disease or relying on vaccinations to provide safety.
“Literally, last Christmas, we kept all the blinds closed because we didn’t want anyone to see that we were eating dinner because we weren’t allowed,” Patricia MacDowell said on the phone from her Montreal home as she stuffed a turkey in preparation for Christmas Eve dinner.
MacDowell is not vaccinated against COVID-19.She said she is having over her mother, her nephew and his partner, who are all vaccinated.
With the Omicron variant spurring high case numbers across the country, MacDowell said she isn’t worried because she is in good health.
Read more from The Canadian Press.
4:45 a.m.The biblical town of Bethlehem is gearing up for its second straight Christmas Eve hit by the coronavirus — with small crowds and grey, gloomy weather dampening celebrations Friday in the traditional birthplace of Jesus.
A ban on nearly all incoming air traffic by Israel — the main entry point for foreign visitors heading to the occupied West Bank — kept international tourists away for a second consecutive year.
The ban is meant to slow the spread of the highly contagious omicron variant, which has shaken Christmas celebrations around the world.
Instead, local authorities were counting on the Holy Land’s small Christian community to lift spirits.
Bethlehem’s mayor, Tony Salman, said the town was optimistic that 2021 would be better than last year’s Christmas, when even local residents stayed home due to lockdown restrictions.
Bethlehem planned a return of its traditional marching band parades and street celebrations.
Read more from The Associated Press.
4:40 a.m.Thousands of vulnerable long-term-care residents, and the workers who care for them, have not received a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, raising fears that they may again bear the brunt as COVID cases surge in the province.
Health experts say administering more boosters to those who live and work in long-term care is essential to protecting immune-compromised residents and preventing staffing shortages, which can lead to the social isolation and neglect of residents.
“The biggest concern right now is what happens when these workers get mild cases (of COVID) and then have to isolate, presumably all within a very short period of time,” said Vivian Stamatopoulos, a long-term-care researcher and associate teaching professor at Ontario Tech University.“Who will be left to care for the residents?”
Read more from the Star’s Isabel Teotonio.
4:30 a.m.Revellers will still ring in the new year in New York’s Times Square next week, there just won’t be as many as usual under new COVID-19 restrictions.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said Thursday that viewing areas that normally accommodate about 58,000 people will be limited to about 15,000 to allow for more distancing.
The added precautions for New Year’s Eve in Times Square were spurred by the rapid spread of the Omicron variant in the Big Apple, where lines for testing have snaked around blocks in recent days..
