Today’s coronavirus news: Ontario reporting 2,170 COVID-19 cases; Ontarians can undergo rapid antigen testing for COVID-19 at Shoppers Drug Mart and Loblaw locations
The latest coronavirus news from Canada and around the world Monday. This file will be updated throughout the day. Web links to longer stories if available.
11 a.m. Beginning Monday, Ontarians and Albertans can undergo asymptomatic rapid antigen testing for COVID-19 at Shoppers Drug Mart and Loblaw pharmacy locations, receiving results within 15 to 20 minutes.
The rapid testing is available to anyone who has no symptoms of COVID, has not been in contact with someone known to have the virus within the past 14 days, has not been advised to get tested through an exposure notification through the COVID alert mobile app and has not previously tested positive. The tests are priced at $40.
"As Ontario and Alberta begin their recovery from this third wave of COVID-19, rapid screening options can provide customers with an extra level of confidence," said Ashesh Desai, Executive Vice President of Pharmacy and Healthcare for Shoppers Drug Mart.
The tests are processed immediately in the pharmacy with a record of the test and results provided to individuals after their visit. Customers are encouraged to call their local store directly to book an appointment for screening.
Rapid antigen screening can identify the presence of antigens - proteins on a virus's surface. While this may indicate that an individual has an active COVID infection, a follow-up COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test is needed to confirm a COVID-19 diagnosis," according to the Shoppers Drug Mart website.
Individuals who have received the COVID vaccine are eligible.
10:53 a.m. How, when and where will you get your COVID-19 vaccine?
Those questions are front and centre for Ontario residents as the 34 local public health units have been tasked with devising their own plans to roll out vaccines in their regions.
10:12 a.m. (will be updated) Ontario is reporting 2,170 COVID-19 cases and 4 deaths. Labs are reporting 24,498 tests conducted with a 7.9 per cent positivity rate.
The seven-day average is down to 2,352 cases per day or 113 weekly per 100,000 and down to 23.1 deaths per day, according to the Star's Ed Tubb.
Ontario administered 112,330 vaccine doses on Sunday; 6.74 mil. Ontarians have had at least one dose, which is 45.8 per cent of the total population; 432,760 people have been fully vaccinated.
10:11 a.m. Porter Airlines is resetting its tentative date for resuming flights to July 20.
"It's encouraging to see the recovery of the aviation industry in the U.S.," said Michael Deluce, president and CEO of Porter Airlines. "As vaccination rates in Canada increase, we are hopeful travel restrictions and public health measures will ease, so we can recall our team members, welcome back our passengers and begin to rebuild the airline."
Porter previously set June 21, as its tentative restart date. Operations were temporarily suspended on March 21, 2020, because of COVID-19.
10:10 a.m. The Canadian Real Estate Association says the number of homes sold in April fell 12.5 per cent compared with the all-time record high set in March.
The association says sales posted month-over-month declines in close to 85 per cent of all local markets, including virtually all of B.C. and Ontario.
However, it says sales in April were still a record for the month and up 256 per cent compared with a year ago when sales collapsed due to the pandemic.
The results came as the number of newly listed homes fell 5.4 per cent in April compared with March.
The actual national average home price was a little under $696,000 in April, up 41.9 per cent from the same month last year.
10 a.m. For the second consecutive Sunday, a church in Nova Scotia's Annapolis Valley has been handed a stiff fine for violating public health orders.
The Nova Scotia RCMP confirm they issued a $11,622 fine to the Weston Christian Fellowship Church and fined seven churchgoers $2,422 each.
On May 9, the Mounties fined 26 people and the church for breaking the rules.
The province has been subject to strict lockdown rules since April 28, when it became clear the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic had reached the Maritimes.
Under the new rules, all faith-based gatherings are prohibited.
The church is in Weston, N.S., which is west of Wolfville, N.S.
9:20 a.m. In a surprise announcement, but one which is sure to offer thousands of frazzled Ontario parents a ray of hope, Premier Doug Ford vowed to open summer camps this year.
Speaking at a mass COVID-19 vaccination clinic in Peel Region on Sunday, Ford was light on details saying only that camps would be opening up."
The more people that can come out (to be vaccinated), the quicker we can open up," the premier said in Mississauga. And we are going to open up very, very soon and I have to say one thing about the summer camps - July 3 is usually the time they open, and they're opening up this year."
He did not say anything about the reopening process, nor what kind of camps he was talking about - day or overnight - and if kids would be required to follow any public health restrictions.
Read the full story from the Star's Kenyon Wallace
8:45 a.m. (updated) Ontario is opening COVID-19 vaccinations to anyone 18 and older a week ahead of schedule thanks to a larger-than-expected shipment of doses.
With 2.2 million doses arriving this week, adults 18 and up can begin booking appointments starting 8 a.m. Tuesday on the provincial booking system or through health units that operate their own appointment systems, the Ministry of Health said in a statement Monday.
"This high number of doses is due to an early delivery of the week of May 24 shipment, to accommodate the long weekend, and is an opportunity for the province to offer an appointment to receive the vaccine to more Ontarians ahead of schedule," the statement added.
Read the full story from the Star's Rob Ferguson
8:35 a.m. Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline's potential COVID-19 vaccine triggered strong immune responses in all adult age groups in preliminary trials after an earlier setback, boosting optimism the shot may join the fight against the pandemic this year.
After two doses of the vaccine candidate, participants showed neutralizing antibodies in line with those found in people who had recovered from the disease, according to results of the Phase 2 trial released Monday. The drugmakers said they plan to begin late-stage trials and production in the coming weeks and hope to win regulatory approval for the vaccine before the end of 2021.
Regulators have already authorized a number of COVID-19 vaccines, though experts say more are needed as public health authorities around the world race to vaccinate their residents amid a pandemic that has already killed more than 3.3 million people and caused economic havoc.
The Sanofi-GSK vaccine was an important part of the European Union's vaccination strategy, and had notably been championed by French President Emmanuel Macron's government. But researchers had to reformulate it after early testing produced an inadequate immune response in older people.
The Sanofi-GSK candidate joins about a dozen vaccines now undergoing late-stage trials. The companies plan to produce up to 1 billion doses annually, and they have signed agreements to supply the U.S., Canada and developing countries, too. Public health experts say several vaccines will be needed to end the pandemic, because of the challenges in rapidly producing and distributing enough doses to vaccinate billions of people.
We know multiple vaccines will be needed, especially as variants continue to emerge and the need for effective and booster vaccines which can be stored at normal temperatures increases," said Thomas Triomphe, head of Sanofi's vaccines unit.
8:05 a.m. Monday is the deadline for the Ontario Child Benefit (formerly known as Support for Learners and, before that, Support for Families). It's $400 per child up to Grade 12 or $500 per special-needs child or youth to 21.
8 a.m. With Ontario deep in an extended stay-at-home order amid the third wave of COVID-19, local daughters and sons are telling heartbreaking stories about the impact of the pandemic on their elderly loved ones in long-term care.
I can't even tell you how much time (residents) spent in their rooms," Richmond Hill's Janice Codeluppi said.
Her mother, Joan Arbuckle, has at times spent weeks in her room at Newmarket's Southlake Residential Care Village over the last 14 months as the home weathered four outbreaks.
Her mom was also in hospital for seven weeks and contracted the virus.
It's just horrific. If you're in prison and you're in solitary confinement, you still get to go out and have a shower, you still get to have some out time. These people, they haven't been outside," Codeluppi said.
7:50 a.m. Toronto police say they broke up a noisy party" inside a downtown restaurant Sunday evening.
Police said they responded to reports of a loud party at Baro bar and restaurant at 485 King Street W. at 5:45 p.m.
Read the full story from the Star's Michael Akrit
7:40 a.m. Reality TV star Kim Kardashian got blasted for retreating to a private island for her birthday. Comedian Ellen DeGeneres stepped in it by comparing being stuck in her mansion to jail." Rapper Cardi B asked her Twitter followers whether she should spend $88,000 on a new purse - and got roasted. After winning praise for posting a shirtless pic revealing some extra pounds, actor Will Smith felt the burn when it was revealed he was just promoting a new weight-loss series on YouTube.
And, closer to home, Toronto fashion icon and philanthropist Suzanne Rogers posted pictures of her family's special" visit to Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, only to face an immediate and blistering online drubbing.
These pandemic faux-pas by the rich and famous, observers suggest, represent at least a temporary shift in our attitudes toward celebrity culture - one shaped by the seemingly endless reality of our pandemic malaise.
Simply put, we are having none of it.
Read the full story from the Star's Douglas Quan
7:31 a.m. A powerful cyclone roaring in the Arabian Sea was moving toward India's western coast on Monday as authorities tried to evacuate hundreds of thousands of people and suspended COVID-19 vaccinations in one state.
Cyclone Tauktae, which has already killed six people in parts of southern India, was expected to make landfall on Monday evening in Gujarat state with winds of up to 175 kilometers (109 miles) per hour, the India Meteorological Department said.
Forecasters warned of possible extensive damage from high winds, heavy rainfall and flooding in low-lying areas.
The massive storm comes as India is battling with a devastating coronavirus surge - and both the storm and the virus could exacerbate the effects of the other. The storm has already led to the suspension of some vaccination efforts and there is greater risk of virus transmission in crowded evacuation shelters.
7:20 a.m. Ontario hit - and then surpassed - administering seven million vaccine doses on the weekend, fuelled in part by a blitz of clinics in Toronto including one that expected to give out 10,000 shots on Sunday alone.
The vaccination site at Thorncliffe Park Community Hub, run in conjunction with Michael Garron Hospital, had given out 9,000 Pfizer shots by 8 p.m. Sunday night, and long lineups remained before its 11 p.m. closing.
It's been a long road and it's going to take the collective efforts of all Torontonians to roll up their sleeves so we can get back to the lives we knew before COVID-19," said Dr. Jeff Powis, medical director of infection and control at the hospital.
Read the full story from the Star's Breanna Xavier-Carter and Ann Marie Elpa
7:12 a.m. Since the beginning of April, 57-year-old Orchid Omero starts her mornings by spreading the curtains of her huge salon windows and breathing in fresh air, enhanced by the abundance of plants in her shop.
A workspace that once buzzed with hair clippers and blow dryers is now a greenhouse - a peaceful oasis during Ontario's COVID-19 lockdown.
Omero grows seeds and bulbs in the space at the front of Joseph's Barber Shop & Hairstyling on Queen Street East. It's how she has regained her happiness after the pandemic winter blues.
It's very inspiring for me, in spite of no work, no business," said Omero. It's helped me to wake up in the morning and look forward to check my plants every day."
Read the full story from the Star's Danica Samuel
6:15 a.m: Provincial COVID-19 public health guidelines that downplay the risk of aerosol transmission are putting Ontario's essential workers in jeopardy and sidelining critically important workplace protections.
According to a dozen epidemiologists, scientists, engineers, occupational hygienists, health and safety experts, and Ministry of Labour inspectors interviewed by the Star, the guidelines contain a significant blind spot" hampering efforts to contain the virus and prevent outbreaks.
On May 7, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recognized aerosol transmission as one of three principal ways" COVID spreads. While Ontario's guidance acknowledges aerosol spread can occur in favourable conditions," critics say the precautions mandated by the province do not adequately reflect the risks of shared air.
Read the full story by The Star's Sara Mojtehedzadeh here.
6:07 a.m.: Health authorities in Thailand reported 9,635 new coronavirus cases on Monday, doubling the previous daily record set last week. Over 70% of Monday's increase-6,853 cases-came from prisons.
Thailand's confirmed case total rose to 111,082, of which almost three-quarters-82,219 have been recorded since the beginning of April this year, when a new wave of coronavirus infections began. Twenty-five deaths were reported Monday, bringing total fatalities to 614.
Thailand had about 7,100 cases including 63 deaths in all of last year, in what was regarded as a success story in containing the virus.
5:15 a.m.: Ontario is due to expand COVID-19 vaccine eligibility again this week, opening up appointments to people as young as 30 across the province.
The government has yet to say which day the minimum age will drop.
The province is also switching gears in how it distributes vaccines.
It will now send the shots to regions on a per capita basis, after two weeks of sending half the vaccine supply to COVID-19 hot spots.
The changes come after a milestone weekend for the province.
Premier Doug Ford tweeted yesterday that seven million doses of vaccine had been administered in Ontario.
The province aims to open appointments to all adults next week, and says it hopes to see all eligible Ontarians fully vaccinated by the end of September.
4:30 a.m.: Indigenous surgery patients are nearly a third more likely to die after their procedures than other populations in Canada and face higher risks of complications, new research suggests as doctors warn these inequities could worsen with the COVID-19 crisis.
The Canadian Medical Association Journal published a systemic review today consisting of 28 separate studies. The research involved roughly 1.9 million participants - about 10 per cent of whom identified as Indigenous - to assess the surgical outcomes for Indigenous patients in Canada across a range of procedures.
Lead author Dr. Jason McVicar said the findings underscore the need for the First Nations, Inuit and Metis communities to lead a data-informed overhaul of health care, particularly as the pandemic raises concerns that Indigenous patients will fall behind in the mounting backlog of surgeries.
4:30 a.m.: Canada is set to receive a large infusion of COVID-19 vaccines this week, even as questions swirl around how the immunization drive will be affected by the sudden departure of the man tasked with overseeing it.
The federal government says it expects around 4.5 million doses to arrive this week thanks to planned deliveries from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna.
Pfizer and BioNTech had been scheduled to deliver around 2 million doses this week as their vaccines continue to flow into Canada on a regular basis after early hiccups in February and March.
But the federal government says the two companies will ship an additional 1.4 million shots, which were originally slated to land next week but are now expected to arrive before the upcoming holiday weekend.
Moderna is also expected to deliver 1.1 million doses this week.
The large influx comes as the Liberal government faces questions about who will now lead the vaccination campaign after Maj.-Gen. Dany Fortin was sidelined suddenly on Friday and reassigned from his role presiding over the national inoculation effort.
The Department of National Defence has said Fortin is under military investigation, but otherwise refused to provide any details. The government, meanwhile, has yet to name a replacement.
4 a.m.: The latest numbers on COVID-19 vaccinations in Canada as of 4:00 a.m. ET on Monday May 17, 2021. In Canada, the provinces are reporting 317,066 new vaccinations administered for a total of 18,415,536 doses given.
Nationwide, 1,410,762 people or 3.7 per cent of the population has been fully vaccinated. The provinces have administered doses at a rate of 48,590.732 per 100,000.
There were 21,060 new vaccines delivered to the provinces and territories for a total of 20,376,264 doses delivered so far. The provinces and territories have used 90.38 per cent of their available vaccine supply.
4 a.m.: The latest numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Canada as of 4:00 a.m. ET on Monday May 17, 2021.
There are 1,328,582 confirmed cases in Canada.
Canada: 1,328,582 confirmed cases (70,341 active, 1,233,293 resolved, 24,948 deaths).*The total case count includes 13 confirmed cases among repatriated travellers.
There were 4,903 new cases Sunday. The rate of active cases is 185.08 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 40,721 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 5,817.
There were 40 new reported deaths Sunday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 306 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 44. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.12 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 65.64 per 100,000 people.
There have been 33,482,165 tests completed.
4 a.m. Ontario is due to expand COVID-19 vaccine eligibility again this week, opening up appointments to people as young as 30 across the province.
The government has yet to say which day the minimum age will drop.
The province is also switching gears in how it distributes vaccines.
It will now send the shots to regions on a per capita basis, after two weeks of sending half the vaccine supply to COVID-19 hot spots.
The changes come after a milestone weekend for the province.
Premier Doug Ford tweeted yesterday that seven million doses of vaccine had been administered in Ontario.
The province aims to open appointments to all adults next week, and says it hopes to see all eligible Ontarians fully vaccinated by the end of September.