Coronavirus in Ottawa | COVID-19

Will Ottawa Public Health stop updating its COVID-19 dashboard?

Ottawa Public Health is clarifying the confusion that has been circulating on social media around its plans to phase out its COVID-19 dashboard.

Small businesses still facing difficulties ahead of CEBA loan repayment deadline

A major deadline is looming for small business owners to repay pandemic loans but some say they need more time or else they could end up closing for good.

Kingston General Hospital 'bursting at the seams' with COVID-19 and respiratory illness patients

The Kingston General Hospital (KGH) says a surge of emergency department inpatients, including a day that had a near record 580 admissions, has the hospital struggling to keep up as COVID-19 and the respiratory virus season peaks across the province.

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How COVID-19, flu and cold symptoms can differ

Variants of Concern

EU agency sees risk of COVID deaths rising as Omicron subvariants spread

Two new subvariants of Omicron, BA.4 and BA.5, are spreading more quickly than other coronavirus variants in Europe, which could lead to more hospitalizations and deaths as they become dominant, the EU's disease prevention agency said on Monday.

COVID-19 antibody treatments aren't as effective on variants. Here's why

A new study has found that COVID-19 antibody treatments aren't as effective for new variants due to the evolving mutations of the differing virus strains.

WHO: COVID cases and deaths falling nearly everywhere

The number of new coronavirus cases and deaths reported globally fell everywhere except the Middle East and Southeast Asia last week, according to a World Health Organization weekly report released Wednesday.

Moderna says updated COVID shot boosts Omicron protection

Moderna's experimental COVID-19 vaccine that combines its original shot with protection against the omicron variant appears to work, the company announced Wednesday.

Dominant coronavirus mutant contains ghost of pandemic past

The coronavirus mutant that is now dominant in the United States is a member of the omicron family but scientists say it spreads faster than its Omicron predecessors, is adept at escaping immunity and might possibly cause more serious disease.

COVID-19 identified by trained dogs sniffing skin swabs: study

A new study that brought sniffer dogs to an airport to search for COVID-19 has found that dogs may be able to detect the virus with high accuracy just from smelling skin swabs.

Do COVID-19 rapid tests work on Omicron?

A recent study revealed that COVID-19 rapid antigen tests may be less sensitive to newer variants, leaving some to wonder just how accurate these tests actually are. Experts share how to get the most accurate results when testing for the virus.

China's COVID plan is 'unsustainable' due to Omicron: WHO

The head of the World Health Organization said China's extreme approach to containing the coronavirus is unsustainable because of the highly infectious nature of the Omicron variant, but that it's up to every country to decide what policy to pursue.

INTERACTIVES

Re-opening Canada

Vaccine mandates for domestic travel, outgoing international flights to be suspended

The federal government will announce that COVID-19 vaccine mandates for domestic travel on planes and trains, as well as outgoing international travel, will be suspended, senior government sources have told CTV News.

Alberta to end pandemic rules including mandatory isolation

All remaining COVID-19 public health restrictions in Alberta will be lifted Tuesday at 11:59 p.m., including mandatory isolation requirements.

'Great step forward': Travel industry applauds suspension of random COVID-19 testing at airports

The federal government has announced that it will be temporarily suspending mandatory random COVID-19 testing at Canadian airports for vaccinated travellers beginning June 11, before moving randomized testing off-site as of July 1.

CTVNews.ca Coronavirus Coverage

UN report: Many countries are bouncing back from COVID pandemic but the poorest are not

Many countries are bouncing back from the COVID-19 pandemic, but the poorest are not and a significant number are seeing conditions deteriorating, a report from the UN Development Program said Wednesday.

WHO says JN.1 COVID strain, a 'variant of interest,' poses low risk

The World Health Organization on Tuesday classified the JN.1 coronavirus strain as a "variant of interest" but said it did not pose much threat to public health.

As 2023 holidays dawn, face masks have settled in as an occasional feature of the American landscape

As 2023 draws to an end, with promises of holiday parties and crowds and lots of inadvertent exchanges of shared air, mask-wearing is much more off than on around the country even as COVID's long tail lingers. The days of anything approaching a widespread mask mandate would be like the Ghost of Christmas Past, a glimpse into what was.

Many Canadians have had long COVID for almost 4 years. Researchers say there's hope

Forty-two per cent of the people in Canada reporting lasting symptoms had them for a year or more, but Canadian doctors and scientists want long COVID patients to know that research is accelerating.

Kingston General Hospital 'bursting at the seams' with COVID-19 and respiratory illness patients

How COVID-19 Affects Me

Canada's COVID Alert app will be discontinued as PCR testing becomes rare

Canada's COVID Alert app will be discontinued in the coming days, a federal government source tells The Canadian Press.

Vaccines likely to reduce risk of long COVID, experts say, but by how much?

As more details emerge about the long-term effects of COVID-19, experts say vaccination is likely to have protective benefits against long COVID, also known as post-acute sequelae SARS-CoV-2 infection. But an important question that has yet to be answered is exactly how much protection it offers.

Moderna COVID-19 vaccine may pose higher heart inflammation risk: CDC

Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine may pose a higher risk of heart inflammation in some age groups than Pfizer-BioNTech's shot, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Tuesday, citing recent data.

Prenatal COVID exposure affects babies' motor skills, speech, studies find

Infants born to those who tested positive for COVID-19 during pregnancy may have neurodevelopmental issues after birth, according to preliminary findings from two separate studies out of the U.S. and Spain.

Is there any benefit to wearing a mask when nobody else is?

A province-wide mask mandate that was first introduced in October 2020 has now been lifted in virtually all of the so-called “high-risk” settings where it had remained in place, including on public transit.

Your Finances During the Crisis

How to avoid the trap of becoming 'house poor'

The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' -- where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.

Insurance is high on frequently stolen vehicles. Here's how to reduce your premiums

Looking for a break on car insurance premiums is often top of mind for drivers. And finding ways to reduce that figure is especially important now, when rampant thefts have led to higher insurance costs.

Metro Vancouver renters spending more than 60% of monthly income, report suggests

Metro Vancouver renters are spending nearly two thirds of their monthly income on rent – more than double the recommended rent-to-income ratio – a new report suggests.

opinion

opinion The big benefits of adopting a debt-free lifestyle

In his column for CTVNews.ca, financial advice expert Christopher Liew explains the benefits of adopting a debt-free lifestyle, as well as the change in financial mindset and sacrifices it takes.

Only child? Four ways to prepare as a caregiver for aging parents

Here are four ways only children can prepare to cope with the challenge of caring for aging parents.

CTV News Ottawa Top Stories

BREAKING

BREAKING 1 dead following wrong-way crash on Hwy. 417 in Ottawa's east end

One person is dead following an overnight crash on Hwy. 417 in Ottawa's east end. The westbound lanes of the Queensway are closed between Innes Road and the Hwy. 174 split.

Prime Minister meets with Mayor Sutcliffe at Ottawa City Hall

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with Mayor Mark Sutcliffe at Ottawa City Hall on Thursday, for a meeting to discuss municipal-federal issues.

Here's when gas prices will drop 4 cents a litre in Ottawa

Canadians for Affordable Energy president Dan McTeague says gas prices will drop 4 cents a litre on Friday, one day after prices increased 14 cents a litre.

Ottawa Hospital testing new AI tool to help doctors draft clinical notes for patient care

The Ottawa Hospital is hoping artificial intelligence will help reduce physician burnout and increase access to care for patients.

Man found with stab wounds in Ottawa's ByWard Market

Ottawa police are investigating an evening stabbing in the ByWard Market. Police say officers responded to reports of a "suspicious incident" in the 100 block of York Street at approximately 8:40 p.m. Wednesday.

Ottawa man charged with aggravated sexual assault

Ottawa police believe there may be other victims, after charging a 57-year-old Ottawa man with aggravated sexual assault.

Sens clean out their lockers as another season ends without a playoff run

This is the seventh season in a row the Senators failed to qualify for the NHL playoffs. The Sens finished the season with a record of 37-41-4, wrapping up the season Tuesday night against the Boston Bruins with one last win.

'We'd like to see it move faster': The push to increase activity in downtown Ottawa

Talk of transitioning federal buildings into housing has been in the works for a couple of years and it's a move that business leaders in Ottawa say can't come soon enough.

Pride flag to fly in Merrickville under new policy

The Pride flag will be allowed to fly at municipal buildings in Merrickville this June, after the Merrickville-Wolford Township council adopted a new Flag Protocol Policy for the village.