Coronavirus: What's happening in Canada and around the world on April 18

The latest:

• Federal government pledges more health-care workers, rapid testing for Ontario.
• Child under 10 becomes 2nd person hospitalized with COVID-19 in P.E.I.
• Montreal health officials launch door-to-door campaign to promote AstraZeneca.
• Outbreak in Iqaluit now at 22 active cases. 
• Half of all U.S. adults have now received at least 1 vaccine dose.
• Track how many people have been given the COVID-19 vaccine across Canada.

British Columbia and Ontario will expand COVID-19 vaccine eligibility in the coming week.

B.C. said Sunday that it's inviting people 18 years and older to register for a COVID-19 vaccine over the next week.

A Ministry of Health statement on Sunday says more than 1.8 million people will now be invited to register for their COVID-19 vaccine through the province's Get Vaccinated program.

The ministry says the registration program starts Monday with people 40 years and older asked to sign up first, with those 35 and older registering Tuesday. It said the registration program will continue through Wednesday for those 30 and older, Thursday for those 25 and older and Friday for people 18 years and older.

Also Sunday, Ontario said it will start offering the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine to those 40 and over starting on Tuesday. The previous age cutoff was 55. 

A spokesperson for Health Minister Christine Elliott said the shot will be offered at pharmacies and "primary care settings."

Alexandra Hilkene says the province has made the call based on "current supply" of the vaccine.

What's happening elsewhere across Canada

As of 5:45 p.m. ET on Sunday, Canada had reported 1,121,504 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with 87,925 considered active. A CBC News tally of deaths stood at 23,623.

Alberta tallied 1,516 new cases and three more deaths on Sunday, while Saskatchewan recorded 289 new cases and an addition death.

Manitoba logged 170 new cases and one death.

Meanwhile, the Fisher River Cree Nation, north of Winnipeg, says it has been informed by public health officials that there is one positive case of the B117 variant first detected in the U.K., marking the community's first such variant case.

WATCH | Essential workers in Manitoba seek to be vaccinated:

Essential workers in Manitoba seek to be vaccinated

4 years ago

Duration 2:37

A Winnipeg grocery store manager who saw a beloved member of his staff die of COVID-19 wants to see grocery workers prioritized for immunization.

Ontario registered 4,250 new cases and 18 more deaths. Hospitalizations in the province rose by 42 to a record high total of 2,107.

As cases in the province spike, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he is working with provinces and territories to send more health-care workers to Ontario and boost rapid testing.

"We are mobilizing federal health-care workers from across government departments to deploy to the front lines in Ontario, in specifically the [Greater Toronto Area] where the situation is the most critical," Trudeau said in a video posted to Twitter on Sunday afternoon.

WATCH | Federal government to send health-care workers, aid to Ontario:

Federal government to send health-care workers, aid to Ontario

4 years ago

Duration 6:27

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he's working to send health-care workers to Ontario to help overwhelmed hospitals. He also reiterated an offer to send in the Red Cross.

Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Premier Andrew Furey also said Sunday that his province is offering assistance "within our own capacity" to Ontario. 

Furey told CBC News that his province will send personnel, equipment and supplies — but not vaccines.

The province has reported four new cases over the past two days.

WATCH | N.L. premier offers COVID-19 support to Ontario:

N.L. premier offers COVID-19 support to Ontario

4 years ago

Duration 7:15

Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey says he offered Ontario Premier Doug Ford relief and support to medical personnel as the third wave of COVID-19 continues in the province. Furey says his province is happy to provide personnel, expertise and extra equipment where capacity allows. Watch Rosemary Barton Live on Sunday at 10 a.m. ET/7 a.m. PT/11:30 a.m. NT on CBC News Network and CBC Gem.

Quebec confirmed 1,344 new cases and nine more deaths.

In Montreal, health officials have launched a door-to-door campaign to promote the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Additionally, trucks equipped with loudspeakers will be driving around some neighbourhoods encouraging residents to head to the drop-in sites.

In Prince Edward Island, a child under 10 years old has become the second person in the province to be hospitalized with COVID-19. The child is among three new cases identified by P.E.I. on Sunday.

New Brunswick reported 10 new cases on Sunday, while Nova Scotia logged eight.

In Nunavut, an outbreak in Iqaluit has grown by three new infections, bringing the number of active cases in the territory's capital to 22 as of Sunday.

What's happening around the world

As of Sunday, more than 140 million cases of COVID-19 had been reported worldwide, according to a coronavirus tracking tool maintained by Johns Hopkins University. The reported global death toll stood at more than three million.

In the Middle East, Israel has lifted a public mask mandate and fully reopened its education system in the latest easing of coronavirus restrictions following its mass vaccination drive.

In Europe, France is imposing entry restrictions on travellers from four countries — Argentina, Chile, South Africa and Brazil — in hopes of keeping out especially contagious coronavirus variants.

In the Americas, half of all U.S. adults have now received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In Africa, Guinea received on Sunday a shipment of 300,000 Sinovac COVID-19 vaccines purchased from China and is also set to receive a donation of 200,000 Sinopharm shots, Guinean Foreign Minister Ibrahima Khalil Kaba said.