Coronavirus: What's happening in Canada and around the world on Tuesday
COVID-19 case count surges in the Netherlands, particularly among children
The latest:
- Moderna asks Health Canada to approve its COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 6 to 11.
- Pfizer signs deal to let generic drug companies make its COVID-19 antiviral pill.
- Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine available to Saskatchewan residents starting on Wednesday.
- Track how many people have been given the COVID-19 vaccine across Canada.
- Have a coronavirus question or news tip for CBC News? Email: COVID@cbc.ca
The Netherlands recorded its highest weekly number of positive coronavirus tests over the last seven days, and, as cases continued to soar, lawmakers on Tuesday discussed legislation to limit unvaccinated people from using the country's COVID-19 pass system.
The country's public health institute reported Tuesday that the number of positive tests rose by 44 per cent to 110,558 — the highest weekly total since the pandemic began. Hospital admissions for COVID-19 patients rose 12 per cent and admissions to intensive care units by three per cent, it said.
The institute said 173 people died of COVID-19 during the past week, bringing the Netherlands' death toll in the pandemic to 18,785.
Cases rose sharply among children ages 4-12 years, most of whom have yet to be vaccinated against the coronavirus. Vaccines made by Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech have been cleared for use in children ages 12 to 17 in Europe; the European Medicines Agency is evaluating whether to authorize them for 5- to 11-year olds.
A new partial lockdown came into force Saturday across the Netherlands, with bars, restaurants and supermarkets ordered to close at 8 p.m., masks mandated in more places and people urged to work from home as much as possible.
The Dutch government wants to make its COVID passes mandatory in more places and to empower employers to check the passes of their staff. The government also wants to allow businesses that are required to check the passes of customers the option of limiting access to only people who have been fully vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19.
A similar system is in use in Austria and parts of Germany.
-From Reuters, last updated at 4:25 p.m. ET
What's happening across Canada
- B.C. records 1,270 new cases of COVID-19 and 16 more deaths over 3 days.
- Alberta reports 1,068 new cases of COVID-19 over 3 days, 17 more deaths
-
Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine available to Sask. residents starting Wednesday.
- 99 new cases of COVID-19, 1 death reported in Manitoba on Tuesday.
- Ontario to allow symptomatic COVID-19 testing in pharmacies as 481 new cases reported.
-
COVID-19 spike, deaths after N.S. church event 'unfortunate' but part of God's plan, says pastor.
What's happening around the world
As of Tuesday evening, more than 254.2 million cases of COVID-19 had been reported worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University's coronavirus tracker. The online database showed a reported global death toll of more than 5.1 million.
In Europe, Greek public health sector workers protested in Athens over pay and conditions as hospitals struggled with a new surge in COVID-19 cases and authorities considered further restrictions.
Ukraine reported record daily COVID-19 deaths Tuesday as authorities struggle to boost the country's vaccination rate. The country, which has been dealing with rising caseloads, reported 838 more deaths from COVID-19 on Tuesday. President Volodymyr Zelensky promised Monday to pay 1,000 hryvnias (roughly $47.50 Cdn) to each Ukrainian who gets vaccinated. Ukrainians can receive their payments starting Dec. 19, authorities said.
In Africa, Nigeria will start a mass COVID-19 vaccination campaign later this week, aiming to inoculate half of its targeted population by the end of January, government officials said.
In the Americas, lawsuits filed around the country challenging the Biden administration's workplace COVID-19 vaccine rule are expected to be consolidated in a single federal appeals court on Tuesday, giving the government a chance to revive a rule that was blocked last week.
More than a dozen lawsuits have been filed challenging the rule, which requires employers with at least 100 workers to mandate COVID-19 vaccination or weekly testing combined with wearing a face covering at work. The rule was issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which said it will prevent 250,000 hospitalizations caused by COVID-19.
On Friday, a three-judge panel on the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans blocked the rule, calling it a "one-size-fits-all sledgehammer that makes hardly any attempt to account for differences in workplaces."
Meanwhile, Brazilian Health Minister Marcelo Queiroga said the government will offer booster shots to everyone older than 18.
In the Middle East, Israel's economy continued to recover from the pandemic in the third quarter on the heels of steep gains in exports and investment, but the growth was slower than expected due to only a slight rise in consumer spending.
In the Asia-Pacific region, domestic borders around New Zealand's largest city of Auckland will reopen on Dec. 15 for fully vaccinated people and those with negative COVID-19 test results, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Wednesday.
Auckland is the epicentre of an outbreak of the infectious delta variant of the COVID-19 and has been locked off from the rest of the country for more than 90 days. But with more than 80 per cent of Auckland and the rest of the country fully vaccinated, it was time to open up the ability to travel again, Ardern said.
-From Reuters, The Associated Press and CBC News, last updated at 8:15 p.m. ET
With files from The Associated Press and CBC News
