IN PHOTOS Northern lights dance across the night sky in southern Ont.
From London, to Mildmay, Collingwood and St. Thomas, here are some highlights of Friday night and Saturday morning's northern lights display.
Health-care restrictions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic may have contributed to thousands of excess deaths not related to the virus, along with increased incidents of mental health disorders and substance use, and have put a strain on the Canadian health-care system, according to a study commissioned by the Canadian Medical Association (CMA).
The study shows that delayed treatments or missed health-care services due to pandemic restrictions may have been a factor in more than 4,000 excess deaths unrelated to COVID-19 infections between August and December 2020 and have also resulted in a significant backlog of medical procedures.
Excess deaths refer to the number of deaths above the expected rate. The number of deaths in Canada was higher than expected from spring 2020 into winter early 2021, the study says, and during much of the time between August and December within that period the volume of excess deaths was estimated to be higher than the number of COVID-19 deaths, although it was lower in the following months.
Statistics Canada published a report earlier this month showing that the pandemic resulted in 5.2 per cent more deaths overall than expected if it never happened.
“We have a health-care system that is deep in crisis,” said CMA President Dr. Katherine Smart on CTV’s Your Morning Tuesday. “No one level of government is going to be able to solve this. But if we start collaborating and working on defining what the problem is and taking action for tangible solutions we can reimagine a health-care system that meets the needs of Canadians.”
Among the delayed procedures highlighted by the study was a reduction in cancer screenings in Ontario, some of which were paused early in the pandemic and apparently remained at 20 to 35 per cent below pre-pandemic levels at the beginning of this year.
Nearly 17 opioid-related deaths occurred per day across Canada in 2020, the study claims, which was a rise of 70 per cent from the previous year. The rate increased to nearly 20 deaths per day in the first three months of 2021.
Regarding mental health, roughly 20 per cent of Canadians reported high levels of anxiety at the onset of the pandemic in April 2020, the study says, and by June 2021 that number had increased to 24 per cent. In the same period, the number of Canadians reporting high levels of depression increased from 10 to 15 per cent.
“It’s really concerning the increase in mental health problems across the country – it’s in children, youth, adults and we know that it’s increasing and our system is very under-resourced to address mental health concerns,” Smart said. “We’re seeing up to 20 deaths a day for opioids and other substance overdoses so this system really needs swift assessment.”
The study estimated the backlog of eight procedures, including CT scans, MRI scans, knee replacement surgeries and cataract surgeries, which totalled 327,800 waiting to be performed across the country. It says the days lost to perform these procedures ranged from 46 days for breast cancer surgeries to 118 days for hip replacement surgeries.
The study also calculated the cost to return wait times for these procedures to pre-pandemic levels would be $1.3 billion in additional funding to the health-care system.
“We’re estimating 1.3 billion dollars to bring that backlog back on track, and that’s just for the six procedures that we looked at,” Smart said. “So it’s going to need significant investment from all levels of government to ensure Canadians get the care they need. What’s been really clear is that system isn’t working right now and is under incredible strain.”
Smart said in a news release she was pleased to see the federal government state its commitment to prioritize investment in health recovery and address the backlog as indicated in last week’s throne speech.
Doctors and patients throughout the year have been warning about the perils of delayed cancer diagnoses due to limited access to health-care services during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Further research from Statistics Canada earlier this year showed the number of drug overdoses and alcohol-related deaths among Canadians under the age of 65 was on the rise as a result of extended lockdowns and isolation during the pandemic.
Studies have also shown the pandemic has led to a stark rise in anxiety and depression, especially among youth, across the globe.
From London, to Mildmay, Collingwood and St. Thomas, here are some highlights of Friday night and Saturday morning's northern lights display.
For decades, North Bay, Ontario's water supply has harboured chemicals associated with liver and developmental issues, cancer and complications with pregnancy. It's far from the only city with that problem.
The Netherlands' contestant in the Eurovision Song Contest was dramatically expelled from competition hours before Saturday's final of the pan-continental pop competition, which has been rattled by protests over the participation of Israel.
The rolling hills leading to the hamlet of Rosebud are dotted with sprawling farms and cattle pastures -- and a sign sporting a simple message: No Race Track.
An evacuation alert was issued for two Wood Buffalo communities Friday night, as crews battled an out-of-control wildfire near Fort McMurray.
Evan Bouchard scored 5:38 into overtime and the Edmonton Oilers bounced back for a 4-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs on Friday.
Irresponsibly using a credit card can land you in financial trouble, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says when used properly, it can be a powerful wealth-building tool that can help grow your credit profile and create new opportunities.
A cyclist turned herself in and received a fine after striking a four-year-old girl who was crossing the street to catch a school bus.
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
A Listowel, Ont. man, drafted by the Hamilton Tigercats last week, is also getting looks from the NFL, despite only playing 27 games of football in his life.
A small Ajax dessert shop that recently received a glowing review from celebrity food critic Keith Lee is being forced to move after a zoning complaint was made following the social media influencer’s visit last month.
The Canada Science and Technology Museum is inviting visitors to explore their poop. A new exhibition opens at the Ottawa museum on Friday called, 'Oh Crap! Rethinking human waste.'
The Regina Police Service says it is the first in Saskatchewan and possibly Canada to implement new technology in its detention facility that will offer real-time monitoring of detainees’ vital health metrics.
The stakes have been set for a bet between Vancouver and Edmonton's mayors on who will win Round 2 of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
A grieving mother is hosting a helmet drive in the hopes of protecting children on Manitoba First Nations from a similar tragedy that killed her daughter.
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
A P.E.I. lighthouse and a New Brunswick river are being honoured in a Canada Post series.