Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) says it has detected more than 50 cases of a new Omicron subvariant known as BA.2.
In an emailed statement to CTVNews.ca on Wednesday, PHAC confirmed that 51 cases of the BA.2 subvariant have been reported in Canada, mainly from international travellers.
BA.2 is a descendant of the highly transmissible Omicron variant and has been found in at least 40 countries as of Wednesday, according to global coronavirus data sharing platform GISAID.
PHAC said it is monitoring BA.2, as it does with all new COVID-19 variants, and maintains that Canadians should continue to follow the advice of public health officials.
"While the impact of all variants continues to be monitored in Canada, the Government of Canada knows that vaccination, in combination with public health and individual measures, is key to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and its variants," PHAC said.
BA.2 was first detected in November 2021 and the U.K. designated it a "variant under investigation" on Friday, saying it could have a growth advantage.
While the World Health Organization (WHO) has not yet dubbed BA.2 a "variant of concern," it is tracking the sub-lineage's spread.
The Omicron variant, B.1.1.529, has four sub-lineages: BA.1, BA.1.1, BA.2 and BA.3.
The BA.2 sub-lineage is widely considered "stealthier" than the original version of Omicron because some of its genetic traits make it harder to detect. Some scientists say it could also be more contagious, however, they acknowledge there are still a lot of unknowns about the subvariant.
PHAC said BA.2 has "many similarities" to BA.1, but does exhibit some differences, including in mutations that may affect transmissibility, detection and possibly immune escape.
"There is very limited evidence at present to determine how impactful the differences between BA.1 and BA.2 may be, hence the ongoing efforts by PHAC scientists to monitor cases here in Canada and track developments internationally," PHAC said in the statement.
Infectious disease expert Dr. Isaac Bogoch said "significant degree of uncertainty" remains around BA.2, but the subvariant is worth keeping an eye on as more cases are reported around the world.
"We have a lot of BA.1 for example here in Canada, we also have BA.2. What's interesting is, in other jurisdictions, we're seeing growth of BA.2 whereas BA.1 might be on the downslope," Bogoch told CTV News Channel on Wednesday. "Again, something to keep an eye on for now."
Despite this, Bogoch said Canadians should not be concerned. He noted that the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines against BA.2 will likely be "very similar" to the BA.1 sub-lineage.
"It's not the same [as BA.1], it's probably a little bit more transmissible, but there's probably a lot of other similarities," Bogoch said.
"I think it's too soon to know exactly how this manifests and we need to learn more," he added.
With files from the Associated Press
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
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.
As the United States sets its first national limits on toxic forever chemicals in drinking water, researchers say Canada is lagging when it comes to regulations.
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
It took years for Vinnie Deluca to collect more than 400 cards worth of free McDonald's McCafe coffee, a collection that now has "zero value" after the company discontinued the program.
U.S. President Joe Biden will accept endorsements from at least 15 members of the Kennedy political family during a campaign stop in Philadelphia on Thursday as he aims to undermine Donald Trump and marginalize the candidacy of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.
New archeological investigations in Guatemala reveal that the ancient Maya people had a ritual of burning royal human remains as a public display of political regime change.
Mullett Arena buzzed like few times in the two years since the Arizona Coyotes moved in, the fans amped for one last desert hurrah.
When Les Robertson was walking home from the gym in North Vancouver's Lower Lonsdale neighbourhood three weeks ago, he did a double take. Standing near a burrow it had dug in a vacant lot near East 1st Street and St. Georges Avenue was a yellow-bellied marmot.
A moulting seal who was relocated after drawing daily crowds of onlookers in Greater Victoria has made a surprise return, after what officials described as an 'astonishing' six-day journey.
Just steps from Parliament Hill is a barber shop that for the last 100 years has catered to everyone from prime ministers to tourists.
A high score on a Foo Fighters pinball machine has Edmonton player Dave Formenti on a high.
A compound used to treat sour gas that's been linked to fertility issues in cattle has been found throughout groundwater in the Prairies, according to a new study.
While many people choose to keep their medical appointments private, four longtime friends decided to undergo vasectomies as a group in B.C.'s Lower Mainland.
A popular highway in Alberta's Banff National Park now has a 'no stopping zone' to help protect two bears.
B.C. resident Robert Conrad spent thousands of hours on Crown land developing an unusual bond with deer.
A Sudbury woman said her husband was bringing the recycling out to the curb Wednesday night when he had to make a 'mad dash' inside after seeing a bear.