Physician expects new COVID-19 variants every few months: 'Whole world is a petri dish'
An emergency room physician in Toronto is warning that COVID-19 variants will continue to "mutate endlessly" as the Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5 are poised to become the dominant strains of the virus.
"The whole world's a petri dish," Dr. Kashif Pirzada told CTV News Channel on Thursday. "We're going to have these waves every two to three months."
Pirzada urged people who are gathering to consider using rapid tests before attending gatherings, and to hold any get-togethers outdoors, but also urged Canadian governments to take action ahead of a rise in cases.
"We really need to change strategy."
Watch the full interview by clicking the video at the top of this article.
COVID-19 COVERAGE
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Ontario doctor alleged to have killed 4 people around same date in 2021: documents
Court documents allege an eastern Ontario doctor killed four people around the same date in 2021.
Freedom Convoy-affiliated group refusing to leave Ottawa church after eviction notice
Members of a Freedom Convoy-affiliated group remain at an Ottawa church one day after the owner of the historic property moved to evict them over unpaid rent.
Retailers sitting on 'mountains' of excess inventory in need of liquidation: expert
Consumer behaviour, a looming recession and the reactions of retailers to pandemic-driven supply chain issues are combining to drive a liquidation renaissance, according to one business advisor and retail futurist who spoke with CTVNews.ca.
Michelle O'Bonsawin named as Canada's first Indigenous Supreme Court justice
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau nominated Ontario judge Michelle O'Bonsawin to the Supreme Court of Canada on Friday. She is the first Indigenous person chosen to sit on Canada's top court and the appointment is being celebrated as filling an important role at the highest level of the country's justice system.
Plane fails to descend as pilots reportedly fell asleep during flight
Two pilots are believed to have fallen asleep and missed their landing during a flight from Sudan to Ethiopia on Monday, according to a report by commercial aviation news site Aviation Herald.
Sale of Ottawa church to 'Freedom Convoy'-affiliated group falls through, but leader says deal is still on
The current purchase of a historic Ottawa church slated to become an 'embassy' for a group affiliated with the Freedom Convoy has fallen through, according to documents obtained by CTV News. But The United People of Canada director said it was his understanding the deal was still in place.
Calgary man convicted in multimillion dollar Ponzi scheme sentenced to 10 years
A Calgary man who bilked his clients out of millions of dollars in a Ponzi scheme has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for what the judge called a deliberate and large-scale fraud.
A child has died of brain-eating amoeba after swimming in a U.S. river
Federal health officials confirmed Friday that a Nebraska child died from a rare infection caused by a brain-eating amoeba after swimming in a river near Omaha.
Transport minister says COVID-19 to blame for airport delays, flight cancellations
Transport Minister Omar Alghabra told the House of Commons transport committee the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting labour shortages are to blame for the significant wait times at Canadian airports, and said the ArriveCAN app is here to stay.
Canada
-
Sale of Ottawa church to 'Freedom Convoy'-affiliated group falls through, but leader says deal is still on
The current purchase of a historic Ottawa church slated to become an 'embassy' for a group affiliated with the Freedom Convoy has fallen through, according to documents obtained by CTV News. But The United People of Canada director said it was his understanding the deal was still in place.
-
Calgary man convicted in multimillion dollar Ponzi scheme sentenced to 10 years
A Calgary man who bilked his clients out of millions of dollars in a Ponzi scheme has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for what the judge called a deliberate and large-scale fraud.
-
Ontario doctor alleged to have killed 4 people around same date in 2021: documents
Court documents allege an eastern Ontario doctor killed four people around the same date in 2021.
-
Northern lights expected across Canada this weekend: NOAA
Canadians across the country have a shot at seeing the northern lights this weekend thanks to a series of solar flares and storms over the past few days, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
-
Freedom Convoy-affiliated group refusing to leave Ottawa church after eviction notice
Members of a Freedom Convoy-affiliated group remain at an Ottawa church one day after the owner of the historic property moved to evict them over unpaid rent.
-
Pfizer booster approved for children aged 5-11 by Health Canada
Chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam says Health Canada is authorizing a booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children between five and 11 years old.
World
-
Plane fails to descend as pilots reportedly fell asleep during flight
Two pilots are believed to have fallen asleep and missed their landing during a flight from Sudan to Ethiopia on Monday, according to a report by commercial aviation news site Aviation Herald.
-
Finland PM Sanna Marin takes drugs test after party video causes stir
Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin said on Friday she had taken a drugs test following the publication of video footage this week that showed her partying with friends, and vowed she had never used illegal drugs.
-
Nicaraguan police detain bishop, other priests in raid
Nicaraguan police raided the residence of a Roman Catholic bishop critical of President Daniel Ortega's administration, detaining him and several other priests in an escalation of tensions between the church and a government increasingly intolerant of dissent.
-
Man accused of trying to kill Salman Rushdie denied bail
A judge refused to grant bail Thursday to the man accused of trying to kill Salman Rushdie as the acclaimed author prepared to give a talk in western New York.
-
Immigrant gets 38 years in prison for fatal Arizona robbery
A Mexican immigrant was sentenced to 38 years in prison for killing an Arizona convenience store clerk during a 2015 robbery that was cited by former president Donald Trump and other Republicans in complaints about immigrants who commit crimes while in the U.S. illegally.
-
Divided UN council down to wire on Taliban travel exemptions
The divided UN Security Council was scrambling to reach agreement on whether to extend travel exemptions for 13 Taliban officials now ruling Afghanistan that are set to expire at midnight Friday.
Politics
-
Transport minister says COVID-19 to blame for airport delays, flight cancellations
Transport Minister Omar Alghabra told the House of Commons transport committee the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting labour shortages are to blame for the significant wait times at Canadian airports, and said the ArriveCAN app is here to stay.
-
Michelle O'Bonsawin named as Canada's first Indigenous Supreme Court justice
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau nominated Ontario judge Michelle O'Bonsawin to the Supreme Court of Canada on Friday. She is the first Indigenous person chosen to sit on Canada's top court and the appointment is being celebrated as filling an important role at the highest level of the country's justice system.
-
Canada-German energy agreement to focus on long-term energy planning: Trudeau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is hinting that an energy pact planned between Canada and Germany will focus more on Canada's aim to be a long-term clean energy supplier to the world.
Health
-
Pfizer booster approved for children aged 5-11 by Health Canada
Chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam says Health Canada is authorizing a booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children between five and 11 years old.
-
A child has died of brain-eating amoeba after swimming in a U.S. river
Federal health officials confirmed Friday that a Nebraska child died from a rare infection caused by a brain-eating amoeba after swimming in a river near Omaha.
-
Long COVID risk extends two years after infection. Here's how to assess your risk
A new study has found an increased risk of certain long COVID-19 symptoms up to two years after an original infection.
Sci-Tech
-
Medieval monks were 'riddled' with worms, study finds
When we think of medieval friars, we may well picture Robin Hood's jolly Friar Tuck, known for his rotund figure and love of food and drink.
-
Northern lights expected across Canada this weekend: NOAA
Canadians across the country have a shot at seeing the northern lights this weekend thanks to a series of solar flares and storms over the past few days, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
-
Amazon testing TikTok-style feed on its app, AI firm says
Amazon appears to be getting the TikTok bug, joining other companies seeking to hold consumers' attention by introducing replicas of the popular social platform.
Entertainment
-
Movie reviews: 'Beast' is not an ambitious film, but it doesn't have to be
This week, pop culture critic Richard Crouse reviews new movies: 'Beast,' 'Orphan: First Kill,' 'Sharp Stick,' 'Day Shift' and 'Carmen.'
-
Witness about R. Kelly: I didn't want to 'carry his lies'
A woman who says she was sexually abused hundreds of times by R. Kelly as a minor testified Friday that she agonized several years ago about whether to co-operate with federal investigators who were looking into child abuse allegations involving the singer, but she ultimately did because she didn't want to 'carry his lies.'
-
Jonah Hill is taking a break from promoting films because of anxiety attacks
Actor and filmmaker Jonah Hill is stepping back from promoting his films, including his debut documentary, due to anxiety attacks.
Business
-
China jails Canadian tycoon for 13 years for finance crimes
A Chinese-born Canadian tycoon who disappeared from Hong Kong in 2017 was sentenced Friday to 13 years in prison for a multibillion-dollar string of financial offenses and his company was fined US$8.1 billion, a court announced.
-
Retailers sitting on 'mountains' of excess inventory in need of liquidation: expert
Consumer behaviour, a looming recession and the reactions of retailers to pandemic-driven supply chain issues are combining to drive a liquidation renaissance, according to one business advisor and retail futurist who spoke with CTVNews.ca.
-
Purchases at government-run liquor stores limited during BCGEU strike action
Shoppers at government-run British Columbia liquor stores will see purchase limits starting Friday amid a major union's ongoing job action.
Lifestyle
-
Couples are swapping out natural diamonds in rings for larger, cheaper lab-made ones
Lab-grown diamonds have become so popular with consumers that some couples are asking jewelers to swap the natural diamond in their rings for a lab-created sparkler.
-
TikToker puts restaurants, bars to the test over wheelchair accessibility
A Toronto-based disability advocate is using the power of TikTok to raise awareness over the lack of wheelchair accessibility at many restaurants and bars.
-
Secret Ontario bike park demolished by city reopens as oasis for mountain bikers
Two years after a secret bike park deep in an Ontario forest was discovered and later demolished, new dirt jumps are opening just a stone's throw away.
Sports
-
Auger-Aliassime moves on to quarters with comeback win over Sinner, Shapovalov ousted
Felix Auger-Aliassime earned a berth into the quarterfinals Thursday with a comeback win over Jannik Sinner at the Western & Southern Open Masters-level tennis tournament.
-
Vanessa Bryant testifies that she suffers panic attacks, anxiety since learning of shared crash scene photos
Vanessa Bryant, widow of NBA legend Kobe Bryant, broke down at times Friday as she testified that she experiences panic attacks and anxiety over the possibility of seeing photos from the 2020 helicopter crash that killed her husband, their teenage daughter and seven others.
-
Browns QB Deshaun Watson settles for 11-game suspension
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson will serve an 11-game unpaid suspension, pay a US$5 million fine and undergo professional evaluation and treatment as part of a settlement with the NFL following accusations of sexual misconduct by two dozen women.
Autos
-
Bugatti reveals its last gas-only car it hopes will be the world's fastest convertible
Bugatti has unveiled what the French automaker hopes will be the world's fastest convertible. The 1,600-horsepower, $5 million W16 Mistral is, essentially, an open-topped version of the Bugatti Chiron supercar, though there are major design differences.
-
'Really demanding': Vancouver Island teen training to become Formula One racer
She may only have her learner’s licence, but that hasn’t held a 16-year-old Comox Valley, B.C., teen back from working towards her goal of being a professional driver. Nicole Haverda got the green light on her desire to be a professional race car driver four years ago when her father took her to a Formula One race in Europe.
-
GM recalls 484K big SUVs in U.S. to fix problem third-row seat belts
General Motors is recalling more than 484,000 large SUVs in the U.S. to fix a problem that can cause the third-row seat belts to malfunction.
