Based on how Omicron is spreading and affecting hospitalization rates, an infectious diseases specialist says the COVID-19 pandemic could begin pivoting to an endemic status in higher-income countries by early spring.
“The Omicron surge will probably drive us fully into endemicity, where our death rates from COVID are low, where our hospitalizations are low. But it's going to take past the Omicron surge,” Dr. Monica Gandhi, an infectious disease specialist at University of California, San Francisco, told CTVNews.ca in a video interview on Tuesday.
Gandhi said it’s far too early to suggest there’s currently a transition from pandemic to endemic – which is defined as when a disease is regularly found among particular people or in a certain area.
But she suggested that the transition could begin in late February to early March, at least for higher-income countries such as Canada. That will rely heavily on whether hospitalizations drop.
Gandhi said the transition towards endemic would still involve people wearing masks, but potentially a loosening of mask requirements in some instances and a larger emphasis on proper ventilation in enclosed spaces.
Watch her full breakdown in the video above.
As Ukraine marked its third Easter at war, Russia on Sunday launched a barrage of drones concentrated in Ukraine's east, wounding more than a dozen people, and claimed its troops took control of a village they had been targeting.
Sheldon Keefe told his players hockey history would remember them one way or another.
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A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
A gag order bars Trump from commenting publicly on witnesses, jurors and some others connected to the matter. The New York judge already has found that Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for president, repeatedly violated the order, fined him US$9,000 and warning that jail could follow if he doesn't comply.
Three bodies recovered in an area of Baja California are likely to be those of the two Australians and an American who went missing last weekend during a camping and surfing trip, the state prosecutor’s office said Saturday.
Amid scientists' warnings that nations need to transition away from fossil fuels to limit climate change, Canadians are still lukewarm on electric vehicles, according to a study conducted by Nanos Research for CTV News.
How legitimate are claims by some content creators that the average person can earn passive income from social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram? Personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says it's quite possible, if you're willing to put in the initial time and effort.
Madonna put on a free concert on Copacabana beach Saturday night, turning Rio de Janeiro's vast stretch of sand into an enormous dance floor teeming with a multitude of her fans.
The premiers of British Columbia and Alberta are joining in on the fun as hockey fans gear up for Round 2 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Princess Anne paid tribute to veterans buried at a cemetery in British Columbia today, laying a wreath to honour the more than 2,500 military personnel and family members buried there.
A lockout notice issued by WestJet to a union representing aircraft maintenance engineers could result in a work stoppage next week.
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
Models in uniquely designed red dresses are taking to the runway in British Columbia this weekend to make a powerful fashion statement about missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people.
King Charles III's decision to be open about his cancer diagnosis has helped the new monarch connect with the people of Britain and strengthened the monarchy in the year since his dazzling coronation at Westminster Abbey.
Protesters left a pro-Palestinian encampment at the University of Southern California early Sunday after they were surrounded by police and told they could face arrest if they didn’t go.
A gag order bars Trump from commenting publicly on witnesses, jurors and some others connected to the matter. The New York judge already has found that Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for president, repeatedly violated the order, fined him US$9,000 and warning that jail could follow if he doesn't comply.
Heavy rains in the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul killed 37 people, with another 74 still missing, the state civil defence agency said Friday, as record-breaking floods devastated cities and forced thousands to leave their homes.
Three bodies recovered in an area of Baja California are likely to be those of the two Australians and an American who went missing last weekend during a camping and surfing trip, the state prosecutor’s office said Saturday.
A well-known British Palestinian surgeon who volunteered in Gaza hospitals said he was denied entry to France on Saturday to speak at a French Senate meeting about the Israel-Hamas war.
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc insists he's not planning a leadership campaign to head the Liberal party, should current leader and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau resign, seemingly quashing rumours he's planning to make a move for his boss' job.
Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem navigates a political minefield every time he testifies before the House of Commons finance committee.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is telling business leaders to fight their own battles when it comes to the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation.
A group of lawyers has written what they call a groundbreaking book about how mental health is perceived in the legal profession.
A U.S. farmworker who caught bird flu after working with dairy cattle in Texas appears to be the first known case of mammal-to-human transmission of the virus, a new study shows.
Black youth in Canada face multiple barriers in getting access to mental health services — and health-care providers can make the situation more difficult, experts say.
Warren Buffett cautioned the tens of thousands of shareholders who packed an arena for his annual meeting that artificial intelligence scams could become "the growth industry of all time."
Almost a week after all London Drugs stores across Western Canada abruptly closed amid a cyberattack, they began a "gradual reopening" on Saturday.
It’s the first flight of Boeing’s Starliner capsule with a crew on board, a pair of NASA pilots who will check out the spacecraft during the test drive and a weeklong stay at the space station.
The Montreal-born actor, famed for his portrayal of Captain Kirk in "Star Trek," says he is open to reprising the iconic role in the sci-fi franchise as long as the storytelling is stellar.
Madonna put on a free concert on Copacabana beach Saturday night, turning Rio de Janeiro's vast stretch of sand into an enormous dance floor teeming with a multitude of her fans.
The adorable trio of child actors from the 1993 classic comedy 'Mrs. Doubtfire,' which starred the late and great Robin Williams, are all grown up and looking back on their seminal time together.
One of the organizers of a month-long boycott of Loblaw-owned stores says she met with the grocer's president and CEO Per Bank on Thursday afternoon.
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Ontario is set to clamp down on bad employers with big fines. Labour Minister David Piccini says his government will introduce legislation next week that will see fines increased for violations of the Employment Standards Act.
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In particular, messages that involve phishing — an attack where a scammer tries to trick the recipient into clicking a malicious link, downloading malware or sharing sensitive information — are on the rise.
A zebra that has been hoofing through the foothills of western Washington for days was recaptured Friday evening, nearly a week after she escaped with three other zebras from a trailer near Seattle.
Sheldon Keefe told his players hockey history would remember them one way or another.
Mystik Dan won the 150th Kentucky Derby in a photo finish, edging out Forever Young and Sierra Leone for the upset victory.
Italian star Federico Bernardeschi ended a lengthy scoreless drought with a pair of goals and added an assist Saturday to help Toronto FC defeat FC Dallas 3-1 in MLS play, extending TFC's winning streak to four games in all competitions.
Drivers in Saskatchewan will now lose their licence for a week and their vehicle for a month if they are caught committing certain high-speed and dangerous offences on the road.
Auto sales last month totalled 164,000 units, higher than April 2023, which was the weakest month for sales last year.
Rolls-Royce is vastly expanding its factory in Chichester, England. The BMW subsidiary is adding five new buildings with construction planned to start next year.
Alberta Ballet's double-bill production of 'Der Wolf' and 'The Rite of Spring' marks not only its final show of the season, but the last production for twin sisters Alexandra and Jennifer Gibson.
A British Columbia mayor has been censured by city council – stripping him of his travel and lobbying budgets and removing him from city committees – for allegedly distributing a book that questions the history of Indigenous residential schools in Canada.
Three men in Quebec from the same family have fathered more than 600 children.
A group of SaskPower workers recently received special recognition at the legislature – for their efforts in repairing one of Saskatchewan's largest power plants after it was knocked offline for months following a serious flood last summer.
A police officer on Montreal's South Shore anonymously donated a kidney that wound up drastically changing the life of a schoolteacher living on dialysis.
Since 1932, Montreal's Henri Henri has been filled to the brim with every possible kind of hat, from newsboy caps to feathered fedoras.
Police in Oak Bay, B.C., had to close a stretch of road Sunday to help an elephant seal named Emerson get safely back into the water.
Out of more than 9,000 entries from over 2,000 breweries in 50 countries, a handful of B.C. brews landed on the podium at the World Beer Cup this week.
Raneem, 10, lives with a neurological condition and liver disease and needs Cholbam, a medication, for a longer and healthier life.
Almost a week after all London Drugs stores across Western Canada abruptly closed amid a cyberattack, they began a "gradual reopening" on Saturday.
Homicide investigators have been called to Mission, B.C., after a man died Friday night.
Crews are working a wildfire burning out of control roughly 90 kilometres west of Williams Lake in B.C.’s Central Interior on Saturday.
Sheldon Keefe told his players hockey history would remember them one way or another.
Drivers in Toronto may have to navigate multiple road closures this weekend as a result of construction, special events and filming.
In particular, messages that involve phishing — an attack where a scammer tries to trick the recipient into clicking a malicious link, downloading malware or sharing sensitive information — are on the rise.
Emergency crews are on scene of a serious collision on Highway 7 at 32 Street East in Okotoks.
A lockout notice issued by WestJet to a union representing aircraft maintenance engineers could result in a work stoppage next week.
Proposed voter ID restrictions will stop many Albertans from participating in local elections and are a sign of growing threats to "core democratic values" in the province, says University of Alberta political scientist Jared Wesley.
Slightly lower temperatures and rain showers are in the forecast for Ottawa This Sunday.
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Photographers will tell you that one of the best times to capture incredible images is just after sunrise or right before sunset. That time is known as the golden hour. It's the light that starts each day, offering hope and wonder about the day ahead. Griffin Bell exemplified that hope and light in a way that few others ever will.
A Montreal man is warning Tesla drivers about using the Smart Summon feature after his vehicle hit another in a parking lot.
Three people died Saturday evening in a collision on Route 108 near Bury, in Quebec's Eastern Townships. Emergency services were called at around 10:15 p.m. Saturday to report a collision involving two vehicles.
The Montreal-born actor, famed for his portrayal of Captain Kirk in "Star Trek," says he is open to reprising the iconic role in the sci-fi franchise as long as the storytelling is stellar.
RCMP closed a stretch of Highway 21 near New Sarepta on Saturday afternoon after a serious crash involving two motorcycles.
A man is dead after an assault Friday morning near Alberta Avenue.
Proposed voter ID restrictions will stop many Albertans from participating in local elections and are a sign of growing threats to "core democratic values" in the province, says University of Alberta political scientist Jared Wesley.
The Halifax Regional Police say they are currently on scene at the Halifax Tower Hotel on Lakelands Boulevard for a weapons related incident.
Nova Scotia's NDP leader announced a program aimed at easing the cost of housing during a rousing campaign-style speech before the party's annual convention in Halifax today.
A 15-year-old boy, from the Bathurst region, has died following an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) collision in Beresford, N.B.
Police are investigating after a pedestrian was hit by a vehicle outside a convenience store in Winnipeg’s St. Vital neighbourhood early Saturday morning.
Almost a week after all London Drugs stores across Western Canada abruptly closed amid a cyberattack, they began a "gradual reopening" on Saturday.
A 15-year-old boy from Lake St. Martin First Nation has been charged with second-degree murder after a fatal shooting earlier this week.
Baton twirlers from across the province competed in Regina over the weekend, trying to qualify for a spot to compete at the Canadian Championships in Oshawa Ont., in July.
A plane bound for Juno Beach in France took off from the Prairies on Friday with a piece of military history.
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
May 17, 1974 started off like any other sunny spring day, but it very quickly turned into a day of disaster.
More than 100 teachers at the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) are learning they have been declared surplus will likely be out of a job as of Aug. 12.
People living in Puslinch, Ont. may have the answer to why their water smelled so bad last year.
A 57-year-old man from Naicam has been charged with second-degree murder following the death of an 81-year-old man who succumbed to injuries sustained from an assault.
Eighty-two-year-old Susan Neufeldt and 90-year-old Ulrich Richter are no spring chickens, but their love blossomed over the weekend with their wedding at Pine View Manor just outside of Rosthern.
The WHL Eastern Conference Final between the Saskatoon Blades and Moose Jaw Warriors has been full of see-saw momentum shifts, heart-stopping moments, and overtime heroes. Game 5 had all of the above.
Shortly after 9 a.m. on May 3, Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) found human remains in a wooded area near Katrine, Ont.
In particular, messages that involve phishing — an attack where a scammer tries to trick the recipient into clicking a malicious link, downloading malware or sharing sensitive information — are on the rise.
Highway 101 East in Timmins is closed in both directions due to a single-vehicle crash.
To brighten your week with good news, CTV London Meteorologist Julie Atchison is showing us the sunny side of things.
Owen Sound police are reporting that the Gichi-name-wiikwedong Bridge has been vandalized, and a teen is facing charges.
Starting Monday, Talbot Street will be closed between John Street and Mill Street to allow for the removal of a tower crane.
With fire season just around the corner, the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) teamed up with local first responders in Wasaga Beach on Saturday to enhance their readiness in the event of a domestic emergency.
OPP is investigating an online gambling operation within Orillia High Schools.
A Bradford man has been arrested and charged with impaired driving on Highway 400.
In the few years since he became completely blind and lost both of his legs in back-to-back amputations, Michael Potter says he is used to people treating him differently — almost to the point of insulting.
Cloudy conditions make up most of this week’s forecast across Windsor-Essex.
In particular, messages that involve phishing — an attack where a scammer tries to trick the recipient into clicking a malicious link, downloading malware or sharing sensitive information — are on the rise.
Almost a week after all London Drugs stores across Western Canada abruptly closed amid a cyberattack, they began a "gradual reopening" on Saturday.
Princess Anne paid tribute to veterans buried at a cemetery in British Columbia today, laying a wreath to honour the more than 2,500 military personnel and family members buried there.
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Models in uniquely designed red dresses are taking to the runway in British Columbia this weekend to make a powerful fashion statement about missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people.
Out of more than 9,000 entries from over 2,000 breweries in 50 countries, a handful of B.C. brews landed on the podium at the World Beer Cup this week.
An emaciated dachshund is now recovering thanks to a Good Samaritan who found the pup near a biking trail in Kelowna, according to the BC SPCA.
Animal shelters across the province are finding themselves frequently at capacity -- or more.
Lethbridge police say impaired driving is to blame in a fatal crash that killed a 25-year-old man on Thursday.
The bell at Erle Rivers High School in Milk River, Alta., will ring for the last time on June 26, as the 114-year-old school is scheduled to be torn down to make way for a new K-12 school.
Ontario is set to clamp down on bad employers with big fines.
Ontario Provincial Police, in partnership with the Treaty Three Police Service, have charged a suspect with second degree murder following a homicide in a remote Indigenous northwestern Ontario community.
The de-rostering of thousands of patients at the Group Health Centre in Sault Ste. Marie was the centre of attention at a town hall Friday organized by the Algoma chapter of the Ontario Health Coalition.
A funeral is being held today for hockey broadcasting legend Bob Cole in his hometown of St. John's, N.L.
Richard Martin is spending this year's fishing season on land after he says a Royal Newfoundland Constabulary officer broke his left leg in three places during a protest last month that shut down the provincial legislature.
Tributes continue to pour in for Bob Cole as his family has confirmed a funeral will be held for the legendary broadcaster Friday in St. John's, N.L.
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