Global National: Feb. 17, 2021 | New coronavirus variants gaining ground across Canada

There’s a good news, bad news scenario playing out in Canada right now. The good news: Canada is making progress reducing the spread of the coronavirus. After peaking at nearly 8,000 new cases in January, infections have now fallen to below 3,000 per day. The bad news: highly-contagious new variants are gaining ground and have been detected in all 10 provinces.

In the span of two weeks, the number of active cases in N.L. has jumped from 14 to 338 with 44 new cases confirmed Wednesday. It’s believed the spike has been driven by the U.K. variant. As Ross Lord reports, the outbreak is having ripple effects across the province.

There is still lots of uncertainty about how the variants impact children and are transmitted inside schools. Students in parts of Ontario have recently returned to classrooms, and in Alberta, school has been in session for weeks and now nine of them are reporting a variant first discovered in the U.K. Heather Yourex-West looks at what it could mean in the weeks ahead.

Scientists are learning about these new variants in real-time and though there is much uncertainty, some evidence is emerging that two of them have combined to form a mutated hybrid. It’s not known if this hybrid poses a bigger threat, but as Eric Sorensen reports, it is a sign the virus is keeping a step ahead of us.

Prince Phillip, the 99-year-old husband of the Queen is in the hospital tonight. The palace says it’s not an emergency situation and he was admitted as a pre-caution. Crystal Goomansingh has the latest developments.

In parts of Texas the power is still off as that deadly deep freeze holds its grip. Tonight, nearly three million homes are without power and without heat. Makeshift shelters have been set-up to keep people warm. As Jackson Proskow reports, with no clue when rolling blackouts could be over, there could be more cold nights ahead.

The deep freeze in Texas is terribly hard on people of course, but wildlife is suffering too. Sea turtles are a federally protected and endangered species and the beaches on the Gulf of Mexico are a key breeding ground for them. As Mike Drolet reports, right now thousands of them need human help to survive.

#GlobalNews #COVID #CoronavirusVariants

[bolnol]

How can they know there's "new variants" when they didn't even isolate the first one?

[robinm]

Ah, the "new variants."
The UK one is especially nefarious. There have been cases where victims developed a thick Cockney accent, bad teeth and a profound hankering for tea and crumpets! Diabolical little variant!

Seriously though, this dystopian nightmare is NEVER going to end. They'll just keep conjuring up "new variants" to keep it afloat forever.

"Two weeks to flatten the curve"

has turned into
"However long it takes to flatten the middle class."

[XxkaradonnellyxX]

My heart goes out to everyone suffering in Texas 😭💕

[betterbodiesu]

What is happening to peoples mental health that a crisis that going to be an even bigger concern over time . As a person who worked in 2020 and still is everyday day going to work is not easy . But I'm glad to be living in Canada hope my tax dollars go's to those who need it most.

[TM-frgh]

Wait, so the guy walking to raise money for covid took a vacation to Barbados in December? Lmfao what hahaha

[ksquadggoals]

don't let this video take away from the fact that mr.krabs sold SpongeBob's soul for 62 cents.

[mikefernandez]

Mr. Trudeau need vaccine Lockdown is not the solution

[joemacdonald]

Once again, more and more covid-19 variants keep on conveniently popping up...

[Kaje]

But if cases are down, who cares if the variant is gaining ground? I’m not a doctor, but isn’t in a viruses nature to mutate? Shouldn’t this have been assumed to happen?

[mikepolo]

Cases still plummeting...’release the kraken variant news’

[whitecapmadness]

California - lockdowns
Florida - no lockdowns
And, which state, with the oldest population is better off?

[isabellind]

Toronto's Medical Officer of Health is just doom & gloom...holy crap!

[Voldamares]

Elon Musk comes to the rescue. Good way to end an otherwise dismal program.

[vancouverviking]

No Anxiety at all!
My Anxiety is there is still no jobs.
Cus of Trudeau and our joke of a government!
Do your job Global!!🤬

[kittyfan]

sorry, the UK variant was in Italy months before it was in the UK. The Brits just discovered it. Even the USA didn't bother to do DNA testing to discover variants. Only the UK and S Africa did. There were 33 variants in the first 2 mos. There are now over 4, 000 variants

[XXLSSBBW]

This is the problem with a lie. Once you start you can't stop. It just keeps getting bigger and bigger.

[goodpott]

Control air traffic. Refused to do this for 10 months

[stev]

A vaccine for an unknown variant Please explain how this is possible

[tapway]

hey global play that clip of biden at the town hall where he says to the little girl " you won't be exposed to something and spread it to mommy and daddy" 😄

[supercatalyst]

make town bon fires, giant fires in city centers, God loves it!