Health experts say COVID-19 Omicron variant requires incredibly urgent response

Health experts in Ontario are warning that the Omicron variant is an incredible threat as Canada hit a grim milestone of more than 30,000 COVID-19 deaths during the pandemic.

Dr. Adalsteinn Brown, co-chair of Ontario’s science table, says public health measures must cut contacts by 50 per cent if the province is to avoid having 10,000 daily cases before Christmas.

The province is reporting 2,421 new cases today – its highest since mid-May.

Brown says Omicron is dramatically more transmissible than any other COVID-19 variant and requires an incredibly urgent response, including a “circuit breaker.”

Health officials across the country are weighing additional measures to deal with the Omicron threat as infections significantly rise ahead of the holiday season.

Premier Francois Legault is scheduled to announce new measures in Quebec, which is reporting 2,736 new daily infections — its highest tally in 11 months.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 16, 2021. 

The Canadian Press