By Canadian Press

The latest news on COVID-19 developments in Canada

Mar 16, 2021 | 9:39 AM

The latest developments in the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada on March 16, 2021 (all times eastern):

11:30 a.m.

Nova Scotia is reporting two new cases of COVID-19 today and confirming four more variant cases.

The new cases are in the Halifax area, with one a close contact of a previously reported case and the other under investigation.

Health officials say the National Microbiology Lab has also confirmed four new variant cases from previously identified cases — two more of the variant first detected in the United Kingdom and two more of the variant first identified in South Africa.

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This brings the total number of confirmed variant cases in the province to 23.

Nova Scotia currently has 17 active cases of COVID-19.

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11:15 a.m.

Ontario’s science advisers say the province is experiencing a third wave of COVID-19.

The Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table says that more transmissible virus variants of concern account for almost half of new cases and are driving growth.

The group, which gives independent advice and analysis to the province, says almost two thirds of Ontario’s public health units are now experiencing “exponential growth” of the virus.

The province’s top doctor said Monday that Ontario could be going into a third wave but the extent of it remains to be seen.

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11:10 a.m.

Quebec is reporting 561 new COVID-19 infections and eight more deaths attributed to the novel coronavirus, including three in the past 24 hours.

Health officials say hospitalizations dropped by 20, to 533, and 91 were in intensive care, a drop of five.

The province says it administered 28,861 vaccine doses Monday, for a total of 774,600, representing slightly more than 9 per cent of the population.

Premier François Legault is holding a media briefing this evening, when he is expected to announce changes to public health orders, including the nighttime curfew in Montreal.

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10:40 a.m.

Ontario says there are 1,074 new cases of COVID-19 in the province today and 11 more deaths linked to the virus.

Health Minister Christine Elliott says that 313 of those new cases are in Toronto, 199 are in Peel Region and 101 are in York Region.

More than 51,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in Ontario since Monday’s update.

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10 a.m.

The National Advisory Committee on Immunization says there is now enough “real-world evidence” to show the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine is both safe and effective for seniors.

The decision reverses a recommendation made by the body on March 1, when the panel of vaccine experts said AstraZeneca hadn’t included enough people over the age of 65 in its clinical trials.

NACI chair Dr. Caroline Quach said Tuesday that two studies of patients who received the vaccine in the United Kingdom have been released since then and show the AstraZeneca vaccine is both safe and effective for seniors, particularly against severe disease and hospitalization.

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

The Canadian Press