Trudeau repeats ceasefire call but doesn't condemn Israel sending troops into Lebanon
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pleaded for peace in the Middle East Saturday, as he decried a civilian death toll he blamed on Hamas, Hezbollah and Israel.
A sexually transmitted infection (STI) that was once thought to be a thing of the past is now a public health priority for North American doctors.
Syphilis cases skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new report from the (WHO).
Between 2020 and 2022, new cases of syphilis increased by 30 per cent in people ages 15 to 49 in the Americas, the WHO report indicated.
The infections recorded in North and South America in 2022 made up 42 per cent of all new cases worldwide with a rate of 6.5 cases per 1,000 people.
"There are multiple factors that have probably gotten together and caused this surge," said Monica Alonso, the unit chief for STIs at the Pan American Health Organization.
Health professionals point to factors such as a lack of awareness, low testing rates, barriers to health care, stigma and an increase in substance use.
Julian Wotherspoon, the executive director of Planned Parenthood in Regina, said one of the biggest challenges is getting STI test numbers back to pre-pandemic levels after COVID-19 prevented many patients from seeking care.
"It's not like we don't know how to identify or treat syphilis. It's that we're having trouble controlling those numbers," Wotherspoon said.
Saskatchewan posts the highest rate of syphilis cases among the Canadian provinces at 186.6 cases per 100,000, according to data from the Government of Canada. The national average rate is 36.1.
"It鈥檚 like a really bad car crash that we鈥檙e all just watching and knowing that we can prevent it," said Amanda Dela Cruz, a licensed practical nurse with Planned Parenthood Regina.
Syphilis can be diagnosed with a simple blood test. However, Dela Cruz calls syphilis "the great imitator" because it often presents symptoms common with other infections or does not show symptoms at all, which makes it difficult to self-diagnose.
If caught early, syphilis in adults is typically treated with penicillin, Dela Cruz said. But treatment becomes more "invasive" if the infection is transmitted to babies.
"The most devastating effect of syphilis in adults is congenital syphilis, which is the transmission from the mother to the fetus," Alonso said.
Because of surging syphilis cases, congenital syphilis is also on the rise. Cases in Canada jumped nearly 600 per cent from 2018 to 2022.
Dr. Jared Bullard, a paediatric infectious diseases professor at the University of Manitoba who studies congenital syphilis, said most of those cases are coming from the Prairie provinces and the territories.
However, B.C., Ontario and Quebec are starting to see an increase as well.
Bullard called the surge "significant" especially considering provinces like Manitoba went decades without recording a single case of congenital syphilis from 1977 to 2015.
"We didn't really see syphilis for decades," Bullard said.
"There's a lot of physicians and health care providers who don't really know what congenital syphilis looks like. So it's important to educate them.鈥
Congenital syphilis can lead to miscarriages, stillbirths and developmental issues for the baby.
Experts say pre-natal care and routine testing should be a top priority to reduce transmission.
The Canadian Paediatric Society has set out congenital syphilis guidelines on how to investigate and treat infant patients.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pleaded for peace in the Middle East Saturday, as he decried a civilian death toll he blamed on Hamas, Hezbollah and Israel.
New data raises questions about the drinks people consume and the potential risks associated with them, according to researchers at Galway University in Ireland, in partnership with Hamilton鈥檚 McMaster University.
Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard has been found not guilty of sexually assaulting a young woman in northeastern Ontario eight years ago. The former Hedley frontman had pleaded not guilty to sexual assault.
Former U.S. president Donald Trump plans to return Saturday to the site where a gunman tried to assassinate him in July, setting aside what are now near-constant worries for his physical safety in order to fulfill a promise 鈥 'really an obligation,' he said recently 鈥 to the people of Butler, Pa.
Dubai's Emirates airline has banned pagers and walkie-talkies from its planes, following last month's attacks on such devices carried by the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.
Police have arrested a Toronto woman in connection with three recent homicides and investigators say that they believe two of the victims may have been 'randomly targeted.'
While America's southern border remains a hot button issue on the campaign trail, the result of the U.S. election in November could also impact the northern frontier with Canada, which remains the longest undefended border in the world.
TikToks of customers stuffing their faces with a US$20 endless shrimp. More than 100 restaurant closures and thousands of layoffs. A revolving door of CEOs. Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
The two people who died in a major fire in Old Montreal on Friday were a mother and her seven-year-old daughter, sources told Noovo Info.
Chantal Kreviazuk is set to return to Winnipeg to mark a major milestone in her illustrious musical career.
From the beaches of Cannes to the bustling streets of New York City, a new film by a trio of Manitoba directors has toured the international film festival circuit to much pomp and circumstance.
A husband and wife have been on the road trip of a lifetime and have decided to stop in Saskatchewan for the winter.
The grave of a previously unknown Canadian soldier has been identified as a man from Hayfield, Man. who fought in the First World War.
A group of classic car enthusiasts donated hundreds of blankets to nursing homes in Nova Scotia.
Moving into the second week of October, the eastern half of Canada can expect some brisker fall air to break down from the north
What does New Westminster's t蓹m蓹sew虛tx史 Aquatic and Community Centre have in common with a historic 68,000-seat stadium in Beijing, an NFL stadium and the aquatics venue for the Paris Olympics? They've all been named among the world's most beautiful sports venues for 2024.
The last living member of the legendary Vancouver Asahi baseball team, Kaye Kaminishi, died on Saturday, Sept. 28, surrounded by family. He was 102 years old.
New data from Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley shows a surge in supply and drop in demand in the region's historically hot real estate market.