Health

Health Canada reported influenza test positivity peaked near 33% over the holidays and declined to about 27% by the week ending Jan. 3, with overall activity described as high but stable or decreasing.

An American woman died after a reported shark bite while snorkeling at Dorsch Beach in St. Croix on Jan. 8; authorities say the investigation is ongoing.

A BMJ review of clinical trials and observational studies found that people who stopped GLP‑1 and other prescription weight‑loss drugs regained about 4.8 kg (10 lb) in the first year and modelling suggested diabetes and heart‑disease risk markers could return to pre‑treatment levels within two years.

Princess Kate was visibly emotional during a recent hospital visit and acknowledged patients' long treatment stays; she announced in March 2024 that she has an undisclosed cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy.

London Drugs will close its Woodward's store at 150-351 Abbott Street effective Feb. 1, 2026, citing persistent safety incidents and sustained operating losses; the company says it will offer staff transfers and assist with prescription transfers.

New estimates for 2019, 2020 and 2023 show HALE at birth fell to 66.9 years in 2023, about two years lower than in 2019 and 2020, while HALE at age 65 remained near 15.3 years. The decline at birth reverses gains seen after 2000 and varies by sex, income and province.

Red Deer Public Library reports more people experiencing homelessness using its branches and has shifted hiring priorities and staff training to better serve the public. Provincial and city officials have announced shelter funding and short-term warming supports, and the city has issued a request for proposals for a permanent shelter operator.

Toronto hospitals report a rise in older patients admitted with influenza; people 65+ accounted for nearly 32% of detections for the week of Dec. 20 and made up 72% of influenza admissions at Sunnybrook.

The province plans to deregulate prescribing, compounding and dispensing of traditional Chinese herbal medicine when the Health Professions and Occupations Act takes effect in April, and patients and licensed practitioners have expressed concern. Licensed practitioners held a news conference and staged a rally in Vancouver to oppose the change.

A B.C. judge found Denise Angela Norris fit to stand trial on a charge of reckless discharge of a firearm despite Crown arguments about psychosis with religious delusions; her next court appearance is a bail hearing set for Jan. 12, 2026.

Folic acid (vitamin B9) is essential for early cell and fetal development and deficiency is linked to neural tube defects; fortification and supplementation programs have reduced those risks.

Researchers reported microplastics were found accumulating in human brains, with samples from 2024 showing higher concentrations than samples from 2016 and analyses back to 1997 indicating newer samples had more microplastics.

The U.S. reported 2,144 confirmed measles cases in 2025, the highest total since 1992, and three deaths were recorded.

Health Canada requires black-and-white front-of-package labels with a magnifying-glass icon to identify foods high in sugar, saturated fat or sodium, a rule that came into force on July 20, 2022 after a long transition period.

A BMJ review found people who stopped GLP-1 weight-loss medications regained weight faster than those who stopped diet or exercise programs, averaging about 0.4 kg per month and roughly 10 kg in the first year.

A McGill University study reporting data from 2014–2024 found that crime reports within 400 metres of nine overdose prevention and supervised consumption sites in Toronto stayed the same or declined; break-and-enters rose briefly after openings but then fell over time.

Israel announced it will bar entry to foreign medical and humanitarian staff from certain NGOs unless those organizations register employee details and meet new rules. Some groups are weighing whether to submit names after several reported their international staff were refused entry this week.

A CBC personal essay recounts how the author's mother warned her about menopause, and how the author later experienced perimenopausal anxiety and other symptoms.

The 2025–2030 U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend more whole foods and higher protein intake, and advise limiting highly processed foods and added sugars.

UBC researchers report a reliable laboratory method to produce human helper T cells from stem cells by tuning the Notch developmental signal, and the lab-grown cells showed mature markers and diverse immune receptors.

Emergent BioSolutions and PANTHER have agreed to provide additional funding to continue the Africa CDC-led Mpox Study in Africa (MOSA), and an independent monitoring board reported no safety concerns after reviewing the first 50 randomized patients.

A Saskatoon retiree may have to choose between social housing that bans pets and keeping her cat, while local rescues report many owners surrender animals because of rental rules and fees.

U.S. health officials recently recommended broader access to at-home HPV self-testing, while Canada currently has limited availability with British Columbia running a provincial self-screening program and other provinces conducting pilots.

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. unveiled a MAHA food pyramid that emphasizes proteins and vegetables over grains, and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said the administration intends to use nutrition program spending and SNAP changes to support the new guidance.

The Émergence Foundation plans to train 10,000 people to make seniors residences in Quebec more inclusive and safer for LGBTQ+ older adults and has already trained more than 3,000 staff. A 2025 Léger survey found one-quarter of LGBTQ+ respondents in Quebec seniors residences said they hid their sexual or gender identities from staff or other residents.

Montreal Children's Hospital says people in its pediatric emergency department on Jan. 1 between 12:18 p.m. and 11:01 p.m. may have been exposed to measles; the incubation period is reported as Jan. 6–22.

A Fredericton researcher has launched a six-week, phone-based pilot called Connections to reduce loneliness among seniors; Statistics Canada reports mood disorders among people 65 and older rose about 40% between 2015 and 2023.

A study of more than 35,000 aircraft water samples found 2.7% tested positive for coliform bacteria; researchers reported some airlines carried potentially unsafe water and advised avoiding onboard tap water for drinking or handwashing.

A small European study reports that older adults with type 2 diabetes who spent time in naturally lit rooms had more hours per day with blood glucose in the normal range and showed improved metabolic profiles; participants spent 4.5 days in specially designed living spaces at Maastricht University.

Manitoba pharmacare claims for Ozempic rose from 17,644 in 2021–22 to 88,367 in 2024–25, and Canada’s regulatory exclusivity for semaglutide ended Jan. 4, opening the door to generic versions.