Alberta health officials investigating 2 workplace outbreaks of P1 coronavirus variant

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On Monday 5 April, Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta’s chief medical officer of health, said that the province’s health officials are investigating two workplace outbreaks of the P1 variant of the coronavirus. She said that one outbreak has been linked to three confirmed cases of the P1 variant, while the other has one confirmed case of the same variant. A Calgary-based company, PTW Energy Services, confirmed in a statement that three employees tested positive for the P1 variant. Another outbreak at a workplace in Calgary has five cases linked to it. Hinshaw said that both companies are working with Alberta Health Services to offer testing and help with quarantines for people who may have been exposed to the virus. [CBC News][By Emily Ma]

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Australia and New Zealand to launch ‘travel bubble’ April 19 

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Coronavirus has been effectively eradicated in Australia and New Zealand, with minor outbreaks a result of leakage from quarantined returned travellers. On 6 April, Prime Minister Jacinda Arden said that New Zealand will allow quarantine-free visits by Australians from April 19. Although neighbouring countries have also proposed special travel zones, the New Zealand Australia travel bubble is among the first to not mandate COVID-19 testing. Travellers would have to still wear masks on flights, and flights to or from Australian states could be suspended in the case of local outbreaks. [CBC News][By Emily Ma]

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Biden announces gun restrictions after shooter kills 5 in South Carolina

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On 7 April, 5 people were killed by a shooter in South Carolina. This brings America’s tragic count of people dead from mass shootings in March and April up to 18. In response to this, President Biden announced new planned restrictions to gun usage on 8 April. He passed an executive order to the Justice department to propose a rule that will reduce the number of ghost guns. Ghost guns are guns that can be self assembled, and therefore cannot be traced back to the owner. They do not require background checks, and are being used for an increasing number of crimes. Biden also asked the Justice department to draft laws regulating stabilizing braces (they improve the accuracy of guns), and “red flag” laws that would allow States to take away guns from people at high risk of harming others/themselves. After these laws are drafted, they would still have to be approved by Congress. Since the Second Amendment protects Americans’ rights to bear arms, this will be a tough battle. But as Biden said about gun violence on Thursday, “This is an epidemic for God’s sake. And it has to stop” [BBC][By Miranda Zhao]

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22 Mummies Parade Through Cairo

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The 3 April “Golden Pharaohs Parade” saw 22 ancient mummies moved through the streets of Cairo, including the mummy of Ramses II, one of the most famous pharaohs of the Egyptian New Kingdom. The figures were being transferred from the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square to the brand-new National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Fustat, a Cairo suburb. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi tweeted that the event was “new evidence of the greatness of this people, the guardian of this unique civilization extending into the depths of history.” [NPR] [By Kevin Wang]