There are about eight patients with active COVID-19 cases in the 22-bed ICU at his hospital north of Montreal. 4:17 p.m. Alberta’s big three research universities are extending online learning because the Omicron variant of COVID-19 is spreading rapidly, reports The Canadian Press. The schools say that makes it prudent to extend online classes until after the spring break in late February. Hundreds of students and dozens of teachers were reported absent on the Edmonton Public Schools board website on Thursday. Other countries are taking similar action as the more transmissible — yet, apparently, less virulent — omicron variant spreads through the continent.

Source: thestar January 15, 2022 11:43 UTC