Coronavirus (COVID-19) National News

OTTAWA — A new poll suggests the Conservatives are back within striking distance of the Liberals after a slump in support late last year amid internal grumbling about the party's election loss. The Leger poll, conducted Jan.

JERUSALEM (AP) — An expert panel on Tuesday advised the Israeli government to begin offering a fourth vaccine dose to everyone over the age of 18, citing research showing it helps prevent COVID-19 infection and severe illness.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea recorded more than 8,000 new coronavirus infections for the first time Tuesday as health authorities reshape the country's pandemic response to address a surge driven by the highly contagious omicron variant.

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong expanded a partial lockdown and tightened pandemic restrictions Tuesday after more than 200 cases of COVID-19 were discovered at a public housing estate.

A look at the latest COVID-19 news in Canada: — Statistics Canada says the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to an average seven-month decline in national life expectancy, the largest decrease recorded since 1921 when the vital statistics registration sy

VICTORIA — British Columbia officials say there are 64 health-care facilities across the province that have COVID-19 outbreaks.

EDMONTON — Alberta Health Minister Jason Copping says an emergency response crisis in southern Alberta last week highlights the need to do more to alleviate stress in a network dangerously strained by COVID-19 and other factors.

MONTREAL — The Quebec government says a new "positive approach" to persuade people to get their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine will complement the punitive measures so far imposed to increase vaccination rates.

OTTAWA — The timing of the Omicron outbreak in Canada may have hurt the uptake of pediatric vaccines at a time when kids need them most. Child-sized doses of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine were approved for children aged five to 11 on Nov.

TORONTO — More than 300 Ontario schools reported staff and student absences of more than 30 per cent by the end of last week, after students returned for in-person learning following the latest pandemic-related shutdown.