Coronavirus: What's happening in Canada and around the world on Thursday

The latest:

• Why Canada is divided over reopening despite controlling COVID-19.
• Alberta health minister and family swarmed by COVID protesters on Canada Day.
• Alberta lifts most COVID-19 restrictions but not all Edmonton shops ready to ditch masks.
• Calgary-area man first to win $1M in Alberta COVID-19 vaccine lottery.
• Newfoundland and Labradorreopensto non-essential travellers from outside Atlantic Canada.
• Masks recommended, but no longer mandatory asB.C. enters next stage of its restart plan.
• Hair salons, more outdoor activities allowed as Ontario enters Step 2 of reopening.
• WHO warns of variant surge in Europe as10-week decline in new infections ends.

Supporters of a Calgary mayoral candidate who isin custody on charges of violating public health orders and threatening Alberta Health Services staff accosted Alberta Health Minister Tyler Shandro and his family at a Canada Day event in the city on Thursday.

The protesters, carrying posterssupporting Kevin J. Johnston, yelled"arrest Shandro" and followed the minister, his two sons and his wifeas they tried to enter the event.

One protester told Shandro'sson,"Sorry buddy, but your father is a war criminal."

Eventually, the family was forced to lift their upset children over a chain link fence into the field where the event was taking place.Shandro and his visibly shaken wife then tried to walk away from the protesters before being forced back through the crowd to enter the event.

Johnston is facing criminal charges in three provinces: an assault charge in British Columbia,hate crimechargesin Ontario and, most recently, a charge of causing a disturbance in Alberta.

Shandro spoke briefly to reporters after the incident.

"I think it's an unfortunate way for people to be expressing their opinions today. This is a day for happiness and celebration, a day for family, so it's an unfortunate way for them to be expressing that," he said.

The incident comes as Albertaliftedalmost all COVID-19 restrictions Thursday in the third and final stage of its reopening plan.

Two weeks ago, the provincehit itsthreshold for reopening 70 per cent of the eligible population receivingfirst vaccine doses. That number is now up to almost 72 per cent, while more than38 per cent have received the recommendedtwo shots.

Large eventslike the Calgary Stampedehave the green light to go ahead, and there are no more caps on indoor or outdoor gatheringsin restaurants, stores and places of worship.

Edmonton's mask rule lifts Thursday, in lockstep with the repeal of the provincial mandate, but Calgary's will continue until July 5.

Masks will still be required while on public transit, in taxis and ride-hailing services like Uber, as well as in continuing care and acute care facilities.While shoppers in the capital don't have to wear masks, many store managers have saidstaff will keep them on for now.

WATCH |Don't take masks off yet, says specialist:

Don't take masks off yet, says specialist

3 years ago

Duration 1:39

Masks are our 'last line of defence' against the highly transmissible COVID-19 delta variant as Canada opens up, says respirologist Dr. Samir Gupta. (Ben Nelms/CBC)

Premier Jason Kenney's office released a statement Thursday reminding Albertans that confirmed cases of COVID-19 are still required to isolate for 10 days, as well asclose contacts of those cases.

Alberta reported two additional deaths and76 new COVID-19caseson Wednesday.

What's happening across Canada

As of 4:45p.m.ET on Thursday, Canada had reported 1,415,403confirmed cases of COVID-19, with 7,067 considered active. A CBC News tally of deaths stood at 26,299. More than 37.5million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered so far across the country, according to CBC's vaccine tracker.

Many provinces didnot reportnumbers Thursday due to the holiday.

British Columbia has entered the next phase of its reopening plan due to a growingCOVID-19 vaccination rateand a dramatic drop in cases,lifting the state of emergencyin place since March 2020.

Starting Thursday, residents can dineindoors and outdoors with nolimit on numbers, and attend fairs and festivals with a communicable disease plan. The province is also allowingoutdoor gatherings of up to 5,000 people.

Masks will no longer be mandatory before further restrictions are removed in September, thoughProvincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has encouragedpeople to continue wearing themindoors.

Ian Tostenson, president of the BC Restaurant and Foodservices Association, said those still in the industry are worried about a "significant" labour shortage, resulting in restaurants potentially having toreducehours or shorten menus.

About 30 per cent of restaurants in B.C. closed their doors in the last 16 months, he said. The industry employed about 190,000 people before the pandemic began, but he said"straw polls" showedabout 40,000 left.

British Columbia reported 44 new cases of COVID-19and nonew deaths on Wednesday.

Newfoundland and Labradoron Thursday reopenedto non-essential travellers from outside Atlantic Canada who fill in an entry form.

Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Janice Fitzgerald says the form is available online and must be filled out by anyone coming to the province within three days before their travel.Anyone who is partially vaccinated must upload a negative pre-arrival COVID-19 test.

The province reported one new case of COVID-19 on Wednesday.

WATCH |The psychological impact of the pandemic and the struggle to return to 'normal':

The struggle to return to normal as pandemic restrictions ease

3 years ago

Duration 5:11

Psychiatrist Dr. Steven Taylor and biomedical engineering professor Danilo Bzdok discuss how self-isolation has changed our brains, and why that's making it difficult for some Canadians to get 'back to normal.'

New Brunswick reported no new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday after three new caseswere confirmed the previous day.

Nova Scotia reportedfour new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday.

P.E.I. did not report any new cases on Thursday.

InManitoba,health officials reported 70 new cases on Wednesdayand two additional deaths.

Saskatchewanreported 31 new caseson Wednesday.

Ontarioon Wednesday reported 14 additional deaths and184 new cases of COVID-19.

InQuebecon Wednesday, health officials reported 126 new cases of COVID-19 and three additional deaths. Quebec public health refused a request by the Montreal Canadiens to allow more fans at the Bell Centre for the Stanley Cup final Friday, but increased the number of people who can attend outdoor events to 5,000.

Across the North, there were no new cases reported inNunavut or the Northwest Territorieson Wednesday. Health officials inYukonupdated their Wednesday count overnight and said the territoryhad 15 new cases.

What's happening around the world

As of early eveningThursday ET, more than182.4million cases of COVID-19 had been reported around the world, according to data published by Johns Hopkins Universityin the United States. The reported global death toll stood at more than 3.9 million.

As Europe'ssummer vacation season hit its stride Thursday with a new EU-wide travel pass in place, the bloc's medical office issued reassuringmessages on travelling, despite the threat of the surging delta variant, which is considered more contagious.

WATCH |Europe sees surge in COVID-19cases:

Europe sees surge in coronavirus cases

3 years ago

Duration 1:02

COVID-19 cases jumped 10 per cent last week across Europe and a new deadly wave of the virus looms, says Hans Kluge, the regional director of the World Health Organization office in Europe.

The digital COVID-19 travel certificate officially came intoeffect Thursday,though many member states had started introducing it over the past month, seeking to boost their summer season by making movement as seamless as possible.

Dr. Marco Cavaleri, head of vaccines strategy for the European Medicines Agency, said Thursday that the four approved vaccines in the EU are all "protective against all strains that are circulating in Europe, including the delta variant."

In Russia, health authorities on Thursday launched booster coronavirus vaccinations for people immunized more than six months ago, as the country faces a surge ofnew infections and deaths.

Health authorities in Moscow and other regions on Thursday started offeringbooster shots ofthe domestically produced, two-shot Sputnik V vaccine and its one-shot Sputnik Light version.

Vaccine promises for Africa fail

In Africa, the African Union special envoy tasked with leading efforts to procure COVID-19 vaccines for the continent is blasting Europe as Africa struggles amid a crushing third wave of infections.

Strive Masiyiwaon Thursday said that "not one dose, not one vial, has left a European factory for Africa."

Masiyiwa also took aim at the global COVAX effort to distribute vaccines to low- and middle-income countries, accusing COVAX of withholding crucial information including that key donors had not met funding pledges.He did not name the donors.

The African continent of 1.3 billion people is now in the grip of a third wave of infections the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calls "extremely aggressive."

Masiyiwa said COVAX had promised to deliver 700 million vaccine doses to Africa by December. But at mid-year, Africa has received just 65 million doses overall. Less than 50 million doseshave arrived via COVAX.

In the Asia-Pacific region,hundreds of vaccinated foreign tourists arrived on Thailand'sresort island of Phuket on Thursday, the first visitors under a pilot program designed to revive a tourism industry devastated by the pandemic.

Under the "Phuket sandbox" plan, foreign tourists fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will not have to spend any time in quarantine and can move around the island freely.