California eclipsed two-million COVID-19 cases today as the US heads into a holiday season of travel and family gatherings that threaten to fuel the pandemic. It took 292 days for California to get to one-million confirmed infections. The next million were reported over a period of 44 days. Despite warnings from public health experts to stay home, more than 1.19 million travellers passed through US airport security checkpoints yesterday. COVID-19 has killed more than 327,000 Americans, at a rate of 3,000 per day for the past two weeks.

Both Quebec and Ontario set new records today for COVID-19 infections. Quebec reported 2,349 new cases and Ontario reported 2,447 cases. Ontario Premier Doug Ford sent out a tweet urging everyone to go out only if it's necessary, even before the entire province goes into lockdown on Saturday. Quebec is closing all non-essential businesses from tomorrow through January 11th. And Alberta is banning indoor and outdoor social gatherings in the face of rising infections and hospitalizations.

The Correctional Service of Canada says three inmates at Fraser Valley Institution recently tested positive for COVID-19, though it does not say when they were tested or whether their infections remain active. The service says in a news release an initial investigation shows the three inmates were part of a small group transferred from another region. It says the group has been in medical isolation and closely monitored by staff since arriving at the women's prison, which has multiple security levels. It's believed transmission of the illness occurred before they arrived. The correctional ser

The family of a man who was killed at a home in Kelowna, B.C., is appealing for anyone with information to speak with police investigating the 2009 homicide. Paulina Pekova says the holiday season is particularly difficult without her brother Joseph Pek, who was 38. She says Pek was a talented musician and athlete as well as a kind and gentle uncle to his two nephews. The family is offering a $5,000 reward leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for his stabbing death outside a Kelowna home. Peklova says Pek had a history with drugs and crime following multiple traumas

British Columbia's top doctor says COVID-19 cases in the province are levelling off after peaking in mid-November, though she warns now is not the time to relax public health rules. Dr. Bonnie Henry says the majority of cases are being traced to known infections and outbreaks, but keeping up with contact tracing is still a challenge, particularly in the hard-hit Fraser Health region. When presenting the latest modelling data, Henry showed the reproductive number for the illness has dipped slightly below one, meaning on average, someone who's infected may not transmit COVID-19 to anyone. She s

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the COVID-19 pandemic has created a holiday season nobody wanted. But in his annual Christmas message, Trudeau says there is hope for the New Year. He says everyone can agree 2020 has been tough, but Canadians have met the challenging times with generosity, kindness and hope. He says throughout 2020, neighbours have helped neighbours, kids have given up play dates to be safe, front-line workers have put themselves at risk and businesses have retooled to help in the fight against COVID-19. Trudeau says Canadians should give thanks for what unites us.

Quebec's police watchdog has completed its investigation into the New Brunswick police-involved killing of Chantel Moore, a 26-year-old Indigenous woman.The watchdog, known as the Bureau des enquetes independantes, said Wednesday it had forwarded its report to New Brunswick's Public Prosecutions Services and to the coroner in the case, on Dec. 16.Quebec's independent police watchdog investigated the case because New Brunswick does not have its own police oversight agency.Moore was shot by a member of the Edmundston Police Force during a wellness check on June 4, after the young woman had alleg

Two officers are nursing various injuries after the Vancouver Police Department says they were attacked while trying to help a father deal with his mentally ill son. A statement from Sgt. Steve Addison says the officers were patrolling in downtown Vancouver Tuesday night when they were called to help the father, who told them he had just been assaulted by his 31 year old son. The father said his son had stopped taking his medication and he led the constables to the man. Addison says shortly after the officers realized the younger man needed medical attention, he attacked, repeatedly kicking t

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says a travel restriction on passengers from the United Kingdom is being extended by two weeks. The original 72 hour ban imposed on Sunday was set to expire today. Trudeau says the new ban will last until Jan. 6. The U.K. is struggling with a new strain of COVID-19 that experts suggest is more contagious than other variants. Britain is battling a new, apparently more contagious strain of COVID-19 and today recorded 744 deaths, the most since April.