NEWS FLASH

JANUARY 22

NIPAH VIRUS

India is facing a localized Nipah virus outbreak, particularly in West Bengal, where multiple cases — mainly among healthcare workers — have been confirmed, prompting quarantine of around 100 contacts and heightened containment efforts. Health officials have ramped up surveillance and testing, including establishing mobile labs in Kolkata to detect infections quickly. Tamil Nadu and other states are on alert with increased monitoring due to the virus’s high fatality rate and human-to-human transmission risk. Experts stress early detection as there’s no widely available vaccine or specific treatment yet.

Temporary Foreign Workers

In Saskatchewan, two restaurant employers — Vikram Singh and Harinder Sachdeva — have been charged under provincial immigration laws for alleged exploitation of foreign workers at Rick’s Place in Humboldt and Taste of Battlefords in North Battleford between April and July 2024. They face multiple charges under the Foreign Worker Recruitment and Immigration Services Act (FWRISA) and the Immigration Services Act (ISA), including charging illegal employment fees, misrepresenting job conditions, threatening deportations without lawful cause, and exploiting workers’ lack of experience or fear. Sachdeva has publicly denied the allegations. Investigations continue as authorities enforce protections for immigrant and foreign workers.

Plant Closure

A First Nations-owned wood chip plant on Vancouver Island announced it will close in March due to declining demand following the recent shutdown of a major pulp mill, marking another blow to B.C.’s struggling forestry sector.

Hate Crime

In Port Alberni, the province’s Indigenous relations minister condemned a hate crime after Nazi symbols were spray-painted on a bridge, calling for community solidarity. A B.C. judge refused to order indefinite detention for a man convicted of attempted robbery. Former grocery executive Darrell Jones is set to make a “big announcement” amid the B.C. Conservative leadership race.