Tag: large
Rise in thefts at concerts and large events, say Toronto police CanIndia News
Toronto police issued a public alert about a rise in personal property thefts occurring at large gatherings and concerts in the city in the past few days.
In a news release, police said that between July 28 and August 1, they received numerous reports of thefts of personal property during a music festival at Downsview Park. While victims were distracted, personal items like cell phones and credit cards were stolen. Police believe the thefts were a coordinated effort.
The police would like to remind the public to be aware of their surroundings when in large gatherings, secure all personal property and report anything suspicious to event security or staff.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-3100, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), or at www.222tips.com.
Alberta, Calgary see rise in COVID-19 cases as large events return
The lack of restrictions and return of large events could be behind Alberta’s latest rise in COVID-19 cases, according to a Calgary developmental biologist.
“One could map it even when you have regions with a lot of festivals, a lot of large gatherings, then the spread might be bigger,” said Gosia Gasperowicz, developmental biologist and researcher at the University of Calgary.
“For example, with Stampede, it’s not only people being at Stampede but all the parties and especially indoor parties that people have after.”
The latest COVID-19 numbers as of July 18 show the test positivity rate increasing across the province — even more so in Calgary.
Hospitalizations in Alberta are also rising.
Gasperowicz said COVID might not turn out to be a seasonal virus, like the flu, that spikes in the winter.
“That’s not what we could have predicted by seeing how it’s evolving, so we can in the future, we can see those waves of new variants several times a year,” she told CTV News.
MIXED THOUGHTS ON COVID RISK
While life continues to look more like it used to before COVID-19, some Calgarians are still worried about their risk of getting infected.
“It’s still something that’s a concern for us. That’s why we’re still wearing our masks, even if we’re outside,” Gabriel Gana said.
Dino Gana agreed, adding, “even with Stampede, there’s a lot of people outside, so I guess COVID could rise. I know some people that just got it.”
Others like Katerina Palova believe the risk is low.
“I have three vaccines, three shots, and I think the precautions are pretty good here. I think people are kind of careful as well and whoever has symptoms stays at home,” she said.
With the pandemic entering the seventh wave, some people are choosing to put their masks back on and get another booster shot — two things Gasperowicz recommends.
Expect ‘large, visible’ police presence at Pride events after clash: Chief
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London’s police chief is speaking out about a confrontation at a weekend Pride event in the city that resulted in one man being charged with weapons offences and some in the LGBTQ+ community fearful of future clashes.
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London police say their hate-crime investigator is reviewing the “large physical altercation” at Wortley Road and Duchess Avenue, where the 2022 Wortley Pride festivities were unfolding. A witness said people in pickup trucks descended on the event, honking to drown out music and hurling homophobic slurs at those in attendance.
Police have not publicly identified the person charged.
“Let me be clear – the London Police Service will not tolerate acts of intolerance, bias or hate against any member of our community. Our community is rich with diversity, and every individual has a right to feel safe on our streets, and in our neighbourhoods,” police Chief Steve Williams said in a statement issued Monday afternoon.
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Police have described Saturday’s altercation as a “disturbance” and say it’s under investigation. Williams urged anyone with information or video footage of the events to share them with police.
London police will have a “large and visible presence” at this week’s Pride Festival, including the parade on Sunday, he added. On-duty officers will be there and other off-duty cops will be marching in the parade as participants, Williams said.
That’s been a flashpoint in London among the gay community. Pride London barred uniformed officers from marching in the parade several years ago, but welcomed back members of the London force last year.
Williams said safety will be a top priority at the festivities. “As with any large-scale event, we have a full operational plan in place to ensure the safety of participants and those who line the parade route in support.”
He added: “We will continue to work with Pride London throughout the week to ensure any Pride Week concerns are addressed so that all individuals are able to celebrate safely, and to offer our continued support to the LGBT2QIA+ community.”
Large crowds, road closures and heavy security expected for Pope Francis’ visit to Alberta | Globalnews.ca
Organizers of the Pope’s upcoming visit to Alberta are asking people to arrive early to events and follow the rules so Indigenous residential school survivors, elders and youth can attend them with dignity in the spirit of reconciliation and healing.
On July 25 and July 26, people from across the country and around the world are expected to flock to the Edmonton area, where 85-year-old Pope Francis is to meet and apologize to residential school survivors, say a mass and participate in a pilgrimage. After that, the Pope will make stops in the Quebec City area and Iqaluit.
READ MORE: Ottawa to provide over $35M in supports to Indigenous communities during Pope Francis visit
Representatives from the province, the City of Edmonton, two police services and coordinators of the papal visit said during a news conference Thursday that co-operation from the public will be needed. There will be multiple road closures, no parking at some events and no overnight camping permitted at event spaces.
“This is a really emotional event as well as solemn,” said Anne Wildcat, who is co-ordinating the Pope’s visit to the former site of one of Canada’s largest residential school in Maskwacis, south of Edmonton.
“Incredible amount of logistics have gone into this event. When we’re meeting, we have to keep reminding ourselves there are emotions involved here. It’s not just a visit .. and a few words. There’s a lot of prayer, a lot of hope. This will assist many survivors to move forward.”
Marion Haggarty-France, the Alberta sites co-ordinator for the papal visit, said papal visits normally happen after years of planning.
“We’ve had about four months,” she said.
The Pope is to participate in four events in Alberta after he arrives at Edmonton International Airport in 10 days. The Queen Elizabeth II Highway will be closed temporarily before, during and after the Pope’s motorcade takes him from the airport to where he is staying.
“As is customary with visits of all foreign dignitaries, Pope Francis’ security is being managed by the RCMP in close collaboration with the Vatican,” said an email from Laryssa Waler,a spokesperson for the papal visit.
“Given the nature of this work, it would be inappropriate to speak to any specifics.”
The day after his arrival, organizers anticipate a crowd of about 15,000 people at the first event in Maskwacis, where the Pope is to apologize to survivors. Organizers said no parking is available. Overnight camping is only available in nearby communities offering a space and those needing to do so must register in advance.
READ MORE: Maskwacis, Alta., prepares emotional support ahead of Pope Francis’ visit
Some roads leading the Pope back-and-forth from Maskwacis and Edmonton will temporarily closed again for his motorcade.
Later that day, he is to meet the parishioners of a inner-city church in Edmonton that practices Catholicism with Indigenous rituals and symbols. This event is invitation-only.
On the second day of his visit in Alberta, the Pope is to participate in a mass at the Commonwealth Stadium with about 64,000 people.
READ MORE: More tickets to Pope Francis’ mass at Commonwealth Stadium available
The last event, a pilgrimage, is to take place that afternoon in Lac Ste. Anne, Alta., where 25,000 people are anticipated. Many are expected to walk to the county in accordance with pilgrim tradition. Some have also been asked to register with nearby communities that have made space for overnight camping.
Organizers said there will be shuttle buses for attendees to travel to and from different communities. Attendees can register for the services online.
“We need people to register so we can figure out how many buses (there are) so we can get people there in a timely fashion,” said Shane Schreiber, assistant deputy minister of parks.
“Many people coming to the pilgrimage are coming from the North, from northern Manitoba, and they will bring their own buses. We’re asking for those individuals to register their buses as well,” added Haggarty-France.
“We require registration and that’s simply to manage capacity.”
READ MORE: Lac Ste. Anne prepares for Pope Francis’ visit
The city said people can use their registration tickets to ride on public transit for free to events within the city.
“A number of road closures, traffic detours, parking restrictions, transit adjustments will also be in effect during the papal visit,” said Nicole Poirier, the director of civic events and festivals for the City of Edmonton.
Schreiber said during the news conference the government has invested up to $20 million to pave roads and upgrade infrastructure in the various communities the Pope will visit.
This move has been criticized by many, including the Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Marc Miller while he was in Washington Thursday.
“It’s important that as part of investing in infrastructures in Indigenous communities that provinces are stepping up,” said Miller.
“It shouldn’t take the visit (from the) Pope to actually get the road paved. That’s a reactionary approach to things.”
Schreiber said the province is hoping to share the cost of the upgrades with others.
Haggarty-France said the archdiocese is fundraising up to $18 million for the Pope’s visit.
She said organizers worry day and night about making sure the events run smoothly.
“The Holy Father… is determined to get here but we also have to keep him safe and able to do the whole trip,” she said. “There’s lots of plans. Everything’s down to the 30-second increment about how we get there.”
“We’re hoping to get it roughly right versus precisely wrong.”
© 2022 The Canadian Press
Security measures planned for large events in Erie – YourErie
Monkeypox spreading locally at large LA County events, health officials say
The number of confirmed monkeypox cases in Los Angeles County has jumped to 22, which health officials said has largely been spread among men who have sex with other men who have recently attended large events.
Most of the recent cases involve individuals who have not traveled out of the country or out of the state, as was the situation in most of the first identified cases in the US.
No hospitalizations or deaths have been reported, officials said.
“Anyone can get and spread monkeypox, but some of the recent cases identified have been among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men who attended large events where the exposure to monkeypox may have occurred,” the Los Angeles Department of Public Health said in a statement on Friday. “Public Health is working with event organizers to notify attendees of potential exposure.”
The department said it would be JYNNEOS vaccine, targeting “individuals at higher risk of monkeypox,” which includes those who have had close contact with an infected person and those who were at an event where they may have had “skin-to-skin” contact with an infected person.
The department said it would be working to make the hard-to-come-by vaccine available for other high-risk groups as supplies increase.
Monkeypox is a viral infection that causes skin lesions and is endemic in certain parts of Africa. But the current outbreak has hit countries like the US and United Kingdom where the virus does not usually spread, sparking global concern.
The virus can cause blisters, pimples and rashes on the skin. Most who contract monkeypox report only mild illness that goes away within two-to-four weeks without treatment.
Monkeypox can spread through contact of bodily fluids, monkeypox sores or clothing with an infected person, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It can also be contracted by breathing in respiratory droplets while speaking to someone.
The CDC said there have also been reports of transmission among family members and close contacts.
On Saturday, the US surpassed 200 confirmed cases nationwide, 51 of which are in California, according to the CDC’s latest data.
The White House announced earlier in the week that tests for the virus will be shipped to commercial laboratories to expand testing and speed up diagnoses.
D.C. girds for protests, celebrations expected to draw large crowds
“It’s going to be a busy weekend. We’re ready for it. … Let’s celebrate our D.C. values and have a lot of fun,” Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) said adding later: “We are prepared, and we don’t live in fear.”
Police Chief Robert J. Contee III repeatedly discouraged visitors and event participants from bringing guns into the city, broadly acknowledging national incidents of gun violence.
“Firearms have no place at these events,” Contee said during a Friday news conference. “We’re not going to tolerate foolishness.”
Over the next two weeks, tens of thousands of people are expected to descend on D.C. for a wide variety of causes. They will protest gun violence — and demonstrate in support of abortion rights and living wages. They will march in the Capital Pride Parade, enjoy Columbia Heights Day, a neighborhood festival, and honor Salvadoran culture in Mount Pleasant. They will run in a 10k race to promote healthy lifestyles, dance in downtown streets at a music festival and celebrate Juneteenth, a day that has come to symbolize the end of slavery in the United States.
This rush of demonstrations and other mass gatherings comes at a time of heightened anxiety — following several high-profile mass shootings across the country, demonstrations at the Supreme Court and at the homes of particular justices, and the recent arrest of man authorities say traveled from California in an attempt to kill Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh. U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and FBI assistant director in charge Steven M. D’Antuono said in a joint statement Friday that their offices will not tolerate violence “under the guise” of a peaceful demonstration.
Bowser said that although people may be “feeling that fear,” city officials are prepared, and excited, to once again be welcoming residents and visitors to celebrate Pride events this weekend, including the Capital Pride Parade, which is scheduled to start near 14th and T streets NW at 3 p.m. Saturday.
On Saturday, supporters of March for Our Lives, the organization founded by student survivors of the 2018 mass shooting at a high school in Parkland, Fla., will rally at noon near the Washington Monument. Organizers expect 50,000 people, according to a permit issued by the National Park Service.
During Pride events this weekend, many downtown streets will be closed to vehicular traffic.
These are the street closures for a 10k run, and these are the closures Capital Pride Parade and Block Party. On Sunday, there will be additional street closures, which are posted here, for the Capital Pride Festival. There will also be street closures, starting Monday, related to the Something in the Water festival from June 17 to June 19 on Independence Ave SW between 3rd Street SW and 9th Street SW.
For up-to-date traffic information, residents and visitors can go to twitter.com/DCPoliceTraffic.
Even as COVID cases rise, large events like graduations, concerts move forward
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – COVID cases are rising once again, but there are no government mandates on the horizon, even as more and more gatherings are happening toward the summer months.
“We’re not instituting any more measures,” said Amanda Johnson, general manager of Blue Note Hawaii. “It really is up to people if they want to wear a mask while they’re here. We understand.”
Blue Note Hawaii reopened in November of last year with performers behind plexiglass shields and with limited capacity. Those restrictions are gone, and masks are no longer required to attend an event or work there.
That’s not changing, even as COVID hospitalizations are also rising.
“If we get up to 100 patients in hospitals, that will start to cause us some concern,” Hilton Raethel, the head of the Hawaii Healthcare Association, said six days ago.
We’re getting very close. The association says hospitalizations due to COVID jumped from 68 last week Friday, to 93 on Monday. There were 91 hospitalizations on Wednesday.
Being vaccinated twice isn’t enough.
“With the new variants that we’re seeing, if you’ve only had two shots, you are at risk upwards of 70% of being hospitalized, and you could have very severe consequences,” said Dr. Scott Miscovich of Premier Medical Group.
High school graduations are also around the corner, and the Department of Education is leaving most of the decision-making up to each school.
“Schools have a flexibility to determine event specific details to maintain the health and safety of all attendees,” said Interim School Superintendent Keith Hayashi.
With no Aloha Stadium, Mililani High School’s seniors will have their commencement at the Stan Sheriff Center on the UH Manoa campus on Monday. Each graduate will be allowed eight guests.
Several other high schools that had used Aloha Stadium are also moving to the Stan Sheriff. And since its indoors, masks will be required by the DOE.
Another large gathering is planned Saturday morning, with a Christians United In Prayer event at the State Capitol. Organizers are expecting 500 people for the outdoor event, with no restrictions.
“Everything is by faith, so we just trust in God that everything that we do is by faith” said Event Coordinator Sandra Tilo Ulu.
Miscovich said it’s not just the gatherings. Those rising visitor numbers are also a factor in the latest surge, especially with masks optional on planes.
“The variants are coming here sooner, and the infectivity of different variants coming and spreading is sooner, likely because we’re such a melting pot with people coming from each direction,” he said.
Miscovich said he and other health experts believe the latest surge will last another six to eight weeks.
Copyright 2022 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.
COVID risks higher from small indoor events than large outdoor ones: research
Outdoor events are safer than indoor events in regards to potential COVID-19 transmission, according to a newly released comparative study of two hypothetical events in Austin, Texas.
A study from the University of Texas and the city of Austin considered the COVID-19 transmission risks at two events: a business conference with 3,000 attendees during a pandemic surge and an outdoor festival with 50,000 attendees in a low transmission period.
Despite the attendance at the hypothetical outdoor festival being more than 10 times higher than at the indoor business conference, the study’s authors estimated that the festival would result in the infection of only twice as many people in the community during and after the event.
To calculate the COVID-19 risks from the two events, they considered multiple factors: the structure of the event, including its size, duration, density and venue; the state of the pandemic, including the local prevalence of the virus and the epidemiological properties of current variants; any risk-reduction measures introduced by event organizers; and local demographics.
Using that information, the study’s authors said they first estimated the number of attendees who would arrive infected at the hypothetical events. To do this, they said they used the COVID-19 school risk dashboard to estimate the incidence rates of COVID-19 in every U.S. county and assumed that an attendee arriving infected correlated directly to the incidence rate of infection in their home county.
They said they then estimated the number of attendees who would be infected at the event and finally the total number of infections in Austin that would stem from the event over a four-week period.
The study’s authors said that the risks of transmission from an event can be significantly reduced by requiring proof of vaccination, a negative COVID-19 test just prior to the event and/or the wearing of face masks during the event.
The results of the study also showed that limiting the number of attendees, physically spacing out activities and selecting outdoor and well-ventilated sites can significantly mitigate risks, the authors said.
However, the authors cautioned that they made “a number of critical assumptions that may not hold for all events, especially as SARS-CoV-2 and our arsenal of medical countermeasures continues to evolve.”
