'A severe flu?!': Prominent anti-restriction activist from B.C. falls ill, reports symptoms consistent with COVID-19
A prominent anti-restriction activist from B.C. who has been involved in a number of high-profile rallies against COVID-19 mitigation measures has disclosed he's fallen ill and has "never been more sick."
Ryan Kulbaba, who has fought against everything from masks in schools to the province's vaccine card, reported a wide range of symptoms on Facebook this week, including chills, body aches, coughing, fatigue, difficulty walking and soreness in his eyes.
While a number of commenters questioned whether he might have caught the novel coronavirus, which has been linked to those symptoms and others, Kulbaba did not address the possibility in his post.
"Maybe a severe flu?!?" he wrote.
"I don't know what the (expletive) I have but this is BY FAR the worst I've felt combined with the length of time being sick EVER. Holy (expletive)!!!!!!"
The activist, who helped organize the so-called B.C. Freedom Mega Rally in Vancouver last year and has been involved in several others since, said he had been sick for seven days straight as of Oct. 18.
A previous post indicated he was in close contact with other members of the movement on the evening of Oct. 12.
"Hands were shook, hugs were hugged, fences were mended, pasts were left in the past and apologies were said," he wrote.
Kulbaba's post prompted an outpouring of sympathy, with many of his thousands of followers offering non-medical advice for treating his symptoms, recommending remedies ranging from melatonin to vitamin C. Some also suggested he take the anti-parasitic drug ivermectin, which has not been proven to treat COVID-19.
"Ivermectin for horses comes in a paste. Take one-tenth of a tube a day," one commenter wrote, possibly in jest.
"Thanks for dose info," responded another.
Ivermectin prompted a warning from Health Canada over the summer following a spike in poison control centre calls regarding people who had taken the drug against medical advice.
"There is no evidence that ivermectin works to prevent or treat COVID-19, and it is not authorized for this use," Health Canada said at the time.
"Health Canada has not received any drug submission or applications for clinical trials for ivermectin for the prevention or treatment of COVID-19."
CTV News reached out to Kulbaba for an update on his condition and to seek comment for the speculation on his illness, but has not heard back.
Warning: The following screenshot contains cursing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
RCMP not investigating possible foreign interference cases related to Chiu, Dong: Duheme
Canada's federal police force is not investigating any possible instances of foreign interference in the cases of former Conservative MP Kenny Chiu and Liberal-turned-Independent MP Han Dong, RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme says.
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had with him in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Air France flight from Paris to Seattle lands in Iqaluit after heat smell in cabin
A plane travelling from Paris to Seattle was forced to make an emergency landing in Iqaluit after there was a heat smell in the cabin during the flight.
CFL suspends Argos QB Chad Kelly at least nine games following investigation
The CFL suspended Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly for at least nine regular-season games Tuesday following its investigation into a lawsuit filed by a former strength-and-conditioning coach against both the player and club.
Boy Scouts of America changing name for first time in 114 years, aiming for inclusivity
The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history and will become Scouting America. It's a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims and seeks to focus on inclusion.
Federal government grants B.C.'s request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces
The federal government is granting British Columbia's request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces, nearly two weeks after the province asked to end its pilot project early over concerns of public drug use.
opinion Tom Mulcair: Trudeau's handling of Poilievre's 'wacko' House turfing a clear sign of Liberal desperation
When Speaker Greg Fergus tossed out Pierre Poilievre from the House last week, "those of us who have experience as parliamentarians simply couldn't believe our eyes," writes former NDP leader Tom Mulcair in his column for CTVNews.ca