A roundup of COVID-19 developments for Friday March 27
|
|
And so the deadly reality of COVID-19 has now hit home in Manitoba.
“It’s a tragic loss,” Dr. Brent Roussin said Friday morning as he announced the death of a woman in her 60s. “It’s a Manitoban that we lost and our hearts go out to their friends and family.”
While we may be saddened, we shouldn’t be surprised, nor should we pretend that there won’t be more Manitoba lives lost to coronavirus.
Advertisement
Our headline on last Saturday’s front page read “UNCHARTED TERRITORY” for good reason.
No one knows how long this will go, how many lives will be affected, or what’s next.
As a newsroom that has moved to “all-hands-on-deck” status, the only thing to do is stay on top of the ever-evolving story of COVID-19.
And the fact there are 50,000 of you reading this newsletter each night certainly serves as motivation for our staff to push even harder to get the information you need in these trying times.
Thank you for reading!
— Paul Samyn, Winnipeg Free Press editor
|
|
Advertisement
|
LATEST NUMBERS
THE LATEST FROM MANITOBA
Manitoba recorded its first pandemic related death, a woman from Winnipeg in her 60s. Beginning Monday, public gatherings can be no larger than 10 people.
The Manitoba government is offering free mental-health therapy to people suffering from anxiety due to the pandemic. An internet-based program will be offered to any Manitoban over the age of 15 for up to one year.
Manitoba put up five checkpoints along the borders with Ontario and Saskatchewan, where provincial employees wearing gloves and masks hand out information about the requirement to self-isolate for 14 days upon their return to Manitoba.
Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries is reducing Liquor Mart hours, starting Saturday. Liquor Marts in Brandon and Winnipeg will be open Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday noon to 6 p.m.
In an effort to help people shop locally and keep local businesses up and running, the Free Press has started a directory where local restaurants and shops can share their hours, pickup and delivery options, and other details. Search the directory or list your business here.
THE LATEST ELSEWHERE
Worldwide, COVID-19 infections topped a half-million, with troubling outbreaks in the United States and a surge of deaths in Italy and Spain.
In Canada, the federal government will cover 75 per cent of salaries for workers of qualifying small businesses affected by COVID-19, an increase from 10 per cent announced earlier this month. The government is working with banks to provide loans of up to $40,000 for small businesses, which will be interest-free for the first year and up to $10,000 could be waived for repayment.
Parliament’s budget watchdog is projecting that the federal deficit for the coming fiscal year could be $112.7 billion. That’s a jump of $89.5 billion from previous forecasts as government spending climbs to combat the economic fallout from COVID-19.
British Columbia released its “worst case scenario” data but the numbers show the province believes it will more closely mirror the South Korean experience, rather than the dire situation in Italy. Officials say the model shows B.C. is already developing a “cascading” approach to free up additional hospital beds.
The Canadian military is being put on a war footing. In an unprecedented five-page letter to the troops, defence chief Gen. Jonathan Vance says military planners are busy identifying who will be asked to respond if and when a call for military assistance arrives.
Two staff at the Saskatoon Correctional Centre have tested positive for COVID-19. The workers have been directed to self-isolate at home and officials are notifying people they might have come into contact with.
President Donald Trump signed a $2.2 trillion economic rescue package, calling the bill much-needed relief for American workers reeling from the economic tumult caused by the coronavirus. Under the plan, many single Americans would receive $1,200, married couples would get $2,400 and parents would see $500 for each child.
QUOTE, UNQUOTE
“At this point, no one can predict how long this epidemic is going to last. We are entering and moving to an uncertain future… many countries around the world are just beginning the cycle of this epidemic.”
— Dr. Michael Ryan, the World Health Organization’s emergencies chief
|
|
Advertisement
|
LOCAL NEWS
Ben Waldman, Joyanne Pursaga and Ryan Thorpe:
Dispatches from the front
Courageous, dedicated Winnipeggers serving as foot soldiers in the global war against COVID-19 are providing essential services their families, friends and neighbours need to stay safe and healthy
Read More
Frances Koncan :
Escape from New York
Winnipeg actor self-isolating in his old bedroom after exiting, stage left, from the Big Anxious Apple while he could still get out
Read More
|
NATIONAL NEWS
Jordan Press, Lee Berthiaume and Teresa Wright, The Canadian Press:
Bank of Canada cuts rate, Libs up wage subsidy
OTTAWA - Canada's central bank made yet another unscheduled rate cut Friday to bring its key interest target down to a crisis-level low, and the federal government upped its financial lifeline to busi...
Read More
Laura Osman, The Canadian Press:
Service Canada won't be interrupted: PM
OTTAWA - Service Canada employees can and should be working from home, despite the growing demand generated by financial-aid applications, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Friday.The federal governm...
Read More
William Anderson and Marta Leardi-Anderson:
Trucks must continue to roll at Canada-U.S. border
Canada and the United States have agreed to restrict non-essential trips across their common border, while leaving it open for the movement of freight in trucks. While the justification of b...
Read More
The Canadian Press:
What Trudeau is offering small businesses
TORONTO - Small and medium business owners and entrepreneurs got a boost from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday as he handed more out relief for companies grappling amid COVID-19.
The measures h...
Read More
Mike Blanchfield, The Canadian Press:
Trudeau seeking U.S. border troop decision
OTTAWA - Historic uncertainty hovered over the world's longest undefended border on Friday as the spectre of President Donald Trump's musing about deploying military forces to America's northern front...
Read More
Colin Perkel, The Canadian Press:
COVID deaths up amid new nursing home cluster
TORONTO - The COVID-19 death toll in Quebec more than doubled on Friday as the growing case load of infections in Canada surpassed 4,000 amid questions about how pandemic fatalities are counted and gl...
Read More
Stephanie Levitz, The Canadian Press:
No money, no calls, Tory candidates told
OTTAWA - Conservative leadership candidates were asked Friday to stop fundraising and making calls to party members following a decision to suspend the race.The decision was greeted with support, but ...
Read More
Lee Berthiaume, The Canadian Press:
Canadian Forces put on COVID-19 war footing
OTTAWA - The Canadian Armed Forces is being put on a war footing as it prepares to be thrown into the COVID-19 crisis.Chief of the defence staff Gen. Jonathan Vance issued the call to arms in a five-p...
Read More
Lee Berthiaume, The Canadian Press:
Five things about Ottawa's COVID-19 response
OTTAWA - The federal government capped an unprecedented week Friday by announcing a slew of measures to help small businesses cope with the COVID-19 crisis, bringing Ottawa's total planned support in ...
Read More
Teresa Wright, The Canadian Press:
Miller urges First Nations votes be postponed
OTTAWA - Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller is encouraging Indigenous communities gearing up for elections this year to postpone their votes.Miller says holding an election during a pandemic pos...
Read More
Michelle McQuigge, The Canadian Press:
Rural health-care system stretched to limit
Rural health-care providers and small-town politicians are pleading with snowbirds and city-dwellers to stay at their primary homes during the COVID-19 pandemic rather than self-isolating in more remo...
Read More
|
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Matt Sedensky, Kevin McGill And David Rising, The Associated Press:
US eyes new outbreaks as infections worldwide top 590,000
New Orleans rushed to build a makeshift hospital in its convention centre Friday as troubling new outbreaks bubbled in the United States, deaths surged in Italy and Spain and the world warily trudged ...
Read More
Zeke Miller, Jill Colvin And Darlene Superville, The Associated Press:
Trump boosts virus aid, warns governors to be 'appreciative'
WASHINGTON - After days of desperate pleas from the nation’s governors, President Donald Trump took a round of steps to expand the federal government’s role in helping produce critically needed suppli...
Read More
Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press:
McDavid: 'A fair season's a full season'
Connor McDavid grew up idolizing Sidney Crosby.
On at least one issue, he's at odds with his childhood hero.
A day after Crosby and Alex Ovechkin said they would be in favour of the NHL going right in...
Read More
Andrew Taylor, Alan Fram, Laurie Kellman And Darlene Superville, The Associated Press:
Trump signs $2.2T stimulus after swift congressional votes
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump signed an unprecedented $2.2 trillion economic rescue package into law after swift and near-unanimous action by Congress to support businesses, rush resources to ov...
Read More
|
COVID-19 BASICS
COVID-19 FAQ
How to protect yourself and others from infection, and what to do if you think you have symptoms
Read More
What to do if COVID-19 suspected
Manitoba's health department has implemented guidelines for who to call and where to go if Manitobans are concerned they may have been exposed to the novel coronavirus or are exhibiting symptoms consi...
Read More
|
|
Share:
|
Download our News Break app
|
|
|
