A roundup of COVID-19 developments for Thursday April 16, 2020
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With U.S. President Donald Trump now talking up a possible easing of restrictions at the Canada-U.S. border, let’s take a look at what is happening just across the 49th parallel.
Much like everyone in the Red River Valley, the flood watch is on. And like everyone else in the world, Manitoba and North Dakota are also trying to hold back the flood of COVID-19.
Here in Manitoba, our positive case count increased by four on Thursday, so the provincial total now stands at 250. By contrast, the case count in North Dakota just set a new single-day high with 28 positives, pushing the state’s total to 393. As a point of reference, please note that North Dakota has a much smaller population than Manitoba.
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Here’s another pandemic point of reference familiar to many Manitobans who have been to the Fargodome for concerts and football games. On the outside, the facility is lit up at night in support for front-line workers, but on the inside, preparations are underway to turn it into a field hospital. What is normally the home of the NDSU championship football team is now standing by for a possible coronavirus surge, complete with 200 cots in orderly rows and boxes of medical supplies at the ready.
For many Manitobans, North Dakota is a favourite weekend getaway destination.
In my case, NDSU is where my son is studying and running track. I long for the day when we can again make a run for the border. But when a North Dakota football field is a field hospital, that border still seems like a bridge too far.
Erratum: I wrongly listed the pandemic profiting for Jeff Bezos in Wednesday’s newsletter as only $24 million. In fact, the Amazon CEO is now $24 billion richer. Thanks to the readers who caught my typo, and in the progress, helped strengthen my argument on the need to shop locally.
— Paul Samyn, Winnipeg Free Press editor
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THE LATEST NUMBERS
Note: Manitoba and Canada figures may not match due to differences in data sources.
THE LATEST IN MANITOBA
● The province lowered the boom on non-essential travel to northern Manitoba and and remote communities to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Also, the government announced tougher 14-day self-isolation requirements that now apply to anyone arriving from anywhere outside Manitoba.
● The province’s chief public health officer, Dr. Brent Roussin, said all workers or volunteers with symptoms of the virus at workplaces that have been identified as essential — from retail and wholesale to communications, construction and transportation — will now be tested.
Additionally, any symptomatic person who lives with a health-care worker, first responder or employee in settings such as correctional facilities, shelters, long-term care or residential facilities will also be tested.
THE LATEST ELSEWHERE
● An unprecedented economic collapse pushed America’s joblessness towards Great Depression-era levels as an additional 5.2 million people filed for unemployment benefits, bringing the total to 22 million unemployed out of a workforce of 159 million. U.S. President Donald Trump announced a plan to ease the nation’s social-distancing requirements, a plan that governors, Americans and health experts warned risks a rebound in infections as the nation still hasn’t seen a downward trend in either deaths or new cases.
● The Canadian government announced an expansion to a loan program aimed at helping small businesses weather the pandemic. The Canadian Emergency Business Account will now include businesses that last year had payrolls between $20,000 and $1.5 million. The previous eligibility was for payrolls between $50,000 and $1 million. Businesses can borrow up to $40,000 with no interest until Dec. 31, 2022. If paid off before then, one-quarter of the loan amount is forgiven. The government also announced it is developing a program to assist companies having trouble paying their rent.
● New York is hunkering down for an extended lockdown, extending its stay-at-home restrictions through to mid-May and preparing to use 11,000 empty hotel rooms as coronavirus quarantines, while New York City is bracing for a loss of $7.4 billion in tax revenue. This is in contrast to encouraging news on the hospitalization front, with the number of hospitalized down to less than 18,000 — far below projections — but 2,000 people a day are still entering hospital.
ODDITY
A debate is raging in Mexico over whether beer should be classified an essential item. In a country where beer is often cheaper than bottled water, the National Alliance of Small Business argues the barley-based beverage is critical. “Beer supplies should be guaranteed, because beer helps people get through quarantine on better terms” the alliance said in a statement. Mexico’s lockdown included the country’s breweries, raising the possibility of a Corona crisis of a different kind.
QUOTE, UNQUOTE
“We know it’s rough going at this time. We’ve sacrificed far too much to ease up now.”
— British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, filling in for Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who is recuperating from his bout with COVID-19
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LOCAL NEWS
Editorial:
There’s light, but the tunnel remains long
There appears to be a ray of light at the end of the coronavirus tunnel — but Manitobans will play a vital role in determining how quickly we reach it.
The province’s public-health officia...
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Milton Tenenbein:
Government-sanctioned price gouging
Karen Alexander’s April 13 letter to the editor regarding the harmful effects of limiting prescriptions from three months to one month is right on. I add my voice to her concern.
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NATIONAL NEWS
Jordan Press, The Canadian Press:
Federal wage subsidy to flow in May
OTTAWA - The first payments from a $73-billion federal wage subsidy program will flow by the end of the first week of May, acting as a buttress against the economic shock from COVID-19.The Liberals ar...
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Ian Bickis, The Canadian Press:
Small businesses push for rapid rent relief
TORONTO - Small businesses are hoping for promised rent relief from both landlords and government as the COVID-19-related shutdown drags on and their bills pile up. The urgency comes as some landlord...
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James McCarten, The Canadian Press:
Trudeau deflects Trump's border overtures
WASHINGTON - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tried to let Donald Trump down gently Thursday, warning that Canada is still a long way from being ready to agree to relax mutual travel restrictions along i...
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Stephanie Levitz, The Canadian Press:
Scheer refuses to express confidence in Tam
OTTAWA - Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer refused Thursday to express confidence in Canada's chief public health officer, arguing the need to question her decisions around the COVID-19 pandemic is on...
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Mike Blanchfield, The Canadian Press:
Trudeau, G7 leaders affirm importance of WHO
OTTAWA - Canada and its G7 allies confronted U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday over his decision to cut funding to the World Health Organization, as they stressed solidarity with a key internati...
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Salmaan Farooqui and Liam Casey, The Canadian Press:
Transit workers refuse work over safety concerns
TORONTO - Jason Watts hides in the washroom right up until the moment his shift as a bus driver in Toronto's transit system begins.The Toronto Transit Commission worker is terrified of contracting COV...
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The Canadian Press:
The latest developments on COVID-19 in Canada
The latest news on the COVID-19 global pandemic (all times Eastern):9:15 p.m.B.C. is reporting two new outbreaks of COVID-19 — one at a long-term care facility in Cranbrook and one at an acute care un...
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Sidhartha Banerjee, The Canadian Press:
Doctors, soldiers part of Quebec emergency plan
MONTREAL - Quebec expanded its push to fill staffing shortages at nursing homes ravaged by COVID-19 Thursday, taking the unusual step of calling on the military to join in the effort.
The province's d...
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Michael MacDonald, The Canadian Press:
Nursing homes recruiting laid-off workers
HALIFAX - One of the largest long-term care facilities in Atlantic Canada is trying to maintain staffing levels by recruiting people who lost their jobs as the COVID-19 pandemic shut down much of the ...
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Nicole Thompson, The Canadian Press:
Zoos raise funds to feed animals during shutdown
TORONTO - Cash-strapped zoos and aquariums across Canada are soliciting donations from the public to keep their animals fed and cared for during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Toronto Zoo, the Calgary Zoo...
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The Canadian Press:
Federal inmate dies from COVID-19 complications
ABBOTSFORD, B.C. - Lawyers are strengthening their calls to thin prison populations following the first death related to COVID-19 at a federal institution.
The Correctional Service of Canada said in a...
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Jim Bronskill, The Canadian Press:
Inmate to be released due to virus concerns
OTTAWA - An inmate with serious health problems will be let out of federal custody after he went to court over fear of contracting COVID-19 behind bars — a move his lawyer hopes will open the door for...
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Camille Bains, The Canadian Press:
Senior podcasters take on tech to stay connected
VANCOUVER - Podcasting seemed like a frightening technological venture for Sylvie Anderson before she "gave it a whirl" with a group trying to stay connected during the pandemic through shared stories...
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The Canadian Press:
Alberta now over 2,000 COVID cases, 50 deaths
EDMONTON - Alberta has 162 new cases of COVID-19, the highest single-day report to date, and two more residents in long-term care homes have died.Dr. Deena Hinshaw, the province's chief medical office...
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INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Bob Weber, The Canadian Press:
A look at COVID-19 research around the globe
Thousands of scientists around the world are working on problems raised by the COVID-19 pandemic. Here is a summary of some recent research from peer-reviewed academic journals and scientific agencies...
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Zeke Miller, Alan Suderman And Kevin Freking, The Associated Press:
Trump gives governors 3-phase plan to reopen economy
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump gave governors a road map Thursday for recovering from the economic pain of the coronavirus pandemic, laying out “a phased and deliberate approach” to restoring nor...
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Teresa M. Walker And Elana Schor, The Associated Press:
Pandemic provokes spike in demand for food pantries in US
A collection of breaking news briefs filed on April 21, 2020 | • Missing Crescentwood woman found | • Red River crests in southern Manitoba | • Portage La Prairie RCMP seize drugs, weapons | • New dates for postponed Countryfest | • Province announces one new case of COVID-19 | • Committee supports car-share parking pilot delay | • Moose make moves to bolster roster for '20-21 season | • COVID-19 ticket score: Kenora 1, Winnipeg 0 | • American Association hopeful season can start in July | • Dauphin RCMP seize drugs, cash and firearm
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Joyce M. Rosenberg And Andrew Taylor, The Associated Press:
Business owners left out as lending program goes on hold
NEW YORK - The government’s lending program for small businesses is tapped out, leaving business owners who still need loans waiting for Congress to approve more funding.The Small Business Administrat...
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COVID-19 BASICS
COVID-19 FAQ
How to protect yourself and others from infection, and what to do if you think you have symptoms
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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...
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