Ford lifts restrictions on retail stores as Ontario gradually begins to reopen Tuesday; Ontario to unveil new testing guidelines
The latest novel coronavirus news from Canada and around the world Thursday (this file will be updated throughout the day). Web links to longer stories if available.
2:53 p.m.: Uber announced in an email Thursday that the ride-sharing company would be requiring both passengers and drivers to wear face masks starting May 18.
This policy is designed to help protect the safety of you and your driver," Uber said in the email.
Uber is also telling riders not to sit in the front seat. This means every ride with Uber will have one fewer passenger seat available, the company notes.
2:42 p.m.: A long-term care home in Bobcaygeon, Ont., that saw 29 residents die of COVID-19 says the outbreak in the facility is officially over.
Pinecrest Nursing Home, which has 65 beds, says all of its residents have been symptom-free for 14 days or more.
Pinecrest administrator Mary Carr says the facility will continue infection control measures, meaning it will remain closed to non-essential visitors, residents will still eat meals in their rooms and staff will keep wearing personal protective equipment.
Ontario's Ministry of Long-Term Care says 185 facilities were experiencing outbreaks as of Thursday, and just over 2,500 residents have been infected.
The ministry says 1,308 long-term care residents have died of the virus, as have five staff members.
2:18 p.m.: New Brunswick is reporting no new cases of COVID-19 today, meaning the number of confirmed cases in the province remains 120.
The number of active cases is two and 118 people have recovered. The two remaining active cases are not in the hospital. As of today, 19,307 tests have been conducted.
2:03 p.m.: Premier Doug Ford cautions that restaurants will have to remain closed for now. They will be restricted to serving takeout food, wine, beer, and spirits.
1:45 p.m.: Ontario is set to enter its first stage of reopening next Tuesday including lifting restrictions on retail stores, golf driving ranges and tennis courts, surgeries and dog grooming.
In a document released today, the province says Ontario can now gradually begin to open workplaces, but working from home should continue as much as possible.
All construction can resume and limits will be lifted on maintenance, repair and property management services, such as cleaning, painting, and pool maintenance.
Most retail stores that have a street entrance can open with physical distancing restrictions, such as limits on the number of customers in a store, booking appointments and continuing to provide curbside pickup and delivery.
Golf driving ranges will be able to reopen, and sports that can be played with physical distancing will be allowed, including tennis, track and field, gymnastics, figure skating, and horse racing.
Some scheduled surgeries will restart, as well as in-person counselling such as psychology or addictions counselling.
Other businesses and services included in the stage one reopening include regular veterinary appointments, pet grooming, pet sitting and pet training; libraries for pickup or deliveries; and housekeepers and babysitters.
Read more from the Star's Robert Benzie.
1:40 p.m. (updated): We need to be ready to react if we see a sudden increase in cases. . . . We must watch the trends like a hawk," says Premier Doug Ford on re-openings.
Barber shops and hair salons won't open in this phase, says Ford, who admits he needs a cut. Look at my hair, I look like a sheepdog right now" but adds we have to make sure safety comes first." Also no chiropractic or massage services yet.
1:33 p.m. (updated): Ford announces much of Ontario economy reopens Tuesday. Scheduled surgeries start again. Also all construction sites, retailers outside of malls, and pet groomers can be open again. Marinas, golf courses, kennels can open Saturday. No contact sports. Businesses are being urged not to open unless they are absolutely ready.
Read more from the Star's Robert Benzie.
1:30 p.m.: Ford is addressing reporters at his daily briefing. A livestream of his news conference is available at thestar.com
1:25 p.m.: The Quebec government is putting off reopening schools in the Montreal area until August or September.
Premier Francois Legault says public health conditions for reopening haven't been met in Montreal, which is the COVID-19 epicentre of the province.
The Montreal area had initially been slated to reopen schools, daycares and businesses on May 25, but now daycare in the region will only reopen June 1 at the earliest while no firm decision has been taken on retail businesses.
Authorities reported an additional 793 new cases of COVID-19 and 131 new deaths today.
1:10 p.m.: Public Safety Minister Bill Blair says the Canadian Armed Forces has agreed to extend its support to Quebec for 30 more days.
The Canadian military has sent in more than 1,000 members, including most of its medical personnel, to help staff in long-term care homes in Quebec and Ontario that have been hit hard by COVID-19.
Blair said in a tweet today that the extension began Wednesday.
12:45 p.m.: Newfoundland and Labrador is announcing no new cases of COVID-19 and has now gone one week without a positive case.
The province has confirmed 261 cases of the illness with 248 recoveries and three deaths.
The province is expanding its testing criteria to cover anyone with two or more symptoms including fever, cough, sore throat, loss of appetite, sense of smell or taste and small red or purple spots on hands or feet.
The provincial government also announced a one-time credit on electricity bills that will be dispersed to residential and commercial customers starting in July and waived interest on overdue accounts starting in June.
12:35 p.m.: Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller says the government will not cancel important ceremonies for First Nations peoples in the face of COVID-19.
He says banning of such ceremonies in the past has been a dark stain on Canada's history.
He says any such cancellations will be the decision of First Nations leadership who have been provided with public health advice.
12:30 p.m.: As of Wednesday, there have been 185 confirmed cases of COVID-19 on First Nations reserves in Canada.
Of those, two people have died and 63 per cent have recovered.
Chief medical officer of Indigenous Services Canada Dr. Tom Wong says the fatality rate is so far less than the rest of Canada.
But numbers are only available for Indigenous peoples living on reserves, and the provinces will need to help in order to get a clearer picture of how the virus is impacting Indigenous people at large.
12:25 p.m.: The Manitoba government is bolstering the ranks of people who can enforce public health orders during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Premier Brian Pallister says liquor inspectors, park patrol officers, food safety inspectors and others will join the efforts already being made by police and conservation officers.
More than 3,000 people will now help ensure people observe rules such as the 10-person limit on public gatherings.
12:20 p.m.: Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson says some national parks will be reopened on June 1 in conjunction with provincial parks in their various jurisdictions.
The reopening will not apply to all parks.
Facilities like washrooms and comfort stations will be available, but they will be limited.
12:15 p.m.: Ontario's regional health units are reporting another 383 COVID-19 cases with a total of 35 new deaths since Wednesday morning, according to the Star's latest count.
As of 11 a.m. Wednesday, Ontario's regional health units are reporting a total of 22,699 confirmed or probable cases of COVID-19, including 1,875 deaths. The 383 cases reported in the last 24 hours - a low 1.7 per cent jump - was up slightly over the last few days' totals.
Still, as a whole, the daily growth in new COVID-19 infections across Ontario has fallen steadily since peaking at more than 700 cases a day in late April. However, the overall downward trend has not been felt equally across Ontario.
In Toronto - the health unit that has seen by far the most cases and deaths - the daily count of new COVID-19 cases rose sharply through March to around 200 cases a day in mid-April, but has plateaued at roughly that level since then. In other words, the trend in new infections has not yet started to fall in Toronto as it has elsewhere.
In the rest of the GTA, the recent daily case count has fallen sharply in recent weeks to about 110 cases a day, down about half from a mid-April peak.
And in the rest of Ontario outside the GTA, cases have fallen slowly but steadily to around 75 cases a day after peaking at nearly three times that rate around April 1 - a much earlier peak than in Toronto and the GTA.
Earlier Thursday, the province reported that testing labs had on Wednesday once again passed a target of 16,000 completed tests a day, up more than 2,000 to 17,429. In the Star's count, days with larger numbers of reported cases have tended to follow increases in testing, and vice versa.
Because many health units publish tallies to their websites before reporting to Public Health Ontario, the Star's count is more current than the data the province puts out each morning.
The province also said 1,026 patients are now hospitalized with COVID-19, including 184 in intensive care, of whom 141 are on a ventilator - numbers that have fluctuated but remained largely flat in recent weeks. The province also says more than 16,000 patients who have tested positive for the coronavirus have now recovered from the disease - nearly three-quarters of the total infected.
The province says its data is accurate to 4 p.m. the previous day. The province also cautions its latest count of total deaths - 1,798 - may be incomplete or out of date due to delays in the reporting system, saying that in the event of a discrepancy, data reported by (the health units) should be considered the most up to date."
The Star's count includes some patients reported as probable" COVID-19 cases, meaning they have symptoms and contacts or travel history that indicate they very likely have the disease, but have not yet received a positive lab test.
12 p.m.: Six more residents at the Camilla Care Community in Mississauga have died due to COVID-19, according to the Ontario government's most recent count. The total death count at the long-term-care home is now 56.
The 236-bed facility near Hurontario Street and Queensway West has 60 confirmed cases of COVID-19 among its residents, and 54 among its staff.
Natalie Gokchenian, a spokesperson for the long-term-care home, told the Star last week that the home was continuing to actively retest residents, which she says is essential in quickly identifying anyone who becomes COVID-19 positive, despite the fact these residents may have tested with negative results previously."
12 p.m.: Nova Scotia is reporting two new cases of COVID-19 today, bringing the total to 1,026 confirmed cases.
The province reported no additional deaths, leaving the total at 51.
Three licensed long-term care homes and unlicensed seniors' facilities in Nova Scotia have active cases of COVID-19.
Northwood in Halifax has 27 residents and 15 staff with active cases, while another facility has one staff member infected and a third facility has one resident infected.
11:49 a.m.: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says rapid tests for COVID-19 that were developed in Ottawa still have not been deployed.
He says there were challenges with the tests, and they've been sent back to the company for repair and improvement.
The tests are said to be key for remote communities to avoid long delays in getting test results.
11:45 a.m.: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the government will be instituting new regulations on boating next month.
No pleasure crafts will be allowed to operate in Arctic coastal waters or in coastal regions of northern Quebec and Labrador.
That will not include boats used for essential services.
Meanwhile he says some national parks will partially reopen in June.
11:36 a.m.: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the government is putting extra money into support for Indigenous communities.
During his daily briefing, Trudeau said there will be targeted support for Inuit and Metis students and Indigenous businesses.
He says there will also be funds for support services and shelters for women and children fleeing domestic violence.
11:30 a.m.: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced a benefit for fish harvesters hit financially by the COVID-19 crisis.
The fish harvesters' benefit will provide 75 per cent of lost revenue up to $10,000 for harvesters who've had a 25 per cent drop in income.
The government will also give non-repayable grants of $10,000 for fish harvesters who own their own businesses.
For next year, Trudeau says requirements to apply for employment insurance will be adjusted so harvesters can apply based on last year's revenues.
The support is expected to cost the government about $470 million.
11:18 a.m.: Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson says national parks will resume some operations in June.
Wilkinson says some trails, day use areas, green spaces and recreational boating will be available starting June 1 at national parks, historic sites and waterways and national marine conservation areas.
Camping in parks will remain off limits at least until June 21, when the federal government will reassess whether it should be allowed.
All national parks and sites have been closed for more than a month to slow the spread of COVID-19.
11 a.m.: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to address reporters at his daily briefing. A livestream of his news conference will be available at thestar.com
10:20 a.m.: Would you go to a drive-thru zoo?
Toronto Zoo is looking at reopening to the public as an experience in which visitors would look at animals without getting out of their vehicles.
We have developed an innovative new interim plan to open the zoo as a safe drive-thru experience," zoo spokesperson Katie Gray said Thursday, adding details are being finalized.
The pre-booked driving route would allow guests to see the zoo's animals from the comfort and safety of their own vehicle along a 3.4-kilometre route. Once we receive approval to open, the public will be able to pre-purchase tickets online."
The city-owned zoo was closed due to COVID-19 concerns. In mid-April it made a plea to the public for donations to help pay for food for the roughly 5,000 animals.
The drive-thru experience would meet all government requirements for physical distancing and other rules to prevent spread of the virus, Gray said.
9:50 a.m.: Ontario will reveal new testing guidelines for COVID-19 Thursday, clearing the way for anyone with symptoms to be tested in addition to targeted groups.
Health Minister Christine Elliott said testing of all 77,000 nursing home residents and tens of thousands of staff is almost complete, allowing health authorities to expand testing to other vulnerable people in retirement homes, group homes and shelters.
As the Star reported Thursday, there have been concerns among scientists and opposition parties that the province lacks crucial information on the spread of COVID-19 in the community because testing has been limited to the most serious cases.
Read the story from the Star's Rob Ferguson.
9:30 a.m.: Condo rents in some of Toronto's toniest downtown neighbourhoods are feeling the effects of COVID-19 with the biggest impact on larger and luxury units, according to a new report based on listings at Rentals.ca.
The King Street West area from about Yonge Street to John Street, with the M5H postal code, saw the largest month-over-month decline in rents per square foot in April - down 12.6 per cent, compared to March.
Read the story from the Star's Tess Kalinowski.
8:25 a.m.: Canada is slowly beginning to emerge from its COVID-19 cocoon, with the federal government poised to announce a gradual reopening of national parks and heritage sites, and more provinces taking the first halting steps toward a return to normal.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson are expected to announce today plans to begin a phased-in opening of federal parks and historic sites across the country.
Since the deadly virus that causes COVID-19 sent the country into lockdown in mid-March, all national parks and historic sites have been closed, with visitor services and all motor vehicle access suspended.
Read the story from the Star's Robert Benzie on Premier Doug Ford's plan to reopen more of Ontario's economy.
7:26 a.m.: Global shares declined Thursday on pessimism about life getting back to normal soon amid the coronavirus pandemic, after the U.S. central bank chief warned of hard times to come.
Investors were also braced for more jobless claims data out of the U.S., which are expected to show another 2 to 3 million people applied for benefits in the last week, further straining the labour market in the world's largest economy.
In Europe, France's CAC 40 was down 1.9 per cent to 4,261, while Germany's DAX fell 1.8 per cent to 10,357. Britain's FTSE 100 was down 2.4 per cent at 5,765. U.S. shares were also set for declines, with Dow and S&P 500 futures both down 0.2 per cent.
Stephen Innes, chief global strategist at AxiCorp, said markets were jittery after comments from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, which set off worries about the risks of corporate failure in the U.S. and job losses.
7:17 a.m. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will maintain a state of emergency for Tokyo and Osaka due to the coronavirus while lifting it for 39 of the country's 47 prefectures earlier than scheduled, as infection cases have waned.
Abe also told a news conference Thursday that the government will immediately start work on a second extra budget to aid people and businesses reeling from the effects of the pandemic. The plan will include handouts to help with rent, and raise the maximum subsidy for furloughed workers.
This is a once-in-a-century crisis," Abe said, adding that the new package would also include an increase of subsidies to regions and aid to students.
He later told his virus task force he aims to decide on the size of the budget on May 27 and to submit it to parliament quickly. The government plans to support companies of all sizes by bolstering loan facilities, he said.
Infection numbers were in decline in Japan but there is a still a risk for major urban areas, Abe said, adding that people should continue to avoid traveling to other parts of the country and stay away from risky places like bars and karaoke venues.
5:35 a.m.: Burundi is kicking out the World Health Organization's top official in the country just days before the presidential election and after the WHO raised concerns about crowded political rallies.
A foreign ministry letter seen by The Associated Press says the WHO representative to Burundi, Walter Kazadi Mulombo, has been declared persona non grata and must leave the East African nation by Friday. The letter gives no explanation for the expulsions.
The day that election campaigning in Burundi began late last month, images circulated online of crowded political rallies with President Pierre Nkurunziza in attendance. The head of the WHO Africa region messaged the head of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about it, the Africa CDC chief has said.
5:25 a.m.: Dental practices around France are cautiously reopening and accepting appointments after the government eased restrictions on some businesses, services and public activity.
5:15 a.m.: Some residential compounds in Wuhan have begun testing inhabitants for the coronavirus as a program to test everyone in the Chinese city of 11 million people in 10 days got underway.
One compound in the city's Qiaokou district said several hundred people had been tested since Wednesday. Another compound in the same district said Thursday it was registering residents before starting. The city ordered local communities to test everyone after six new cases surfaced last weekend, the first infections there in more than a month.
5:05 a.m.: A strong typhoon roared toward the eastern Philippines as authorities worked to evacuate tens of thousands of people safely during the virus lockdown.
The typhoon is expected to slam ashore later Thursday. The lockdown to fight the coronavirus requires people to stay home and prohibits all kinds of gatherings that can set off infections. Governors say social distancing will be nearly impossible for residents who must flee to emergency shelters. Some shelters are now quarantine facilities, and they may have to be turned back into storm shelters.
5 a.m.: A U.S. immunologist who says he lost his government job because he warned the Trump administration to prepare for the coronavirus pandemic isn't backing off his bleak forecast.
Dr. Rick Bright is preparing to tell Congress that America faces the darkest winter in modern history" unless its leaders act decisively to prevent a rebound of the coronavirus.
Bright is set to appear today before the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
In prepared testimony, Bright says failing to develop a national co-ordinated response, based in science, could mean the pandemic will get far worse and cause unprecedented illness and fatalities.
4:16 a.m.: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson are expected to announce today plans to soon begin a phased-in opening of federal parks and historic sites across the country.
Since the deadly virus that causes COVID-19 sent the country into lockdown in mid-March, all national parks and historic sites have been closed, with visitor services and all motor vehicle access suspended.
The plan involves some 38 parks and 171 historic sites, including lighthouses, forts, canals and monuments, that are administered by Parks Canada.
However, none of them are expected to be open in time for the coming long weekend.
4 a.m.: Premier Doug Ford is expected to provide more details today on the first stage of Ontario's reopening plan.
Earlier this week, Ford teased good news" would be coming, saying the people of the province have followed pandemic protocols.
He said the plan will include reopening more low-risk workplaces, seasonal businesses and essential services.
Stage 1 in the province's reopening framework also includes allowing more people to gather at certain events such as funerals.
It would also permit hospitals to resume some non-urgent surgeries.
Read the story from the Star's Robert Benzie.
12:50 a.m.: The federal government says it is contributing $2.3 million in funding to support a response plan in northern Saskatchewan dealing with a COVID-19 outbreak in the region.
Indigenous Services Canada says in a news release Wednesday night that the money will go to the North West Saskatchewan Pandemic Response Plan, which includes First Nation, Metis, municipal, provincial and federal officials.
The government of Saskatchewan says 149 out of the 186 active cases are in the northern part of the province.
It has said the virus was brought in via travel from an oilsands work camp in northern Alberta.
Wednesday 10:50 p.m.: One of Corey Hart's most resilient hit singles, Never Surrender," is getting a makeover by the singer, who's been inspired by people's unwavering strength during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Montreal-born performer says he's written and recorded an updated version of the track from his 1985 album Boy in the Box," and plans to debut a music video for it later this month.
Never Surrender (Angels) 2020" takes a cue from the original, but Hart says it incorporates a new melody and lyrics that reflect his perspective as a songwriter today.
Since the pandemic began, I've received so many heartfelt messages from people all over the world telling me how much Never Surrender' has meant to them during the journey of their lives, including into this new crucible we are all facing," he said in a statement.
It thus spurred me on to release a reworked single and video."
Wednesday 10:15 p.m.: Ontario's regional health units are reporting another 362 COVID-19 cases with a total of 32 deaths since Tuesday evening, according to the Star's latest count.
As of 7 p.m. Wednesday, the Star has counted a total of 22,648 confirmed or probable cases of COVID-19, including 1,870 deaths.
The daily total in both cases and deaths was down from recent trends, and the low 1.6 per cent jump in cases over 24 hours marked the fifth straight day of below-2-per-cent growth.
The rate of new infections is down sharply from the rapid growth seen in March. In that month, the province saw cases jump by nearly 19 per cent per day on average, a rate that doubled Ontario's case count about every four days. In April, that rate fell to 6.5 per cent, doubling the case count every 11 days. So far in May, cases have grown by two per cent a day, a rate, if sustained, that would double the cases every 35 days.
The below-average daily jump in new cases Wednesday came after testing numbers rebounded slightly from a weekend slowdown. In the morning, the province reported it had completed 15,137 COVID-19 tests on Tuesday, up about 3,000 from the day prior, still well off the nearly 20,000 tests reported Friday and short of the province's target of 16,000 a day.
In the Star's tracking, days with larger numbers of new reported cases have tended to follow increases in testing.