The latest news on the COVID-19 global pandemic (all times Eastern):
1:20 p.m.
Quebec Premier Francois Legault says there are now 181 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the province, up from 139 yesterday.
Legault also announced four new deaths, meaning there’s a total of five deaths in the province.
Legault says the four new deaths all came from the same senior residence.
The premier says the jump in cases was to be expected, as the province has increased its testing capacity.
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1:09 p.m.
P.E.I. is asking anyone who has travelled internationally or within Canada to self-isolate for 14 days when coming to the Island.
New screening measures are in place at all entry points to P.E.I. including the Confederation Bridge, ferries and airport, but the province is not closing its boundaries.
The screening includes asking questions and providing information on self-isolating.
P.E.I. chief public health officer Dr. Heather Morrison says there are no new cases of COVID-19 to add to the two previously reported on the Island.
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11:30 a.m.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says lock downs in other countries and air-space restrictions due to COVID-19 mean Canada won’t be able to get every citizen home who is trapped abroad.
Trudeau is urging Canadians currently stuck in foreign countries to make safe decisions, stay in touch with Global Affairs and not head to airports unless they have a confirmed seat on a flight back.
Trudeau says the federal government is working with airlines to arrange flights to countries where Canadians are.
Trudeau says the government will help cover some of the costs for these flights, but passengers will be expected to pay a reasonable price.
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11:18 a.m.
The Northwest Territories is planning to ban non-essential travel into the territory.
In a news release, the N.W.T. says chief public health officer Dr. Kami Kandola will make an order under the territory’s Public Health Act effective today.
Residents returning to the territory will be required to self-isolate in Yellowknife, Fort Smith, Hay River, or Inuvik.
The news release says disobeying the order is punishable by a fine of up to $10,000 and six months in jail.
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10:51 a.m.
Ontario is reporting 59 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total in the province to 377.
The total includes six resolved cases and two deaths.
No information is listed for more than half of the new cases, but a man in his 40s from the Simcoe-Muskoka area has been hospitalized with the virus.
Public Health Ontario says he contracted the illness during travel to England.
Premier Doug Ford is set to make an announcement later today related to COVID-19 with his health and economic development ministers.
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4:00 a.m.
An Air Canada flight bringing a group of Canadians home from Morocco is expected to land in Montreal today.
The repatriation flight departing from Casablanca was arranged with the help of the federal government.
Thousands of Canadians stranded abroad are becoming increasingly desperate as countries close borders and airlines cut flights due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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12:15 a.m.
British Columbia is reporting 77 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total to 348.
That includes nine deaths.
B.C. has the highest number of cases in the country, surpassing the 318 being reported in Ontario.
Health Minister Adrian Dix says 22 patients are in acute care and the province will spare no effort to ensure it has the equipment in place to protect health care and other essential workers.
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12:00 a.m.
The new normal at Canada-U.S. border crossings went into effect at midnight.
In the ongoing struggle to stem the rising tide of COVID-19 cases all non-essential cross border traffic, such as tourists and people looking to do some shopping, is now banned until further notice.
Travel considered essential is still allowed, such as truckers hauling freight, health professionals and others who work on one side of the border but live on the other.
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The Canadian Press
