By Canadian Press

The latest developments on COVID-19 in Canada

Apr 24, 2020 | 8:33 AM

The latest news on the COVID-19 global pandemic (all times Eastern):

11:30 a.m.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is announcing significant rent relief to help businesses that can’t afford to pay their landlords at a time when their operations are shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The federal help, expected to lower rent by 75 per cent for affected small businesses, will be provided in partnership with the provinces and territories, which have jurisdiction over rents.

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Appeal denied

Fishermen fails to get fine cut for damaging Sunshine Coast violations

1h ago

fight

One injured, another arrested after fight breaks out near Nanaimo high school football game

5h ago

spiked drinks

Watch your drinks: Nanaimo RCMP investigating spiked drink incident

6h ago

10:50 a.m.

Ontario is reporting 640 new COVID-19 cases today, and 50 more deaths.

That’s the largest single-day increase in new cases so far, though the growth rate in total cases remains relatively low, at five per cent.

Ontario has now had 13,519 total cases, including 763 deaths and 7,087 resolved cases.

Long-term care deaths — which are reported in a different database that often doesn’t sync up with the total provincial numbers — increased by 57 over the past day.

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10:45 a.m.

Nova Scotia is reporting 23 new cases of COVID-19 bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 850.

Health officials say 11 people are currently in hospital with three of those patients in intensive care.

The province reported no new deaths on Friday and has registered a total of 16 deaths.

Officials say 392 people have now recovered and their cases of COVID-19 are considered resolved.

The Canadian Press