BRITISH COLUMBIA
B.C. is reporting 52 new cases of COVID-19 since Saturday, including five more deaths.
This brings the death total to 86 and the total number of cases to 1,699.
Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says the testing strategy is now being expanded to determine how and when some of restrictions can be gradually lifted.
However, she says that won’t begin until mid-May.
Henry also says the province is broadening tests to better track community spread of the virus.
The B.C. government is moving to get faster access to care for those living in rural, remote and Indigenous communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Steps to improve health-care services include bringing in 55 new ambulances, five more fixed-wing planes or helicopters and housing options that will help people self-isolate in their home communities.
The government says its also bringing in new and faster virus testing technology — taking less than 45 minutes to complete — in an attempt to quickly stop the spread of the virus.
Indigenous Relations Minister Scott Fraser says Indigenous communities have been hit hard in past pandemics and elders, in particular, as keepers of knowledge and language, must be protected.
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YUKON
Yukon has two more cases of COVID-19, for a total of 11.
Yukon’s chief medical officer Dr. Brendan Hanley says the latest cases are related to a cluster in Whitehorse that is connected to international travel.
Hanley says eight of the 11 people who have contracted the virus have recovered and are doing well.
He says each case has been traced to its origin and there has been no known community transmission in the territory.
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ALBERTA
Alberta is reporting 105 new cases and four additional deaths related to COVID-19.
That brings the total to 2,908 cases and 59 deaths in the province.
So far, 1,230 people have recovered from the illness.
Health Minister Tyler Shandro says cases in care homes remain a concern and the government will be releasing a plan this week to help the facilities and workers.
Cargill meat-packing plant in southern Alberta shutting down temporarily due to COVID-19.
The High River plant, which employs more than 2,000 workers, has been linked to more than 350 cases of the novel coronavirus — both at the plant and in the community.
A company spokesman says it was a difficult decision to make as the plant is considered an essential service.
He is encouraging all employees to get tested for COVID-19 as soon as possible.
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74 people at a Toronto refugee shelter tested positive for COVID-19
Toronto medical officer of health Dr. Eileen de Villa says 74 people at a refugee shelter have tested positive for COVID-19.
The city says everyone at the shelter has been tested for the new coronavirus and many results are pending.
Doctors Without Borders is now in Toronto setting up a recovery centre to help deal with COVID-19 cases among the homeless.—
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is reporting one new case of COVID-19.
That brings the total number of cases in the province to 316, with health officials saying that 238 people have recovered from the illness.
The number of fatalities remains at four.
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Manitoba
The Manitoba government is extending its state of emergency to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic for another month, until May 17.
Provincial health officials have yet to decide whether to extend public health orders that limit public gatherings and close non-essential businesses until May 1.
The province is reporting one additional case of COVID-19, bringing the total to 254 (246 confirmed, eight probable).
Officials also say a woman in her 80 has died from COVID-19, bringing the provincial total to six.
Federal spending on an emergency benefit to workers out of a job due to COVID-19 has almost reached $20 billion.
Federal statistics posted today shows that $19.8 billion in payments has been paid out through the Canada Emergency Response Benefit.
The Liberals had previously budgeted $24 billion for the program, which kicked in earlier this month.
So far, there have been 6.73 million unique applicants for the program, a figure that includes some two million people who previously applied for employment insurance benefits in March.
Quebec
Quebec is delaying all non-urgent activities in hospitals for the next two weeks to allow more medical professionals to work full time in the province’s struggling long-term care homes.
Premier Francois Legault says the province is short 2,000 people to work in the homes, where the majority of the province’s COVID-19 deaths have originated.
The province reported 62 more deaths due to COVID-19 for a total of 939, and 962 more cases for a total of 19,319.
Legault said 3,847 people have recovered from the illness.
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“Now is not the time to slow down physical distancing efforts”
-Dr. Theresa Tam
Dr. Theresa Tam said there are some provinces that have not seen any community transmission of coronavirus and that in the provinces where there has been, things are getting better.
But Tam warned that despite the positive signs, which are a testament to the efforts being made by Canadians, “now is not the time to slow down” physical distancing efforts.
Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam says Canada has been testing more than 20,000 people a day for COVID-19 over the last few days.
Tam said more than 555,000 people have now been tested, resulting in 36,216 confirmed cases as of this morning.
Ontario
Ontario is reporting 606 new cases of COVID-19, the largest single-day increase, and 31 new deaths.
Despite the large increase, the new total of 11,184 cases is just 5.7 per cent higher than the day before, continuing a relatively low growth trend.
The total includes 584 deaths and 5,515 resolved cases.
The number of people in hospital confirmed to have COVID-19 and those on a ventilator went down slightly, while the number of people in intensive care remained stable.
The Canadian Press