The latest news on the COVID-19 global pandemic (all times Eastern):
11:57 a.m.
Nova Scotia is reporting another death related to COVID-19, bringing the province’s total to 10.
The death occurred at the Northwood long-term care home in Halifax Regional Municipality.
Nova Scotia is reporting 16 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the provincial total to 737 confirmed cases.
Two hundred and eighty-six individuals have now recovered in Nova Scotia and their cases of COVID-19 are considered resolved.
As of yesterday, there are 10 licensed long-term care homes and unlicensed seniors’ facilities in Nova Scotia with cases of COVID-19, involving 128 residents and 62 staff.
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11:55 a.m.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says two airplanes that were supposed to pick up protective equipment for frontline medical workers in China were forced to leave that country empty because of delays on the ground.
Trudeau says the equipment was supposed to deliver equipment ordered by the federal government and one province, which he declined to identify.
Trudeau says planes are only allowed to remain in China for short periods of time while checkpoints and other challenges make movement on the ground difficult.
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11:30 a.m.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says companies whose businesses have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic will be able to start applying for a promised wage subsidy on April 27.
Trudeau says the Canada Revenue Agency is setting up a calculator so employers can see how much they can expect to receive from the program, which will provide up to $847 per employee per week.
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11:25 a.m.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the federal government plans to provide $350 million to Canada’s charities sector.
Charities have seen a severe drop in donations since the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, with donors hurting financially themselves and an inability to hold fundraising events.
Trudeau says some of the money will go to smaller, independent organizations while the rest will flow to national groups such as the United Way and Canadian Red Cross.
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10:33 a.m.
Ontario is reporting 551 new COVID-19 cases today, and 38 new deaths.
The new provincial total of 11,735 cases is a 4.9 per cent increase over Monday’s total, which is the lowest growth rate in weeks.
The total includes 622 deaths and 5,806 resolved cases — which is nearly half.
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10:30 a.m.
A survey of nearly 1,300 British Columbia businesses reveals just over half of those already closed to due COVID-19 restrictions expect to reopen.
The BC Chamber of Commerce and several partners took part in the Mustel survey, which shows a further 38 per cent of businesses are unsure about reopening and eight per cent already know they won’t be back.
Of the small businesses still operating, the survey shows 43 per cent estimate they can only survive for a maximum of three more months under current restrictions.
More than half report revenues have plunged 75 per cent or more and almost eight in 10 are not confident they will be able to attract enough customers or revenue to stay alive when normal operations resume.
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10:15 a.m.
The COVID-19 pandemic will keep court procedures in Ontario on hold for at least an extra three months.
The Ontario Superior Court of Justice suspended regular operations on March 17 and either adjourned or suspended criminal and civil trials until June.
But the court has issued a new notice saying criminal and civil jury selections and trials will be paused until September at the earliest.
It says it will keep assessing the public health situation and plans to offer further direction next month.
The Canadian Press
