The latest news on COVID-19 developments in Canada (all times Eastern):
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4:31 p.m.
Alberta’s premier says the province will not be following Ontario’s lead in imposing new restrictions because of a jump in cases of COVID-19.
Numbers have jumped in Alberta, especially in Edmonton, but Jason Kenney says his government will continue to take a lighter approach when it comes to restrictions.
Kenney told reporters in Calgary that the province can’t enforce its way out of the pandemic and will rely on Albertans to be responsible.
He says any restrictions imposed would have a negative impact on the economic, psychological and mental state of residents.
Kenney says there is no plan to make voluntary restrictions in Edmonton, which were suggested yesterday, mandatory.
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1:54 p.m.
Three more Manitobans have died after COVID-19 outbreaks at two Winnipeg long-term care homes.
Health officials say a woman in her 80s and a woman in her 70s have died in connection with an outbreak at Parkview Place, while a woman in her 80s at Heritage Lodge has also died.
The province is reporting another big jump in COVID-19 cases, especially in Winnipeg.
Eighty-four new cases are being reported across the province, with 64 of them in the provincial capital.
Winnipeg was put under tighter restrictions on Sept. 28 in a bid to stem the rising numbers.
Masks are mandatory in indoor public areas and gatherings are limited to 10 people, indoors and out.
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1:50 p.m.
Canada’s deputy chief public health officer says Canada is at a crisis point in the COVID-19 pandemic and he’s cancelled his Thanksgiving plans.
Dr. Howard Njoo says his son won’t be visiting him in Ottawa, after scrapping plans to travel from Montreal.
Both cities are COVID-19 hot spots.
He says it’s vital that people in those places only be close to others in their households now.
That means even close family members should stay apart if they don’t live together.
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1:49 p.m.
Public health officials in New Brunswick are reporting 13 new cases of COVID-19.
There are now 37 active cases in the province, and there have been 238 cases since the pandemic began.
Officials have called a news conference this afternoon to provide more details.
With the rise of cases this week, authorities have made masks mandatory in indoor public places in the province.
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1:28 p.m.
The province of Ontario is imposing new restrictions in Toronto, Peel Region and Ottawa to help slow the spread of COVID-19.
They will prohibit indoor dining at restaurants and bars, and close gyms, movie theatres and casinos.
The measures will go into effect tomorrow and will be in place for at least 28 days.
The government is also asking people in those areas to leave their homes only for essential purposes.
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1:20 p.m.
Newfoundland and Labrador is reporting two new cases of COVID-19 today.
The province says one of the cases involved was a close contact of a previous case.
The other confirmed case involves a resident of the province who recently travelled back from work in Africa.
Newfoundland is now at 279 confirmed cases of COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic, six of which are currently active.
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1:15 p.m.
Canada’s chief public health officer says if individuals cut back the number of people they come into contact with by 25 to 35 per cent, it can bring the second wave of COVID-19 under control.
Dr. Theresa Tam says some of that can come if individual people make choices not to see as many people, but that in some cases it will also require more government-imposed restrictions.
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12:27 p.m.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the federal government is creating a new emergency rent subsidy that will provide funds directly to businesses who need help paying their rent.
The previous rent subsidy was paid to landlords.The new subsidy will cover up to 65 per cent of eligible rent costs for businesses which have lost revenue because of COVID 19 and up to 90 per cent for businesses which have to close entirely because of the second wave of COVID-19.
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12:22 p.m.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says that yesterday Canada recorded the highest number of COVID-19 cases it has recorded in a single day since the pandemic began.
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11:15 a.m.
Quebec’s health authorities are reporting 1,102 new cases of COVID-19 today, bringing the total number of cases in the province up to 84,094.
Four deaths have been reported within the past 24 hours and another 18 earlier deaths have been linked to the novel coronavirus.
One death previously attributed to COVID-19 is now believed to have been due to other causes, bringing the death toll in Quebec to 5,936.
There are now 433 people in hospital, an increase of eight from the day before, with 67 people in intensive care, one less than the day before.
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11 a.m.
Ontario is reporting 939 new cases of COVID-19 today, marking a new daily record.
Health Minister Christine Elliott says 336 cases are in Toronto, 150 in Peel Region and 126 in Ottawa.
The province is also reporting five new deaths due to the virus today.
In total, 225 people are hospitalized in Ontario due to COVID-19, up from 192 reported yesterday.
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9:40 a.m.
A case of COVID-19 has been confirmed in a high school in northeastern New Brunswick.
The principal of Sugarloaf High School in Campbellton says the board is working with public health officials to identify any other students or staff who may have had contact with the person.
In a social media post, Michael O’Toole says the school, which is just a few kilometres from the border with Quebec, is temporarily closed to allow for cleaning and contact tracing.
O’Toole says students who live in Listuguj First Nation and Pointe-a-la-Croix on the Quebec side of the border are going to be receiving laptops and other technology to allow them to participate in remote learning.
The province’s public health agency reported three new cases of COVID-19 today, including one in Campbellton involving a person in their 30s.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 9, 2020.
The Canadian Press
