Name: COVID-19 spreads to new provinces: Manitoba and Saskatchewan confirm first cases
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COVID-19 spreads to new provinces: Manitoba and Saskatchewan confirm first cases

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This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Manitoba and Saskatchewan have announced their first confirmed case of COVID-19. Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Manitoba Health Minister Cameron Friesen says a woman who recently travelled to the Philippines has tested positive for the novel coronavirus. We apologize, but this video has failed to load. Try refreshing your browser, or. He says she is isolated at home. Sign up to receive the daily top stories from the National Post, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. By clicking on the sign up button you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. You may unsubscribe any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link at the bottom of our emails. Postmedia Network Inc. | 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4 | 416-383-2300 A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of NP Posted will soon be in your inbox. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again Manitoba’s chief provincial public health officer Dr. Brent Roussin says the province was prepared to rapidly respond. He says the amount of testing has significantly increased and international travellers are encouraged to self monitor and get tested. Roussin says it’s time for people in Manitoba to begin social-distancing strategies — such as not shaking hands and avoiding crowded events — to limit chances of being exposed. The Manitoba government announced earlier this week that it’s spending about $35 million on personal protective supplies such as gloves, face masks and hand sanitizer for patients and health-care workers. Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Saskatchewan has also reported its first presumptive case. The province’s chief medical health officer, Dr. Saqib Shahab, said in a news release that the person recently travelled to Egypt. “The province’s first case is linked to travel from a country where local transmission of COVID-19 has been reported,” he said in the statement. Shahab said the person was experiencing symptoms and underwent testing in Saskatoon earlier this week and a positive result came back Thursday. The person, who is in their 60s, has been self-isolating at home. Premier Scott Moe announced that he will rule out an early spring election, saying his government will focus on fighting COVID-19. Moe’s office released a statement saying that the province needs stable government while addressing the health and economic impacts of the outbreak. Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The 2020 provincial election is scheduled for October, but Moe had speculated for weeks about going to the polls early. The World Health Organization declared the outbreak of novel coronavirus disease a pandemic on Thursday. While Ontario Premier Doug Ford urged people to enjoy their March break travels, Quebec Premier Francois Legault, whose province has 13 cases, ordered government employees returning from travel abroad to self-isolate for 14 days. Legault urged other travellers to do the same. Quebec also asked organizers to cancel all indoor events where more than 250 people were expected. He says it’s time for all of the province to go into “emergency mode” to limit the spread of COVID-19. The two-week isolation will be mandatory for public sector workers, who will still be paid. Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. He is also telling organizers to cancel all indoor events attracting crowds of more than 250 people and asking them to reconsider any other large gatherings that are not considered essential. Legault says he’ll announce financial measures in the next days to compensate workers and businesses affected by the virus. There are currently 13 confirmed cases in Quebec, two of which are hospitalized. Alberta Premier Jason Kenney says his government is putting together an emergency aid package in response to a “triple whammy” hitting his province’s economy. Kenney says the economic fallout from COVID-19, the plunge in oil prices and the potential for a looming global recession must be addressed. He says details are coming soon and he has assurances from the federal government that they will support it. Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. He says he is also exploring how to ensure the spread of the novel coronavirus doesn’t result in a shutdown of either critical provincial services or the energy sector. More than 100 cases have been reported in Canada. Distancing Keeping distance from others as a way to prevent the further spread of COVID-19 ramped up across the country Thursday as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife went into precautionary self-isolation, major events were cancelled, and stock markets continued their downward spiral amid growing concerns about the pandemic. Examples of social distancing, which experts say is one of the most effective ways of curtailing the spread of the highly contagious coronavirus, were on full display. Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The first ministers’ meeting in Ottawa was cancelled, as were the Juno Awards scheduled for the weekend in Saskatoon. The Toronto Raptors advised players, coaches and travelling staff to go into self-isolation for 14 days. The advice followed Monday night’s Raptors game against the Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City and the NBA’s decision to suspended its season because a Jazz player had tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Canada has recorded a single death — an elderly nursing home resident in B.C. — among about 149 confirmed cases of COVID-19, which mostly produces mild or moderate symptoms such as fever and cough. Public health authorities warn that for people aged 65 and over or with compromised immune systems, the illness can be more severe. Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Hard-hit countries such as China and Italy, which has now all but locked down its entire population of 60 million, have taken stringent measures to keep people apart. Canada’s response so far has been far more moderate, but that has begun to change. As Manitoba and Saskatchewan reported their first cases, Ontario uncovered 18 more, including one baby. Markets On the stock markets, so-called “circuit breakers” kicked in for 15 minutes to halt another precipitous sell-off as the economic toll of the virulent disease continued to mount. The ongoing rout came 12 hours after U.S. President Donald Trump severely curtailed travel from Europe, but offered few new measures to mitigate the economic impact of the outbreak. Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Canada’s main stock index plunged almost 10 per cent by early afternoon, and the loonie’s slide against the U.S. dollar continued. Other countries have been stepping up their efforts at social distancing. The U.S. Congress was shutting the Capitol and all House and Senate office buildings to the public until April. Several American politicians have already self-quarantined. Politicians in Europe, Iran and China are among the estimated 126,000 people worldwide infected with the coronavirus, with more than 4,600 deaths reported. More than half the known patients have recovered. Several countries have also hardened their borders in hopes of stemming the tide of infections. The Czech government declared a state of emergency and said it was reinstating checks at its borders with Austria and Germany and barring travellers from 13 at-risk countries. Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Norway and Lithuania shut down kindergartens, schools and universities for at least two weeks, while the Norwegian government said employees at work had to keep at least one metre apart. Britain, which is exempt from the U.S. travel ban, has so far urged people to wash their hands but was now expected to take further measures. The U.K. has 456 confirmed cases and eight deaths. COVID-19 — Canada by the numbers: The latest numbers of confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases in Canada as of March 12, 2020: — Ontario: 59 confirmed (five cases resolved) — British Columbia: 46 confirmed, including one death (four cases resolved) — Alberta: 19 confirmed — Quebec: 13 confirmed — New Brunswick: one presumptive — Manitoba: one presumptive — Saskatchewan: one presumptive — Canadians quarantined at CFB Trenton: one confirmed — Total: 141 (138 confirmed, three presumptive; nine cases resolved) Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about . By continuing to use our site, you agree to our and . OK

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Manitoba and Saskatchewan have announced their first confirmed case of COVID-19. Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Manitoba Health Minister Cameron Friesen says a woman who recently travelled to the Philippines has tested positive for the novel coronavirus. We apologize, but this video has failed to load. Try refreshing your browser, or. He says she is isolated at home. Sign up to receive the daily top stories from the National Post, a division of Postmedia...

COVID-19 spreads to new provinces: Manitoba and Saskatchewan confirm first cases

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