The latest news on COVID-19 developments in Canada (all times Eastern):
2:50 p.m.
Newfoundland and Labrador is down to just five active cases of COVID-19 after a weekend without any new infections.
All five are in the eastern zone of the province, meaning much of the province outside of the Avalon peninsula currently has no active cases.
Meanwhile, Labrador-Grenfell Health will start vaccinations for first responders Monday after the rest of the province held clinics for these groups over the past week.
Pre-registration is underway for people 70 years of age and older for vaccinations.
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2:40 p.m.
New Brunswick is stepping up a program to vaccinate high school teachers against COVID-19.
It’s expected that this week 4,500 staff from high schools provincewide will receive a first dose at a clinic in one of 16 locations.
Schools will be closed to students on the days that local clinics are being held to allow for high school staff to be vaccinated and plan for the full return to school.
The province reported one new case of COVID-19 today, with 49 active cases in the province.
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2:20 p.m.
Manitoba is reporting seven additional deaths in people with COVID-19, some of which date back as far as November.
The province’s daily pandemic update explains that the deaths were reported to public health officials this month.
Today’s update says there were 90 new cases of COVID-19 in Manitoba as of 9:30 this morning.
Manitoba’s five-day test-positivity rate is five per cent provincially and 3.6 per cent in Winnipeg.
There are 135 people in hospital who either have COVID-19 or had it but are no longer infectious.
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11:15 a.m.
Quebec is reporting 648 new cases of COVID-19 as well as five more deaths linked to the pandemic.
Three people died in the last 24 hours, while the other two died between March 14 and 19.
Hospitalizations declined by four to 501, but the number of people in intensive care increased by three to 102.
Health workers gave 28,543 doses of vaccine on Saturday, for a total of 944,793 since immunizations got underway.
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10:50 a.m.
Six new cases of COVID-19 are being reported in Nova Scotia today as March break winds down in the province.
Four of the cases are in the province’s central zone, which includes the Halifax area, and two are in the eastern zone.
All of the infections are related to travel or previous cases, with those infected going into self isolation.
As of today, Nova Scotia has 21 active cases of COVID-19.
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10:45 a.m.
Ontario is reporting 1,791 new COVID-19 cases and 18 more virus-related deaths today.
Toronto and nearby Peel Region — two COVID-19 hot spots — account for nearly half of the new infections.
Looser pandemic measures allowing restaurants to open their patios took effect in both regions yesterday.
Ontario’s immunization campaign is set to ramp up tomorrow, with the provincial vaccine booking portal slated to start taking appointments from those 75 or older.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 21, 2021.
MONTREAL – One expert says entry-level pay under the tentative deal between Air Canada and its pilots could be a stumbling block ahead of a union vote on the agreement.
Under their current contract, pilots earn far less in their first four years at the company before enjoying a big wage increase starting in year five.
The Air Line Pilots Association had been pushing to scrap the so-called “fixed rate” provision entirely.
But according to a copy of the contract summary obtained by The Canadian Press, the proposed deal announced Sunday would merely cut the four-year period of lower pay to two years.
John Gradek, who teaches aviation management at McGill University, says as many as 2,000 of Air Canada’s roughly 5,200 active pilots may earn entry-level wages following a recent hiring surge.
After the airline averted a strike this week, Gradek says the failure to ditch the pay grade restrictions could prompt pushback from rank-and-file flight crew and jeopardize the deal, which is up for a vote next month.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 18, 2024.
ROME (AP) — Salvatore “Totò” Schillaci, the Italy striker who was top scorer at its home World Cup in 1990, has died. He was 59.
Schillaci had been hospitalized in Palermo following treatment for colon cancer.
The Palermo Civico hospital said in a statement that Schillacci died on Wednesday morning after being admitted 11 days ago.
Schillaci scored six goals for Italy during the 1990 World Cup. He came on as a substitute during Italy’s opener against Austria, scored in a 1-0 victory, and went on to earn the Golden Boot awarded to the tournament’s top scorer. He only scored one other goal for Italy in his career.
Italian soccer federation president Gabriele Gravina announced that a minute of silence would be held in memory of Schillaci before all games in the country for the rest of the week.
“The uncontrollable celebrations, in which his face was the symbol of shared joy, will remain forever part of Italian soccer (history),” Gravina said. “Totò was a great player, a symbol of tenacious desire and redemption. … His soccer was full of passion. And that fearless spirit made everyone appreciate him and will make him immortal.”
Schillaci also won the Golden Ball award at the 1990 World Cup as the tournament’s top player ahead of Lothar Matthaus and Diego Maradona.
Schillaci played for Messina, Juventus, Inter Milan and Japanese team Jubilo Iwata during his club career.
“You made an entire nation dream during the Magical Nights of Italia ’90,” Inter said on its social media channels.
West Germany won the 1990 World Cup, beating Argentina in the final, while Italy beat England for third place with a winning penalty kick from Schillaci.
Roberto Baggio, who scored Italy’s opening goal in the third-place match, wrote on Instagram, “Ciao my dear friend.”
Having been born and raised in Palermo, the Palermo soccer team announced that it would hold a public viewing of Schillaci at its Renzo Barbera stadium ahead of the funeral, the Gazzetta dello Sport reported.
French soccer player Wissam Ben Yedder will stay free ahead of his trial on charges of sexual assault while intoxicated, one of his lawyers told The Associated Press on Wednesday.
Marie Roumiantseva said Ben Yedder will remain under strict judicial supervision after a woman filed a lawsuit for sexual assault earlier this month.
The 34-year-old Ben Yedder, a prolific striker in the French league, was briefly detained then released after the alleged incident in his car on the French Riviera. Ben Yedder had been stopped by police after he first refused to do so. He was then put in a jail cell.
After he was summoned to appear in court on Oct. 15 and placed under judicial supervision, the Nice prosecutor’s office appealed the decision not to remand the player in custody. The investigative chamber of the Court of Appeal of Aix-en-Provence did not grant this request and kept Ben Yedder under judicial supervision.
Ben Yedder attended a hearing Tuesday during which he offered to go to rehab. He has admitted he drove while under the influence of alcohol but has denied any sexual assault.
In a separate legal case last year, Ben Yedder was charged with “rape, attempted rape and sexual assault” over another alleged incident in the south of France.
Ben Yedder has been without a club since his contract with Monaco expired at the end of last season.
