Global Affairs Canada says it is aware of at least 32 Canadians who have tested positive for the new coronavirus on board the Diamond Princess, a cruise ship that has been quarantined in Japan since early February.
“There are 256 Canadians on the Diamond Princess cruise ship,” Global Affairs said in a statement emailed to Global News Monday night.
“Of that number, we are aware of 32 Canadians that have tested positive for the COVID-19.”
This statement came two days after the government announced it was chartering a plane to evacuate the Canadians on board the ship, a decision it said it took “because of the extraordinary circumstances faced by passengers on the Diamond Princess and to lighten the burden on the Japanese health-care system.”
Previous reports placed the number of Canadians who tested positive for COVID-19 on the Diamond Princess at 15, and that they would remain in Japan for medical treatment.
More than 450 people on the ship — which has some 3,700 passengers on board — have tested positive for the virus, according to Japanese health officials, with 99 of those cases reported Monday.
In total, including the 454 from the Diamond Princess, Japan has 520 confirmed cases of the virus, as of Monday, according to Reuters. The ship is the site of the highest number of COVID-19 cases outside of China.
The cruise shipwas ordered to stay under quarantine at Yokohama port on Feb. 3, after an 80-year-old Hong Kong man, who was on board from Jan. 20 to Jan. 25, developed the virus.
6:44 Federal health minister in Vancouver to discuss novel coronavirus
Federal health minister in Vancouver to discuss novel coronavirus
Two charter planes carrying American passengers of the cruise ship landed at military bases in Texas and California over the weekend, sparking another 14-day quarantine for those on board.
The U.S. State Department later reported that 14 of the evacuees received confirmed they had the virus but were allowed to board the flight because they did not have symptoms. They were being isolated separately from other passengers on the flight, the U.S. State and Health and Human Services said in a joint statement.
Canadians on the Diamond Princess are expected to undergo screening for symptoms in Japan before boarding the charter plane. Details of when the plane will fly there and return with the Canadians from the cruise are scarce.
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A spokesperson for Global Affairs said Canada is working with Princess Cruises and the government of Japan “to assist in this evacuation” and that a departure date “will be confirmed once final arrangements will be confirmed with the Japanese government and the cruise ship company.”
The latest statement by Global Affairs re-affirmed that the charter plane will fly Canadians evacuees to the Canadian Forces Base in Trenton, Ont., where they will be assessed. They will then be taken to NAC Canada Training Institute in Cornwall, Ont., for a 14-day quarantine.
Anyone showing symptoms of the virus before boarding the plane in Japan will not be allowed on board and will be diverted to the health-care system in Japan instead.
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Coronavirus outbreak: Vancouver mayor, B.C. minister, Hajdu stress importance to fight fear around virus
“Currently 4 members of the Standing Rapid Deployment Team (SRDT), 3 experts from the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) and 7 Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) medical personnel are being deployed to Japan to support the evacuation,” Global Affairs said in the statement.
Both citizens and permanent residents of Canada are eligible for the charter flight.
“Non-Canadian immediate family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents (space permitting) will also be accommodated in order to avoid separating families,” the statement said.
Any Canadians choosing to not take the charter flight will have to complete the current quarantine in Japan.
Health Minister Patty Hajdu told reporters Monday that the government is still working on determining how many Canadians want evacuation from the cruise ship, with approximately 100 of the 256 on board not yet signalling they wanted to return to Canada.
She said they expect the flight to leave later this week but was unable to provide exact details yet.
“I know there’s about 100 Canadians or so out of the 250-plus that have not responded yet in terms of what their intentions are,” she said.
“We anticipate [the flight] probably will arrive later this week but we don’t have definite arrival times yet.”
— With files by The Canadian Press, The Associated Press, Reuters
0:45 Diamond Princess evacuees will undergo additional quarantine, Hong Kong leader says
Diamond Princess evacuees will undergo additional quarantine, Hong Kong leader says
TORONTO – MLSE president and CEO Keith Pelley and Toronto FC’s top officials have promised change at the ailing MLS club, which is sitting out the playoffs for the fourth straight season.
Pelley says while the franchise’s entire organizational structure is under review, it is going to take some time to find the right answers.
Coach John Herdman says he is looking for young, athletic and durable talent to help turn around a club which he said started the season strongly but finished weakly.
Toronto (11-19-4) was eliminated from playoff contention in a 1-0 loss Oct. 5 to visiting Inter Miami. It will watch the regular season finale from the sidelines, with a bye the final weekend.
Toronto has not made the playoffs since 2020, when it exited at the first hurdle in an upset loss to expansion Nashville. Its regular-season record since then is 30-75-21, with coaches Chris Armas and Bob Bradley fired along the way.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 17, 2024
HAMILTON – There’ll be no playoff games this year for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats but head coach Scott Milanovich feels the club can get a head start on changing that narrative in 2025.
Hamilton hosts Calgary on Friday night in a battle between two non-playoff teams. The Ticats will finish fourth in the East Division while the Stampeders remain fifth in the West, three points behind idle Edmonton with two regular-season games remaining.
“There’s momentum that can be built at the end of the season,” said Milanovich, who’s completing his first season as Hamilton’s head coach/offensive coordinator. “I’ve been part of situations where momentum was built and then the following season it took off.
“What I don’t want to have happen is have a lull where you lose what we’ve kind of started building over the last six weeks. I want to take that into the off-season and training camp.”
Hamilton (6-10) played itself back into playoff contention with four straight victories before suffering a 31-10 home loss to Winnipeg on Oct. 4. The Toronto Argonauts (9-7) eliminated the Ticats from post-season contention with a 14-11 road win over the Blue Bombers last Friday.
For some coaches, that would present an opportunity to audition new players under game conditions. But Milanovich said his priority is to field the best team possible in order to secure the victory, although he did leave the door open to getting backup quarterback Taylor Powell some reps down the stretch.
“He may not play, I’m not making any promises,” Milanovich said. “But other than him we’re playing the best guys available.”
With that in mind, rookie Greg Bell will start at running back ahead of veteran James Butler, who’ll come off the roster. Cornerback Jamal Peters (neck) is out while defensive lineman Nick Usher (ankle) returns.
For Calgary (4-11-1), receiver Cam Echols (head) comes into the lineup while receiver Cam Tucker (hamstring) goes off.
Hamilton starter Bo Levi Mitchell will get a second shot at earning his first win over his former team. Mitchell, who spent his first 10 CFL seasons with Calgary before joining the Ticats in 2023, completed 27-of-38 passes for 300 yards with a TD and interception in a 32-24 season-opening road loss to the Stampeders on June 7.
Mitchell leads the CFL in passing yards (4,576), touchdowns (26) and interceptions (16). The 34-year-old Texan, a two-time Grey Cup champion and twice the league’s outstanding player, is closing in on his third 5,000-yard passing campaign.
The contest is Hamilton’s last this season at Tim Hortons Field, where it is 3-5. But the Ticats have won three of their last four home games against Calgary.
Life on the road has been miserable for the Stampeders, who’re 0-7 this season away from McMahon Stadium. In fact, they’re just 1-12 in their last 13 games away from home.
Having said that, though, Calgary is looking for its first season sweep of Hamilton since 2018.
“We’re trying to win, that’s the first priority and will always be,” Dave Dickenson, Calgary’s head coach/GM, told reporters in the Alberta city this week. “We’ll probably rotate more, for sure we will … but we still expect the same performance and the same execution no matter who plays.”
American Matt Shiltz will start at quarterback for Calgary. He was 18-of-33 passing for 215 yards with a TD an interception in the Stamps’ 23-18 home loss to Edmonton (6-11) last week while rushing five times for 64 yards.
Shiltz spent two seasons in Hamilton (2022-23) before joining the Stampeders in free agency.
“I think he did some good things for us (versus Edmonton),” Dickenson said of Shiltz. “He’s going up against his former team and probably has some familiarity there but different coaches.
“Hopefully he feels good with how our offence is structured and can make plays.”
Calgary is riding an eight-game winless streak (0-7-1) and sports a 2-4-1 record against East Division teams. Hamilton is 2-7 versus the West Division.
Both teams will finish their season on the road. Hamilton travels to Ottawa on Oct. 25 while Calgary visits Saskatchewan the following night.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 17, 2024.
TORONTO – Immanuel Quickley is questionable for the Toronto Raptors final pre-season game.
The guard has missed Toronto’s first four tune-up games with a sprained thumb.
Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic says that Quickley has been cleared for all practice and team activities but that the team would be cautious about putting him into an actual game.
Toronto visits the Brooklyn Nets on Friday to close out its pre-season, then hosts the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday in its home opener.
Quickley moved over to point guard after the Raptors acquired him on Dec. 30 in a trade with the New York Knicks.
He averaged 18.6 points, 6.8 assists and 4.8 rebounds in 38 games for Toronto in that new role last season.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 17, 2024.
