The latest coronavirus news from Canada and around the world Saturday. This file will be updated throughout the day. Web links to longer stories if available.
6:15 p.m.: U.S. Vice-President Mike Pence called off campaign events in Florida and Arizona for this coming week as the states experience a surge in coronavirus cases. Pence still plans to travel to Texas, another state with a rising rate of infection, for a church-run Celebrate Freedom Rally in Dallas on Sunday before meeting with Gov. Greg Abbott.
5 p.m.: Ontario’s regional public health units are reporting a total of 36,468 confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 as of 5 p.m. Saturday, including 2,701 deaths, up by a total of 163 new cases since Friday evening.
As has been the case in recent days, the growth was concentrated in a handful of health units; only Toronto (62 cases), Peel Region (59) and Windsor-Essex (20) reported new infections in the double digits.
Meanwhile, Toronto was responsible for all nine fatal cases reported Saturday. The daily rate of deaths has fallen sharply in the province since peaking in early May, when the health units reported as many as 94 in a single day.
Earlier Saturday, the province reported that 252 patients are now hospitalized with COVID-19, including 54 in intensive care of whom 35 are on a ventilator. All three totals are near the lowest the province has reported in data that goes back to early April.
The province says its data is accurate to 4 p.m. the previous day. The province also cautions its latest count of total deaths — 2,652 — may be incomplete or out of date due to delays in the reporting system, saying that in the event of a discrepancy, “data reported by (the health units) should be considered the most up to date.”
The Star’s count includes some patients reported as “probable” COVID-19 cases, meaning they have symptoms and contacts or travel history that indicate they very likely have the disease, but have not yet received a positive lab test.
4:30 p.m.: Vancouver Coastal Health says anyone who visited Brandi’s Exotic Show Lounge from June 21 to 24 may have been exposed to the coronavirus. Health officials say a number of people who tested positive attended the strip club between 9 p.m. and 3 a.m. on those dates.
4:01 p.m.: Canada contributed $300 million on Saturday towards the international fight against COVID-19, as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau joined fellow leaders, activists and philanthropists in calling for a vaccine to be distributed to the world’s neediest people.
Trudeau announced the new funds in another virtual international fundraiser — this one sponsored by an organization, Global Citizen, that raised almost $9.5 billion in pledges.
“COVID-19 has changed the lives of people everywhere, and it has highlighted inequalities around the world,” Trudeau said. “None of us have been spared from the effects of COVID-19 and none of us can beat it alone.”
Canada’s contribution includes $180 million to address the immediate humanitarian and development impacts of the pandemic and $120 million towards a new initiative called the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator.
The ACT Accelerator was created in April by the World Health Organization, the French government, the European Commission and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to ensure equitable access to medical treatments. It supports organizations, health professionals and businesses in their efforts to develop a vaccine, as well as drug therapies and diagnostic tools to battle the pandemic.
3:03 p.m.: Some Arizona hospitals have begun activating surge plans to increase their capacity to treat coronavirus patients as confirmed cases rise and more people seek treatment.
The Arizona Department of Health Services on Saturday reported 3,591 additional confirmed cases, increasing the state’s total to 70,051. There have been 1,579 known deaths, including 44 reported Saturday.
Saturday’s increase in confirmed COVID-19 cases tied a record set Tuesday and was the sixth day over nine days in which the reported increase topped 3,000.
2:42 p.m.: The Brazilian government announced an agreement with Oxford University and pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca to produce a promising coronavirus vaccine that is undergoing tests.
Brazilian Health Ministry authorities said in a press conference that the country will pay $127 million and receive material to produce 30.4 million doses in two batches in December and January, which would allow it to quickly start inoculation efforts if the vaccine is certified to be safe and effective.
1:30 p.m.: Canada’s smallest province, which once branded itself the “gentle island,” is seeing some not-so-gentle attitudes emerging toward people perceived to be from other provinces — a phenomenon Prince Edward Island Premier Dennis King says is likely driven by COVID-19 fears.
The province has been closed to all non-essential travellers since April 17 and only began allowing seasonal residents to come from within Canada on June 1.
These travel restrictions have been lauded as being key to keeping the virus contained to only 27 cases in total since the pandemic began — now all recovered — with no hospitalizations, no deaths and no community spread of the disease.
But with cottage owners now arriving on the Island, several people with out-of-province license plates have had their cars vandalized or have had nasty notes left for them in incidents known locally as “plate shaming.”
1:03 p.m.: An Ethiopian Orthodox monk whose family says he is 114 years old has survived the coronavirus.
Tilahun Woldemichael was discharged from a hospital on Thursday after almost three weeks. He received oxygen and dexamethasone, a cheap and widely available steroid that researchers in England have said reduced deaths by up to one third in severely ill hospitalized patients.
Ethiopia’s health minister has said the ministry recommends the emergency use of the drug for COVID-19 patients who require ventilation or oxygen.
12:50 p.m.: Florida has marked another one-day record in new COVID-19 cases Saturday as the state looks to curb the spread of the virus. The Florida Department of Health reported a total of 132,545 cases of the novel coronavirus, marking a jump of 9,585 in new infections.
In response, the state has suspended alcohol consumption at bars, and Miami-Dade announced that beaches would be closed and most parades and parties cancelled on the fourth of July. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, however, has refused to make masks mandatory statewide.
12:20 p.m.: The latest numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Canada as of 11:25 a.m. ET on June 27, 2020:
There are 102,954 confirmed cases in Canada.
Quebec: 55,079 confirmed (including 5,448 deaths, 23,786 resolved)
Ontario: 34,476 confirmed (including 2,652 deaths, 29,754 resolved)
Alberta: 7,888 confirmed (including 154 deaths, 7,225 resolved)
British Columbia: 2,878 confirmed (including 174 deaths, 2,545 resolved)
Nova Scotia: 1,061 confirmed (including 63 deaths, 998 resolved)
Saskatchewan: 772 confirmed (including 13 deaths, 654 resolved)
Manitoba: 307 confirmed (including 7 deaths, 300 resolved), 11 presumptive
Newfoundland and Labrador: 261 confirmed (including 3 deaths, 258 resolved)
New Brunswick: 165 confirmed (including 2 deaths, 150 resolved)
Prince Edward Island: 27 confirmed (including 27 resolved)
Repatriated Canadians: 13 confirmed (including 13 resolved)
Yukon: 11 confirmed (including 11 resolved)
Northwest Territories: 5 confirmed (including 5 resolved)
Nunavut: No confirmed cases
Total: 102,954 (11 presumptive, 102,943 confirmed including 8,516 deaths, 65,726 resolved)
12:15 p.m.: Ontario reported 160 new cases of COVID-19 and eight more deaths related to the virus on Saturday.
The total number of cases now stands at 34,476, which includes 2,652 deaths and 29,932 cases marked as resolved.
The number of people in intensive care and on a ventilator in hospital continued to drop, reaching its lowest level since the province started reporting the figure in April.
The Ministry of Health says it was able to complete more than 33,000 tests for the novel coronavirus the previous day.
The new cases come as the Ontario government extended its emergency orders for the COVID-19 pandemic until July 10.
Premier Doug Ford said the province has made good progress in reducing the spread of COVID-19, but Ontarians need to remain vigilant.
The province also said it will loosen some restrictions around indoor sports and fitness to enable amateur and professional athletes to train.
The announcement comes days after the government extended its state of emergency until July 15.
Ford has said he hopes this will be the last time Ontario has to extend its state of emergency.
The province will no longer be able to issue new emergency orders after a state of emergency ends, but it will be able to extend existing orders.
9:35 a.m.: The Ontario government says it is extending its emergency orders for the COVID-19 pandemic until July 10.
Premier Doug Ford said the province has made good progress in reducing the spread of the coronavirus but Ontarians need to remain vigilant.
The province also said it will loosen some restrictions around indoor sports and fitness to enable amateur and professional athletes to train.
The announcement comes days after the government extended its state of emergency until July 15.
Ford has said he hopes this will be the last time Ontario has to extend their state of emergency.
The province will no longer be able to issue new emergency orders after a state of emergency ends, but it will be able to extend existing orders.
7:47 a.m.: India’s confirmed coronavirus cases crossed half a million on Saturday with another record 24-hour jump of 18,552 infections.
The Health Ministry also reported 384 new deaths, raising the total to 15,685.
The surge prompted authorities in the northeastern state of Assam to impose a two-week lockdown in the state capital of Gauhati. About 700 new cases were reported there in just four days.
Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the rest of Assam will be placed under a night curfew and weekend lockdowns.
He urged people to store essential goods and signalled a tighter lockdown where even grocery stores would be closed.
7:46 a.m.: Police in the English city of Liverpool have been given more powers to break up crowds after celebrations to mark Liverpool Football Club’s first league title in 30 years led to disorder.
The local move to stop gatherings of more than two people came after the sheer joy of victory, together with warm weather, prompted people to cast off worries about the COVID-19 pandemic and to gather in huge crowds.
Amid the wild celebrations, part of the Liver Building — a local landmark — caught fire. Images circulating on social media appear to show a firework sailing from the crowd and striking the building’s balcony before exploding. Four fire engines were dispatched and the blaze was put out, but the extent of the damage is unclear.
7:46 a.m.: European Union envoys are close to finalizing a list of countries whose citizens will be allowed to enter Europe again, possibly from late next week, EU diplomats confirmed Saturday. Americans are almost certain to be excluded in the short term due to the number of U.S. coronavirus cases.
The envoys were expected to have narrowed down later Saturday the exact criteria for countries to make the list, which include the way the spread of the virus is being managed. Another key condition is whether the country has a ban on citizens from European nations.
The number of cases in the United States has surged over the past week, with an all-time high of 45,300 confirmed new daily infections just reached. President Donald Trump also suspended the entry of all people from Europe’s ID check-free travel zone in a decree in March.
The EU diplomats confirmed that an official agreement on the criteria — likely to include a limit on the infection rate per 100,000 citizens — is expected late on Monday or early Tuesday. The diplomats spoke on condition of anonymity because the procedure is ongoing and politically very sensitive.
4 a.m.: The latest numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Canada as of 4 a.m. ET on June 27, 2020:
There are 102,794 confirmed cases in Canada.
Quebec: 55,079 confirmed (including 5,448 deaths, 23,786 resolved)
Ontario: 34,316 confirmed (including 2,644 deaths, 29,754 resolved)
Alberta: 7,888 confirmed (including 154 deaths, 7,225 resolved)
British Columbia: 2,878 confirmed (including 174 deaths, 2,545 resolved)
Nova Scotia: 1,061 confirmed (including 63 deaths, 998 resolved)
Saskatchewan: 772 confirmed (including 13 deaths, 654 resolved)
Manitoba: 307 confirmed (including 7 deaths, 300 resolved), 11 presumptive
Newfoundland and Labrador: 261 confirmed (including 3 deaths, 258 resolved)
New Brunswick: 165 confirmed (including 2 deaths, 150 resolved)
Prince Edward Island: 27 confirmed (including 27 resolved)
Repatriated Canadians: 13 confirmed (including 13 resolved)
Yukon: 11 confirmed (including 11 resolved)
Northwest Territories: 5 confirmed (including 5 resolved)
Nunavut: No confirmed cases
Total: 102,794 (11 presumptive, 102,783 confirmed including 8,508 deaths, 65,726 resolved)
Friday 6 p.m. Ontario’s public health units reported their fewest new COVID-19 infections in more than three months as the rate of new cases fell sharply Friday, according to the Star’s latest count.
The health units have reported a total of 36,305 confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19, including 2,692 deaths, up a total of just 114 new cases since Thursday evening, down 64 from the day before.
The case totals reported Friday were low across the province: just 40 new cases in Toronto, another 40 in the rest of the GTA, and just 34 in Ontario outside the GTA, all among the lowest totals in months.
The last time the health units reported fewer than 120 cases in a day was March 23, well before the worst of the province’s epidemic at a time when just six people had died.
The three fatal cases reported Friday are below recent trends and well down for the province’s peak in early May, when the health units reported as many as 90 deaths in a single day.
Earlier Friday, the province reported that 256 patients are now hospitalized with COVID-19, including 61 in intensive care, of whom 41 are on a ventilator. All three totals are near the lowest the province has reported in data that goes back to early April.
The province says its data is accurate to 4 p.m. the previous day. The province also cautions its latest count of total deaths, 2,644, may be incomplete or out of date due to delays in the reporting system, saying that in the event of a discrepancy, “data reported by (the health units) should be considered the most up to date.”
The Star’s count includes some patients reported as “probable” COVID-19 cases. This means they have symptoms and contacts or travel history that indicate they very likely have the disease, but have not yet received a positive lab test.
Source:: – Toronto Star
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