The Asian Star April 11 2020

www.theasianstar.com

Vol 19 - Issue 11

Saturday, April 11, 2020

How Tableeghi Jamaat event became India’s worst Coronavirus infection site On any given day, the headquarters of Muslim missionary movement, the Tablighi Jamaat, in the narrow lanes of capital New Delhi’s Nizamuddin area, is full of activity, with hundreds of worshippers streaming in and out of the five-storey building. But, on March 22, authorities shut its doors with about 2,500 worshippers still inside - after it emerged that a religious gathering organised by the group on March 13-15 caused the biggest coronavirus spike in India. Of about 4,400 COVID-19 positive cases in India, nearly a third are related to the religious gathering at the Markaz, as the Jamaat headquarters is known. The government claimed more than 8,000 people, including foreigners, visited the headquarters in early March. While accusing the Jamaat leadership of “carelessness” during a global pandemic, experts and civil society members also blamed the central government for its delayed response and allowing foreigners, particularly those coming from COVID-19 hotspot nations such as Malaysia and

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BC seems to be flattening the COVID-19 curve but not out of the woods yet Residents and staff at long-term care homes in B.C. continue to suffer the impact of COVID-19, accounting for a total of 226 out of the 1,336 patients confirmed to date. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announced Wednesday that the province has confirmed another 45 cases of the disease, and recorded five more deaths, for a total of 48. Three of those deaths were residents of North Vancouver care homes — a couple who died at Amica Edgemont Village, as well as yet another resident of the Lynn Valley Care Centre. There are active outbreaks at a total of 21 long-term care facilities in the Lower Mainland, and 138 residents and 88 staff have tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Health Minister Adrian Dix offered his condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives to the disease.

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Travellers coming to BC from anywhere will be quarantined if they don’t have good self-isolation plan: province Every traveller returning to BC from abroad will now be required to present a formal self-isolation plan to provincial and federal authorities before they are allowed into the province, officials announced on Wednesday.

Premier Horgan said the new legal requirement is effective immediately at land borders, as well as Vancouver International Airport. “This is not a suggestion — we have an expectation of those that have been away,” Horgan said Wednesday. While the requirement is effective immediately,

the province said Wednesday in a statement officials would not be on hand to assess the plans and assist individuals to complete them until Friday, April 10. The province said travellers’ plans must show, in detail, that they have supports in place to safely self-isolate for 14 days. The plans will have to be approved by

authorities before passengers can move forward. Horgan said people who do not have a plan will be sent to a “quarantine site” until they make one. “If you don’t have it figured out, you’ll stay there for 14 days,” Horgan said Wednesday. Officials in B.C. have been concerned errant incoming passengers could undermine weeks of physical distancing efforts at home by disobeying self-isolation rules.

Failure to quarantine after travel would be ‘a real betrayal,’ B.C.’s health minister says Continued on page 9

How BC is flattening the COVID-19 curve while numbers in central Canada surge The COVID-19 outbreak is currently more severe in Canada’s two largest provinces than it is in British Columbia. That’s not opinion; it’s fact. Whether you go by confirmed cases or hospitalizations, by raw numbers or a per capita comparison, the virus has steadily grown in Ontario and Quebec. But in B.C.,

hospitalizations and active cases have been flat for the last week. The disease growth curve, at least at this point, has been flattened. So, what’s the explanation? “It’s very hard to know exactly why,” said B.C.’s chief medical health officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, when asked about the difference on Monday. “Some parts of it are luck, and

some parts of it are being prepared.” Luck and early preparation flattening COVID-19 curve in BC, but officials urge residents to ‘not let up’ It’s undoubtedly true that B.C. was able to learn from having a few isolated cases in January and February.

Why isn’t Canada testing everyone for Coronavirus?

When did Canada’s coronavirus testing go off the rails? The first clues were evident back on Jan. 24, the day after Wuhan, China, was locked down. “We’re ready, we’re prepared.” Those were the confident words

from Dr. David Williams, Ontario’s chief medical officer of health in a news briefing that day. The province already had a “specific and reliable” coronavirus test that could deliver results in 24 hours.

Continued on page 7

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www.theasianstar.com

Vol 19 - Issue 11

H

ow is Canada progressing when it comes to the all-important goal of flattening the curve of COVID-19 infections? The answer is complicated, and it depends which part of the country you look at.

For the most optimism that the first wave has been squashed, look to B.C. and Alberta.

For the areas that look most concerning, but show some signs of progress, look to Quebec and Ontario. And at least for now, the situation looks under control in the rest of the country.

“I think we are very much trying to figure out where we are on the curve within the

Saturday, April 11, 2020

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BC & Alberta show progress in flattening the curve, while Ontario and Quebec still in tough various models,” said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday when asked if Canada was approaching a national peak of infections.

“What is very, very clear is there are significant differences across the country in where various provinces are on their own curves. Overall as a country, I can say we have reached the point where we are later than many other countries.”

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Nationally, the daily growth in identified

COVID-19 cases has slowed down. But within Canada, case counts remain a problematic metric due to widely varying testing regimes across provinces.

The main problem is Ontario, whose numbers are especially questionable due to a low testing rate. Ontario’s per capita testing rate is last in the country and lingers around 575 tests per 100,000 people, compared to roughly 1,500 tests for Alberta, 1,300 tests for Quebec, and 1,000 for B.C. Ontario completed just 3,237 tests on

Wednesday and 2,568 tests on Tuesday, despite now having lab capacity to test more than 13,000 per day. “It’s unacceptable, there’s no more excuses why we’re testing 3,000 a day,” said Ontario Premier Doug Ford on Wednesday, saying his patience has “run thin.”

“We need to see 13,000 people tested every single day moving forward,” he said. “The more we test, the better we’ll be.”

A woman adjusts her mask while she waits in line as the city’s public health unit holds a

Continued on page 14

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OPINION

Sylvain Charlebois

Saturday, April 11, 2020

Cracking down on COVID-19 profiteers

Even if they really haven’t had good reason, many Canadians have felt food insecure lately.

Access to food has been a concern. Affordability is certainly a close second. Since the beginning

of the COVID-19 crisis, consumers have occasionally taken to social media to report inflated prices by retailers. Even though the accusations were warranted in some cases, the

evidence in other cases was weak at best. While artificially inflated retail food prices are possible in Canada at any time, it’s highly unusual. For one thing, the risks are too high for everyone involved.

Social media makes it so easy to call out suspicious practices, whether or not the accusations are valid. We’ve seen cases like this already during the COVID-19 crisis. But consumers appreciate knowing that someone has their back. The Ontario government last week became the first province to introduce fines for price gouging since the start of the COVID-19 crisis. Corporations involved face fines as high as $10 million. Company leaders face fines as high as $500,000 and a year in jail.

These are severe sanctions. But price gouging is difficult to prove, especially when it comes to food.

Food inflation is not uncommon. Many factors the food industry has little control over influence retail prices, including currency, energy costs, labour costs – the list is long. Most grocers make a razorthin profit of one to two per cent on billions in sales at retail. The margin of error is equally thin. If the Canadian dollar drops suddenly, for example, prices need to be adjusted quickly. That’s what led to the cauliflower price jumps a few years ago.

The only way to build a price-gouging or pricefixing case at the retail level is by accommodating whistleblowers. That’s exactly what happened with the bread price-fixing scandal, which had been going on for 14 years. The investigation required two companies, Weston Bakeries and Loblaws, to out themselves to the Competition Bureau of Canada in order to launch a two-year undercover investigation involving five other companies. For their co-operation, Loblaws and Weston received immunity. The investigation, according to some reports, cost nearly $500,000 and continues years after it started. It’s safe to say, then, that these cases are difficult to prove and historical data is key. Going to social media will only make things more difficult for anyone investigating. The audience for the Ontario government’s new regulations against price gouging was clearly consumers, not industry. In a time of self-isolation, coupled with a sentiment of communal suspicion, it was the right thing to do, regardless of whether exaggerated food inflation is happening.

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is senior director of the agri-food analytics lab and a professor in food distribution and policy at Dalhousie University.

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Saturday, April 11, 2020 From page 1

BC records 5 more deaths from COVID-19, bringing total to 48

“It is one of the things that drives Dr. Henry and everyone involved in the provincial health team,� he said. When asked why outbreaks at long-term care homes haven’t been seen on Vancouver Island, which is home to communities with high concentrations of seniors, Henry answered, “I wish I knew.�

She said it’s possible that the larger population and more frequent travel between the Lower Mainland and Washington state may have been factors. Henry added that B.C.’s first major outbreak at the Lynn Valley Care Centre was not detected until it was relatively advanced, and said health officials have learned a lot from that experience.

Henry also announced Wednesday that the number of COVID-19 patients in hospital has fallen slightly once again to 135, with 61 people in intensive care. A total of 838 people have recovered from their illness.

She acknowledged that B.C.’s testing rate for COVID-19 has fallen, even though testing capacity has increased. But she said testing should soon increase again as the province begins more testing in the community and in co-operation with physicians. Both Henry and Dix continue to emphasize that British Columbians should stay at home and not travel to holiday homes in small communities with fewer resources to wait out the pandemic.

They are also urging everyone to mark religious holidays without visiting family and friends. “Find the virtue in virtual ‌ find togetherness without gathering,â€? Dix said.

Dix said he has spoken with Alberta Health Minister Tyler Shandro about the upcoming long weekend, and they both agreed that no one should be travelling between the two provinces for anything but essential work.

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Saturday, April 11, 2020 From page 1

Why isn’t Canada testing everyone for Coronavirus?

The public message was clear. We’ve got this.

After all, Ontario had survived SARS. “Folks, it will still be business as normal,” said Peter Donnelly, head of Public Health Ontario, at the same briefing.

Through the unforgiving lens of hindsight, they could not have been more wrong.

It’s now brutally clear that SARS was just a warm-up — that roughly as many Canadians would die in just the first few weeks of this pandemic than in the entire SARS outbreak.

And a critical weapon in the battle, laboratory testing, became log-jammed in the opening days. One week after the province closed schools, shops and prohibited large gatherings, many labs were overwhelmed.

By the first weekend, Ontario had a backlog of more than 7,200 tests. B.C. also reported a backlog, as did Alberta, Quebec and Manitoba.

Almost immediately, provinces began restricting who could be tested — limiting it to front-line health-care workers, people with severe symptoms and those who work with vulnerable groups. Over the past week, the backlogs have cleared, but restrictions on testing still remain in most parts of Canada.

And the hard truth is that testing will continue to be limited, even in Ontario which has just announced it will soon be able to test 19,000 people a day. “Even when we’re at 19,000 tests a day we’re not going to be able to test everybody and that would be the same in every other jurisdiction,” said Vanessa Allen, chief of medical microbiology at Public Health Ontario, the government agency responsible for provincial labs.

Happy Vaisakhi

7

2020 220 0200 OUR KIDS AND THEIR TEACHERS:

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Premier John Horgan and your MLAs wish you and your family a Happy Vaisakhi.

Thank you for looking after each other and celebrating Vaisakhi at home this year.

BC GOV’T COVID-19 RESOURCES: Gov.bc.ca/covid19

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8 Mangal Pandey is widely regarded as the harbinger of the 1857 rebellion against the British considered to be India’s first war of Independence. As a soldier in the 34th Bengal Native Infantry (BNI) regiment of the East

Saturday, April 11, 2020

Remembering Mangal Pandey, the Brave Indian Soldier Who Rose against British Army India Company’s army, he pioneered the sepoy mutiny, which eventually led to the rebellion of 1857.On his 163rd death anniversary, here are some interesting facts about the martyr who was

executed by the British on this day: 1. Born in a Brahmin family, he was a staunch Hindu. His 34th Bengal Native Infantry was largely constituted of Brahmins.

2. His major conflict with the company began in the mid-1850s, when a new Enfield rifle was introduced in India. The cartridges used in the rifle were rumoured to be greased with animal fat particularly cow and pig. To load them into the rifle, a soldier had to bite the cartridges. Cow fat is sacrilegious for Hindus and for Muslims its pig fat. So the use of the cartridges made the Indian soldiers rise up against the company as it hurt their religious belief.

3. On March 29, 1857, Pandey and his fellow sepoys rose up in rebellion against the British officers and even attempted to shoot them.

4. Mangal Pandey was arrested and ordered to be executed on April 18. However, fearing a revolt from other sepoys, the British authorities hanged him 10 days earlier on April 8.

5. To commemorate the brave soldier, the Indian government issued a postage stamp with his image in 1984.

6. A movie on the life and journey of Mangal Pandey was released in 2005, where Aamir Khan played the titular role.

How Tableeghi Jamaat event became India’s worst Coronavirus infection site From page 1 India.

Authorities only started screening people staying at the Markaz from March 26, a day after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi imposed a nationwide lockdown to control the

pandemic. On March 22, the gates of the Markaz, which also acts as a dormitory for hundreds of preachers from around the world, were shut after the city-state government in Delhi announced curbs on movement of people.”Nobody could go out any longer,” said Mohammad Jaynul Abdin, a 64-year-old worshipper who was inside the building. He was among 2,361 people the government evacuated between March 30 and April 1.A retired head teacher of an Islamic school in the northeastern state of Assam, Abdin has been moved to an isolation ward in New Delhi’s Rajiv Gandhi Super Specialty Hospital.

“They keep putting a pipe in my nose. How many times are they going to test?” he said in a telephone call from the hospital, complaining of the diagnostic swab samples being taken. Virus panic across India Meanwhile, panic gripped a large part of India as state governments launched a massive search to identify all those who had visited the Markaz and people they came into contact with later. As of Monday, more than 25,000 Jamaat members and their contacts had been quarantined across nearly 15 Indian states. “Our doubling rate is 4.1 days at present. But if additional cases reported due to the Tablighi Jamaat had not happened, then the doubling rate would have been 7.4 days,” Lav Agarwal, joint secretary in India’s Ministry of Health, told reporters on Sunday.But experts have warned India is not testing enough people, with an average of 93 tests per million people.It soon became evident that most of the infected, including more than 1,000 foreigners, had travelled to the Markaz before dispersing to different parts of the country of 1.3 billion people. In the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, of the total 610 COVID-19 cases, at least 570 were linked to the Markaz event. The state government requested that Tablighi Jamaat members identify themselves, and more than 500 attendees came forward.

In Telangana, one of the worst-affected states, all 11 deaths were linked to the New Delhi congregation. At least 265 Jamaat members and their contacts tested positive. KT Rama Rao, a minister in the Telangana government, told Al Jazeera that the state had the complete list of attendees and almost all of them and their contacts had been tracked. In Andhra Pradesh, the state’s director general of police, Damodar Gautam Sawang, told Al Jazeera that 100 attendees were infected along with 25 others who had come into contact with them. Out of 260 cases in the state, 243 had links with the Jamaat congregation.

“We are using social influencers, religious and community elders to convince people who are reluctant to get admitted to quarantine or isolation wards,” Sawang said.

In Assam, authorities initially found it difficult to identify virus cases as families would not admit attendees had returned to the state. By Sunday, at least 25 tested positive, with the state’s health officials not ruling out chances of community spread. More than 400 people have been quarantined out of the 835 who attended the Markaz event. Jamaat accused of negligence Delhi govt have accused the Tablighi Jamaat of ignoring their order, which barred the assembly of more than 50 people.

Saturday, April 11, 2020 Travellers coming to BC from anywhere will be quarantined if they don’t have good self-isolation plan: province From page 1 Snowbirds and thousands of Canadians are set to arrive home on repatriation flights over the next several days. There is a strict, mandatory isolation order in place under the Quarantine Act for travellers returning to Canada: They must go straight home and stay there for 14 days.

No grocery shopping, no visits with families, no quick local trips. The Canada Border Services Agency has been one of the first lines of defence to educate travellers, screening arrivals for symptoms of COVID-19 and issuing direction to all of them depending on their health status.

In order to pass customs, passengers have also been required to acknowledge the need to self-isolate. Horgan said that will continue and people with COVID-19 symptoms will not be allowed to leave. Dozens of Canadians have already returned from abroad. Speaking earlier Wednesday, Horgan said he wished B.C. had implemented the plan requirement sooner.

Press release

“I wish we had done it a week ago, but we can always say in hindsight that we could’ve done better. And, as I say, we are writing this as we go.” Forms for the self-isolation plan can be submitted online or completed in-person on arrival. The Vancouver airport is one of only four Canadian airports designated to accept international flights during the pandemic.

The Canada-U.S. border has been closed to non-essential travel since March 21. Physical distancing has, so far, appeared to have helped claw down B.C.’s infection curve. Health officials and Horgan agree that early action, widespread compliance and a bit of luck have helped the province where other jurisdictions such as Ontario and Quebec have struggled.

Still, officials across the board have said B.C. is far from out of the woods and “100 per cent” compliance is still critical. They have urged the public to persevere, especially ahead of the upcoming long weekend with warm, dry weather in the forecast.

Statement from Andrew Wilkinson and Norm Letnick on World Health Day

Leader of the Official Opposition Andrew Wilkinson and Opposition Critic for Health Norm Letnick released the following joint statement today for World Health Day: “Today on World Health Day, we honour and celebrate our healthcare workers across British Columbia and around the world.

This year, the World Health Organization has dedicated World Health Day to nurses and midwives to remind world leaders of the critical role they play in keeping the world healthy. “In the midst of our fight against COVID-19, we are reminded more

than ever of the crucial work our healthcare and front line workers do every day to keep our communities safe and healthy — from our doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists, and hospital support staff to every British Columbian risking their own health and wellbeing to help continue our essential services.

“Today and every day we must honour our friends and family members who are serving as front line workers by practicing proper physical distancing and all doing our part to support our healthcare services. “On behalf of the entire BC Liberal Caucus, thank you for everything you do.”

LOCAL

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LOCAL / NATIONAL

Saturday, April 11, 2020

Canada lost 1,011,000 jobs in March, unemployment rate up to 7.8%: StatCan

Statistics Canada reports the economy lost 1,011,000 jobs in March — the worst recorded single-month change — as the COVID-19 crisis began to take hold, lifting the unemployment rate to 7.8 per cent. Economists warn the numbers are likely to be even worse when the agency starts collecting April job figures, with millions more Canadians now receiving emergency federal aid. The 2.2 percentagepoint increase is the biggest monthly change in the national unemployment rate over the last 40-plus years of comparable data and brings the rate to a level not seen since October 2010.

Statistics Canada retooled some of its usual measures of counting employed, unemployed and “not in the labour force” to better gauge the effects of COVID-19 on the job market, which has been swift and harsh. The number of people considered unemployed rose by 413,000 between February and March, almost all of it fuelled by temporary layoffs, meaning workers expected their jobs back in six months.

absent from work for a full week who weren’t paid — which hit a seasonally adjusted rate of 55.8 per cent — “may be an indication of future job losses.” All told, Statistics Canada says some 3.1 million Canadians either lost their jobs or had their hours slashed last month due to COVID-19. “It is expected that the sudden

employment decline observed in March will have a significant effect on the performance of the Canadian economy over the coming months,” the agency said in its report. Job losses were felt across all provinces, with the largest in Ontario, Quebec, BC and Alberta. Ontario shed 403,000 jobs, Quebec lost 264,000. saw

Real estate markets hit hard amid COVID-19 crisis The number of people who didn’t work any hours during the week of the labour force survey increased by 1.3 million, the national statistics office says, while the number who worked less than half of their usual hours increased by 800,000. Statistics Canada says those changes in hours can all be attributed to COVID-19, which has led governments to order businesses to close and workers to stay at home to slow the spread of the pandemic.

It also warned that the number of people

Vancouver real estate agent David Hutchinson pulls out some bright blue medical gloves and tugs them onto his hands before entering a condo that’s coming onto the market. “It’s uncharted territory, a completely different ballgame, and we’re learning everything on the go,” he said as he got his cellphone ready to do a virtual showing from the empty unit. Welcome to selling real estate during a pandemic. While

Hutchison continues to work, albeit with adjustments, Canada’s real estate industry appears to be heading into a deep freeze despite the warming spring weather. Though sales figures started off relatively strong in March in many parts of the country, they fell swiftly as the COVID-19 pandemic grew and stricter protective measures were put in place.

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Saturday, April 11, 2020

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Saturday, April 11, 2020

Did you get 2 CERB payments? It’s not a mistake, minister says Two days after applications opened for the new coronavirus emergency aid benefit, (CERB) some Canadians awoke to find two separate payments from the government in their bank accounts.

There’s no need to panic, Treasury Board President Jean-Yves Duclos clarified during a press conference on Wednesday. The second deposit is a retroactive payment, he said, and it will occur for many Canadians as thousands

of payments and applications are processed by the Canada Revenue Agency this week.

“This is $2,000 per four weeks. So there are Canadians that received a retroactive payment dating from March 15, because that’s when the benefit can be applied,” he said.

“So from March 15 to April 11 is the first four week period, during which a $2,000 payment would have been made yesterday or perhaps today.”

With strong controls, Canada could see 11,000 to 22,000 coronavirus deaths: officials The coronavirus could cost 11,000 to 22,000 Canadian lives over the course of the pandemic — and that’s the best case scenario with the strongest control measures.

If those controls are weak, those deaths could spike to more than 100,000.

That’s according to modelling released by federal public health officials for the first time on Thursday in Ottawa, which lays out three different potential scenarios based on strong, weak and no responses to containing the virus.

It’s important to note that projections are not carved in stone. They are estimates based on the best available data so far, and that data can and does change regularly.

“Data and models can help Canadians see how our collective efforts … can determine the trajectory of Canada’s COVID-19 pandemic,” said Dr. Theresa Tam, chief public health officer of Canada.

But they offer a glimpse into where the data suggests the country could be heading, and the emerging picture is grim: 22,580 to 31,850 cases by April 16 with 500

to 700 potential deaths by the same time.

The modelling lays out three possible scenarios: one with strong control measures such as high rates of social distancing and testing, one with weaker response measures, and one with no measures taken.

Tam said the objective for Canada is to be in the strong control measure camp, which the modelling suggests would result in roughly 11,000 deaths if 2.5 per cent of the population is infected and 22,000 deaths if that infection rate rises to five per cent.

Under that scenario, total hospitalizations would be around 73,000 if 934,000 people were infected under the forecast for a 2.5 per cent infection rate, while there would be 146,000 hospitalizations and 1,879,000 total cases if five per cent are infected.

4:16 Coronavirus outbreak: Federal ministers respond to Ipsos poll on social distancing Coronavirus outbreak: Federal ministers respond to Ipsos poll on social distancing If the infection rate hits 25 per cent under the weaker control measures scenario, those deaths

Saturday, April 11, 2020

Virtual Vaisakhi initiative aims to celebrate by helping others Sikhs may not have a parade in Surrey to help them celebrate this year but through a new initiative called Virtual Vaisakhi, they will still be honouring the sacred holiday’s spirit of seva.

Although Surrey’s April 25 parade – which is the largest outside India – has been cancelled due to COVID-19, a collective of Sikh groups that includes a Surrey gurdwarda is invoking the spirit of Vaisakhi by raising money for community outreach organizations and non-profits.

“Every year there are many Vaisakhi Nagar Kiran events that bring thousands of people together to collectively celebrate Sikhi,” said Jessie Kaur Lehail of Kaur Project.

“This year, we are directly asking and

inspiring Sikhs and non-Sikhs to collectively open their wallets and hearts to help invoke the spirit of Vaiskahi to address the most pressing and emerging needs with organizations working with local food banks, seniors outreach, marginalized communities and domestic support services.

“Let’s celebrate Vaisakhi by helping others.”

Kaur said 100 per cent of money raised will go to community initiatives.

To volunteer or request help, click here.

The Sikh groups involved with Virtual Vaisakhi include: Kaur Project – Profiles Sikh women through portraits and first person narratives. Click here to learn more.

Deltassist takes over operation of North Delta food bank The North Delta food bank has a new home at Deltassist.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, Deltassist is utilizing alternate and creative ways to maintain the well-being of the community.

“We understand that many people are having to endure extraordinary financial constraints at this time. For this reason Deltassist has stepped forward to temporarily run the Food Bank in North Delta while it’s regular operation is suspended,” says a news release from the organization.

The temporary food bank, which opened on Wednesday, April 8, is for North Delta residents only; the food bank in South Delta remains in operation.

To be eligible for assistance, you must either already be registered with the North Delta food bank, be low income, or be in need of food because you have insufficient funds due to work lay offs or shortages caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In order to qualify, Deltassist will need to see ID for all members of the household, proof of residency in North Delta, and, if applicable, CareCards for all children in the family.

To access the North Delta Food bank, call Deltassist’s North Delta office at 604594-3455 and leave your name and phone number with reception. (Access to the food bank must be pre-arranged by phone.)

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What national COVID-19 modelling can tell us — and what it can’t Forecasting the future is never easy.

When the forecast involves a pandemic’s effects on the world’s population and its economy, the stakes couldn’t be higher.

That’s why the COVID-19 modelling the federal government is presenting this morning needs to be read with an understanding of what these models can — and can’t — tell us.

The projections that governments across the country are relying on now are imperfect but still important, because they allow those governments to assess their capacity to handle the spread of the virus, explain the reasons behind restrictive preventative measures and prepare for the future.

The number of COVID-19 cases and related

deaths around the world continues to grow.

In Canada, we’re still talking about relatively low numbers — about 20,000 confirmed cases and 500 deaths — but the experience of other countries shows us that where we are today is not where we will be tomorrow.

The short-term projections recently published by Ontario, Quebec and Alberta offered stark descriptions of what that could mean for Canada. Ontario estimates the number of deaths in the province by the end of this month could be 1,600. Quebec puts their lowball estimate of deaths by that point at just under 1,300 while Alberta estimates between 400 and 3,100 deaths by the end of the summer.

Freeland won’t say if Canada has seen US intel flagging Chinese coronavirus data Can Chinese coronavirus data be trusted?

That is the question emerging again and again in headlines around the world as repeated U.S. government leaks cast doubts on the official case numbers from China, which muzzled early scientists raising alarm bells about the virus and tried to cover up the 2003 SARS outbreak.

But Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland isn’t saying whether Canadian officials have seen any of the intelligence data behind the reports and questions — questions that Health Minister Patty Hajdu claimed last week were simply fuelling what she called “conspiracy theories.”

“Of course we do share intelligence information through the Five Eyes … we have very frequent security and intelligence conversations with the United States,” Freeland said on Wednesday.

“A reason we are able to have those conversations — which are very important in the crisis that the world is experiencing today — is because those conversations happen in private and so I am not able to share details of what is discussed in those conversations.”

Freeland also said Canada relies on the data its scientists get from the World Health Organization.

All provincial parks closed to help stop spread of COVID-19 All provincial parks in B.C. are closing effective immediately in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The move was announced Wednesday morning by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy as part of the widespread effort to promote physical distancing.

“This applies to British Columbians and out-of-province visitors who were planning to visit or stay at our provincial parks. The message is clear: Stay home, avoid travel, do not put yourself or others at risk,” said Environment The timing of the decision is notable with a long weekend ahead and sunny weather forecast for much of the province.

BC & Alberta show progress in flattening the curve, while Ontario and Quebec still in tough a walk-in clinic testing for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Montreal, Quebec, Canada March 23, 2020.COVID-19: Canada has almost 19,000 confirmed cases, death toll passes 400People wait in line to b0e tested for COVID-19 outside Roseland Community Hospital in Chicago, Illinois, April 7, 2020.

Anything can be COVID-19: As pandemic grinds on, doctors find early definitions of disease were too narrow Experts have instead recommended hospitalization rates as a gauge for how provinces are doing. Because hospitalized cases are always a high priority for testing, they are less subject to differences in testing standards. (The main drawback is they lag further behind as an indicator due to how long it takes for severe symptoms to develop.) Among the four most populous provinces, the hospitalization charts for B.C. and Alberta look very promising. In both places the number of people in hospital each day has flat-lined and even started to fall, and officials have started expressing cautious optimism. “To date, Alberta has fared better than most,” said Alberta Premier Jason Kenney on Wednesday while presenting modelling scenarios for the province.

Alberta’s hospitalizations have flattened off at around 40 — a much smaller number than other large provinces. Alberta has also done extensive testing, giving more credibility to their case count.

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With strong controls, Canada could see 11,000 to 22,000 Coronavirus deaths: officials The coronavirus could cost 11,000 to 22,000 Canadian lives over the course of the pandemic — and that’s the best case scenario with the strongest control measures. If those controls are weak, those deaths could spike to more than 100,000.That’s according to modelling released by federal public health officials for the first time on Thursday in Ottawa, which lays out three different potential scenarios based on strong, weak and no responses to containing the virus. 2:31 Coronavirus outbreak: Canada’s “best case” COVID-19 projection sees 11,000 to 22,000 deaths Coronavirus outbreak: Canada’s “best case” COVID-19 projection sees 11,000 to 22,000 deaths It’s important to note that projections are not carved in stone. They are estimates based on the best available data so far, and that data can and does change regularly.

“Data and models can help Canadians see how our collective efforts … can determine the trajectory of Canada’s

COVID-19 pandemic,” said Dr. Theresa Tam, chief public health officer of Canada.

But they offer a glimpse into where the data suggests the country could be heading, and the emerging picture is grim: 22,580 to 31,850 cases by April 16 with 500 to 700 potential deaths by the same time.

The modelling lays out three possible scenarios: one with strong control measures such as high rates of social distancing and testing, one with weaker response measures, and one with no measures taken.

Tam said the objective for Canada is to be in the strong control measure camp, which the modelling suggests would result in roughly 11,000 deaths if 2.5 per cent of the population is infected and 22,000 deaths if that infection rate rises to five per cent.

Under that scenario, total hospitalizations would be around 73,000 if 934,000 people were infected under the forecast for a 2.5 per cent infection rate, while there would

Alberta predicts 400 to 6,600 deaths amid COVID-19 pandemic Alberta Premier Jason Kenney says forecast models for the COVID-19 crisis in Alberta predict anywhere from 400 to 6,600 deaths in the months to come.

Kenney, in a televised address Tuesday, said where the numbers go depends largely on the behaviour of Albertans.

“Iwantthistoendassoonasyoudo,”saidKenney.

“But we simply cannot risk letting the virus loose in Alberta.

“That would create a public health catastrophe, which would force an even more stringent lockdown in the future, leaving our economy even further battered.”

Alberta is under strict public health orders

that clamp down on nonessential businesses and restrict public gatherings to no more than 15 people.

Kenney said those orders will be in place at least until the end of the month, with social distancing rules likely in place until the end of May. He said the situation is fluid, and changes and decisions will be made dependingontheratesofinfectionsandfatalities.

The province is working with two models: a probable and elevated scenario.

Under the probable scenario, a peak number of infections is expected by mid-May, with as many as 800,000 infections by the end of summer and between 400 and 3,100 deaths.

Return to work will be graduated and likely months off, PM Trudeau says Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says that any effort to return Canadians to work in the future will be in a “measured, graduated way” that allows for an expansion of economic activity without provoking further outbreaks.

He cautioned that it would be a “few months, probably” before Canada is in a position to consider relaxing protective measures in place that have most Canadians staying at home and many businesses shuttered or working at partial capacity.

And the Prime Minister emphasized current social-distancing and remain-at-home measures will need to remain in place for “many more weeks” for Canada to fight COVID-19.

“At some point … when we are easing some of the measures, we will have to be continue to be very vigilant about our own behavior in returning to work to ensure we won’t be facing a new epidemic or even worse,” he told reporters.

Mr. Trudeau said the Canadian government is looking “very carefully about how we can move onto the next phase” of dealing with COVID-19.

He said Ottawa is studying how other countries are planning the “steps needed to think about easing those social distancing rules, to start [their] economies rolling again.”

When Canada moves to the next stage of fighting the virus, the Prime Minister said, it will be characterized by high vigilance and will not represent a return to normal: “There is no question that once we start to get to the other side of this spike and are able to talk about easing-off social distancing, there will be a need for continual surveillance, continual attentiveness on testing, on contact-tracing, on protecting our most vulnerable that means even as things are able to start getting back to normal, they won’t be back to normal.”

He strongly emphasized now is not the time for Canadians to stop practicing social

distancing, saying these measures are crucial to fighting COVID-19. “It is very obvious we need to be very, very careful that all the work we’ve done over the past week and in the coming weeks at staying home, at following the instructions of our public health officials, doesn’t become for naught.”

be 146,000 hospitalizations and 1,879,000 total cases if five per cent are infected.

2:26 Coronavirus outbreak: COVID-19 projection shows Canada still has opportunity to ‘control epidemic’ Coronavirus outbreak: COVID-19 projection shows Canada still has opportunity to ‘control epidemic’

If the infection rate hits 25 per cent under the weaker control measures scenario, those deaths could spike to more than 100,000 or 250,000 if 50 per cent of the population is infected.

“These stark numbers tell us we must do everything in our power to stay in the control model,” Tam said.

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Press release

Saturday, April 11, 2020

TELUS Health enables 26,000 Canadian family doctors to conduct virtual visits with their patients to reduce exposure risk

T

Canada’s leading health IT company adds patient videoconferencing to its electronic medical records in British Columbia

ELUS Health has announced it is enabling 26,000 Canadian family doctors to conduct virtual visits with their patients by seamlessly integrating this functionality into its electronic medical records (EMRs) offering. TELUS Health has accelerated the development of this virtual video functionality in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, now

that physicians in British Columbia and across the country can use virtual care fee codes. Offered as a free service for the first four months, this new feature allows physicians to virtually support their own roster of patients while maintaining continuity of care and

fully up-to-date health records.

“C ont inuit y of care is so important, especially during this health crisis,” says Dr. Baldev Sanghera, B.C. Family physician. “With this new technology, I have a secure way to see my patients virtually and make sure they’re getting the best care possible, all while keeping both of us safe in our own homes.”

The new virtual care feature empowers physicians to book appointments, conduct video consultations and update patient records all within their EMR. Available from desktop, smartphone or tablet, the fully integrated virtual visit feature is mobile and eliminates the need to switch between multiple digital tools for seamless workflow, easing the burden on physicians and allowing them to focus more of their time on patient care. The intuitive video call interface can then be placed side-by-side with the physician’s other EMR features, allowing them to take notes and review patient records at the same time. Meanwhile, patients can open the appointment link from their web browser, whether on their desktop computer or mobile device, and have the video appointment with their primary care physician. The feature offers both full audio and video capabilities, as well as a chat function through which written messages can be exchanged.

“In the face of this pandemic, we are working extremely hard to give Canadian

clinicians the right digital tools to effectively help their patients and support their continuity of care,” says Dr. Diane McIntosh, Chief Neuroscience Officer, TELUS Health. “We’ve made it a priority to make EMR-integrated virtual care available much sooner, allowing our physicians to securely connect with their patients and conduct virtual consultations via video on the same platform they already use to update digital records and information.”

About TELUS Health and Payment Solutions TELUS Health is a leader in digital health technology solutions such as home health monitoring, electronic medical and health records, virtual care, benefits and pharmacy management as well as personal emergency response services. TELUS Health is leveraging the power of technology to improve access to care and revolutionize the flow of health information to create better outcomes for Canadians while facilitating collaboration, efficiency and productivity for physicians, pharmacists, health authorities, allied healthcare professionals, insurers, employers and citizens. TELUS Payment Solutions complements our health solutions by delivering secure, industry-compliant payment and lending solutions that connect lenders, payors, insurers, extended health care providers and financial institutions to their customers across Canada.

For more information please visit: www.telushealth.com www.telus.com/payment-solutions

Fraser Health safety awareness amid COVID-19 To create awareness about COVID-19 on how to self isolate at home plus how to talk to others about COVID-19: Home Isolation https://patienteduc.fraserhealth.ca/file/ covid-19-home-isolation-while-waiting-for-

novel-co-475609.pdfShareable Resources (Punjabi and Hindi) https://www.fraserhealth.ca/health-topicsa-to-z/coronavirus/coronavirus---resources#.

XouvE75KiUk Fraser Health, Better health, Best in health care.

IHIT investigating shooting death in Surrey RCMP say homicide investigators are now looking into the shooting death of a man in Surrey’s Whalley neighbourhood

early Tuesday. Police were called to a report of possible shots fired just before 1 a.m. PT near a house in the 8800-block of 138A

Street, near Bear Creek Park, according to a police statement Tuesday. Officers found the man dead at the scene. Investigators shut down the area overnight as they gathered evidence.

Surrey RCMP say the death was a targeted shooting and there is no ongoing threat to the public. The area surrounding the scene will be cordoned off for a significant amount of time as the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team pieces together what happened. This is Surrey’s second homicide of the year.

Anyone who witnessed the incident is asked to call the IHIT information line at 1-877-551-4448, or by email at ihitinfo@ rcmp-grc.gc.ca.

Bernie Simpson Simpson, Thomas & Associates Brain injury caused by a car accident can range in seriousness from a mild concussion to a severe traumatic brain injury. For some, life may never be the same after a major car accident. Lawyers at our firm have considerable experience handling car accident claims involving traumatic brain injuries of all types. A factor that medical professionals and personal injury lawyers consider when evaluating the severity of a brain injury is the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Glasgow Coma Scaleâ&#x20AC;? (or â&#x20AC;&#x153;GCSâ&#x20AC;?). In this weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s article, we will discuss what the Glasgow Coma Scale is and what it tells us about a brain injury.

What is the Glasgow Coma Scale?

The Glasgow Come Scale is a widely used system for gauging the severity of a brain injury. It is an objective and reliable 15-point scale used by emergency medical services, doctors and nurses to assess a personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s level of consciousness after a brain injury. The GCS is typically evaluated immediately after the car accident (for example, by first responders) and again during subsequent assessments, and as such will be recorded in ambulance crew report, emergency room records, and other hospital or physician notes. Because the GCS score is taken at different intervals it allows for improvement or worsening in a personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s condition to be quickly communicated among health professionals.

It is also used to help medical practitioners categorize the severity of a brain injury after a traumatic event such as a car accident.

A woman who received a $2,800 ticket for violating the provinceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s public health order had tested positive for COVID-19, Regina police said.

Police say this information was released after a discussion with Saskatchewan Public Health. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Typically, a police service would not give out health information, but it has been deemed necessary to confirm the individualâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s COVID-19-positive status in this case, given the circumstances we all face with the COVID-19 pandemic,â&#x20AC;? Regina police said in a news release. Regina police issue first ticket for violation of COVID-19 public health order The 23-year-old woman received the ticket on Monday. This was the first ticket handed out by Regina police for violating the order.

What is the Glasgow Coma Scale?

Elements of the GCS and how it is used The GCS measures three categories of functions â&#x20AC;&#x201C; eye opening, verbal response, and motor response â&#x20AC;&#x201C; based on the brain injured personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s response to stimulus and assigns a value in each category. The individual values within each category are considered, as is the total or final GCS score, which is the sum of the values in each of the three categories. The highest total GCS score is 15, which means that the injured person is able to open their eyes spontaneously, is alert and oriented (for example, the injured person answers appropriately to questions such as name, age, where are you and why, date, etc.), and is able to fully obey motor response commands (in other words, is able to make simple movements when

0m

of proper rehabilitation and necessary treatment. Moderate or severe brain injuries are more likely to cause permanent impairments and in the most serious cases, may result in life-long disability or even death.

Lawyers at our firm are here to help Contact Simpson, Thomas & Associates today at (604) 689-8888 if you or a loved one has suffered a brain injury. We have extensive experience handling ICBC claims involving traumatic brain injuries, ranging from mild concussions to severe traumatic brain injuries. Request a free consultation to find out how we can assist you in getting the help you need for rehabilitation and the compensation you deserve for your injuries.

Finally, we want to assure you that you will still have access to your lawyer, and our team, as we face the challenges of COVID-19 together.

Keep well.

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BC clears more acute hospital beds as COVID-19 case growth slows B.C.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s health ministry has been updating its most telling public indicator of its â&#x20AC;&#x153;worst case scenarioâ&#x20AC;? for serious COVID-19 cases, by holding more than 4,000 acute-care hospital beds open even as its hospitalized cases are holding steady at fewer than 150.

Hospital bed occupancy in B.C. has run at more than 100 per cent for many years, with overflow systems for surgery and other patients. As of April 6 the bed occupancy was 58.8 per cent, with 4,422 beds available, and 53.3 per cent of critical care and intensive care unit beds were occupied.

Postponing thousands of elective surgeries has helped clear hospital capacity, as has a significant drop in the number of patients coming into emergency rooms. There were 2,995 ER patients on April 5, fewer than half of the cases recorded in B.C. hospitals on March 9, Health Minister Adrian Dix said.

asked). The lowest GCS score is 3, which means the brain injured person is deeply unconscious and does not open their eyes, make sounds, or make any movements.

What does the GCS tell us about the severity of a brain injury? As discussed, a lower GCS score indicates a more serious brain injury, which typically suggests a poorer prognosis and greater likelihood of permanent disability. Generally speaking, total Glasgow Coma Scores relate to the following classifications of brain injuries: t 4FWFSF CSBJO JOKVSZ ($4 PG PS MFTT t .PEFSBUF CSBJO injury: GCS between 9 and 12. t .JME CSBJO JOKVSZ GCS in the range of 13 to 15.

Mild traumatic brain injuries can cause physical and cognitive impairments which may resolve over time, particularly where the brain injured person has the benefit

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Saturday, April 11, 2020

Someone tried to ship more than 100 kg of meth into BC A massive amount of methamphetamine was seized in B.C. earlier this year, the Canada Border Services Agency said Tuesday.

The tip came in on Feb. 4, the agency said in a statement issued two months later, and involved a shipping container at a Vancouver-area facility.

Officials did not say what raised their suspicions, but some kind of information was passed on from the CBSA National Targeting Centre. Border officers examined the container, which had been shipped from Mexico to the Tsawwassen Container Examination Facility.

CBSA says its agents uncovered “bags of white crystal” inside.

A photo released by the agency shows stacks of pink bricks.

A second photo appears to show one of the bricks cracked open. It looks hollow, and inside is a plastic bag filled with a white substance.

The substance was tested in a lab and determined to be methamphetamine, the agency says.

It claims officers found about 106 kilograms of powerful and highly addictive stimulant during the seizure. The estimated value of that much meth is about $13.5 million.

North Vancouver pharmacy sold N-95 masks for $10 each The owner of a North Vancouver pharmacy that was selling N-95 masks for $10 each said he has now stopped selling the in-demand item after hearing that there is a shortage of masks for hospitals.

The owner of Central Lonsdale Pharmacy, who refused to give his name when CTV News Vancouver contacted him by phone, said he had ordered the N-95 masks from Amazon and sold them for several days at a 30 per cent markup. The masks sold quickly, he said.

“We heard that there’s a shortage on these product and it should go to hospitals, so not to buy and not to sell,” the store owner said. He said that Friday was the last day the pharmacy was selling the N-95 masks.

As COVID-19 cases have ticked upward in Canada and around the world, demand for N-95 masks has soared because they offer a high level of protection against airborne particles.

Hospitals are now accepting donations of unused medical masks, including N-95s, and public health officials have asked that medical-grade masks be reserved for frontline nurses, doctors and other healthcare workers who are at a higher risk of catching the virus.

The B.C. government recently introduced measures to ban the resale of food, medical supplies and personal protective equipment during the novel coronavirus pandemic.

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Saturday, April 11, 2020

63% of Canadian businesses looking to cut staff as cash flow problems mount The latest survey from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business is not a surprise, but it’s still unsettling.As many as 63 per cent of businesses say they will have to let their staff go over the next three months, with only five per expecting to add to their workforce. While small business confidence edged up slightly at the start of April after a dramatic descent in March, on the back of government support, confidence remains subdued. The CFIB’s Business Barometer gained around 7 points to 37.7 in April, but the index is far below the benchmark 65-point level, which indicates that the economy is growing at its potential. “The small bounce back in business confidence we’ve seen since the beginning of the month is a sign that the raft of unprecedented government intervention has had some effect, but we’re nowhere near a return to business as usual,” said Ted Mallett, CFIB’s vice-president and chief economist said in a statement. “In fact,

even more business owners are planning to lay off staff in the next three months than when we surveyed them two weeks ago.”

Businesses from Quebec were least optimistic, while those in New Brunswick were most optimistic, according to the survey of 1,602 CFIB members.To alleviate the pressure on businesses, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to announce as early as today further measures to financially support entrepreneurs, small businesses and young people who did not qualify for the federal aid programs announced over the past few weeks, according to The Canadian Press. An analysis by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives last week had estimated one-third of unemployed Canadians, or about 862,000,

would not be eligible for employment insurance or the Canada Emergency Response Benefit. The new programs should target some of those workers.

Treasury Board President

Jean-Yves Duclos said Tuesday that the government is moving into the “second stage” of its financial assistance. The government is “considering other actions to help other people that may not have lost all their income but may have, may be working in conditions where they don’t have the income that the $2,000 (per month) CERB would otherwise provide,” Duclos said.

Trudeau Just made it way easier to get the wage subsidy Canada is relaxing the conditions that make businesses eligible for the 75% percent wage subsidy and expanding aid to include students who are currently out of work.

The Canada Wage Subsidy is intended to support businesses that have experienced dramatic losses as a result of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), and was initially going to support organizations that have experienced a 30 percent drop in revenue in March compared to the same time last year.

Now, businesses that have suffered a 15 percent drop in revenue since January or February are eligible, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said.

The aid provides employers with $847 per week per employee as a way to avoid layoffs and keep staff on payroll.

Payments will be retroactive to March 15.

Canada will also offer Canada Student Jobs (CSJ) employers enough funding to cover 100 percent of wages for students.

Cabinet ministers are meeting Wednesday afternoon to discuss the subsidy. Trudeau said many ministers will call into the meeting, but he will attend in person.

“I know many of you are anxious to see this subsidy delivered,” Trudeau said.

Grim new death projections from Quebec and Alberta

On Tuesday, Alberta announced that anywhere between 400 and 3,100 deaths from the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) are expected by summer’s end at the same time that Quebec said it is expecting 1,260 deaths by the end of April—at best.

The provinces revealed their stark projections after calls for more transparency surfaced last week.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau still hasn’t released numbers for Canada, saying that he is waiting until enough national data is collected to produce “sufficient analysis.”

In a televised address on Tuesday night, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney said the province estimates as many as 800,000 people will contract the virus.

Kenney said peak cases will likely arrive in mid-May, so public health orders that mandate physical distancing will be in place for several weeks yet.

Quebec Premier Francois Legault also offered grim COVID-19 projections, with the best- and worst-case scenarios.

If Quebec residents adhere to physical distancing, the province can expect 1,263 deaths by the end of April, and nearly 30,000 COVID-19 cases. But if emergency measures are ignored.

Saturday, April 11, 2020

Canada’s deputy minister of foreign affairs tests positive for COVID-19 Canada’s deputy minister of foreign affairs has tested positive for COVID-19. Marta Morgan has been the top official in the department for just under a year, after leading the Immigration Department, and is the first woman to hold the job. Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne shared the diagnosis on Twitter.

He wished Morgan a full and speedy recovery and called her an invaluable

part of the foreign-affairs team.

Several ministers and MPs have isolated themselves out of concern that they have the respiratory illness but Morgan is the most senior Canadian government figure to test positive. Champagne himself was tested for COVID-19 when he fell ill in March, following a tour of Latvia, Ukraine and Poland, but the results came back negative.

Approval of politicians go up amid coronavirus response: Ipsos poll Canadians are giving their political leaders high marks for their handling of the novel coronavirus pandemic, according to a poll.

Nearly three out of four Canadians (74 per cent) approve of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau‘s handling of the crisis, according to the poll.

An even greater number in most provinces — a combined 84 per cent — said they approve of their own premiers’ handling of the pandemic.

“As much as we complain about government in this country … the truth is when something like what we’re seeing with with the COVID-19 crisis happens, the universal institution of choice for people to turn to for help is the government,” said Ipsos Public Affairs CEO Darrell Bricker.

“When governments actually deliver what it is that they hope governments are going to be able to deliver, the public responds positively.”

Not surprisingly nearly all (97 per cent) of Liberal voters gave Trudeau top marks,

but a majority of NDP voters (71 per cent) along with 54 per cent of Bloc supporters also approve of the prime minister’s performance.

Just under half of Conservative Party voters (46 per cent) said they approve of the way Trudeau is handling the situation.Bricker said programs like the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), tax relief and loans for small business are all tangible ways the federal government has been able to intervene to help during the crisis.

He said that’s translated into a nearly 30-point jump in Trudeau’s approval since the 2019 election.

At a provincial level, the poll found most Canadians responding even more favourably to governments’ response to the crisis.

2:56 Coronavirus: Quebec could reach peak of COVID-19 cases in 11 days Coronavirus: Quebec could reach peak of COVID-19 cases in 11 days

Faced with COVID-19 crisis, Trudeau forced to shift on immigration In the early days of Canada’s response to the coronavirus, before the crisis captured the full attention of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government, it was still business as usual on at least one front: immigration.On March 12, the day before the Canadian parliament was suspended on concern about the spread of Covid-19, Trudeau’s immigration minister, Marco Mendicino, unveiled plans to hike immigration levels over the next three years. He cited a growing labor shortage.

But as the nation’s economy plunges into recession, millions are being cast into unemployment. In the oil heartland of Alberta, a province that once had a voracious demand for skilled newcomers, Premier Jason Kenney now warns of a 25% jobless rate. Immigration targets will almost certainly be scaled back as the crisis forces a radical shift in Trudeau’s priorities.

Attracting more migrants, foreign workers and students has been a pillar of Trudeau’s political agenda since he became prime minister in 2015, making his government an outlier at a time when openness to foreigners is waning in Europe and

U.S. immigration has fallen to a decade low.

Yet, history shows economic downturns almost always lead to less migration into Canada, even without the unprecedented travel restrictions associated with the pandemic.

“We may be left with a legacy of higher unemployment through 2021 that could cause governments to rethink the near term immigration targets,” said Avery Shenfeld, chief economist at Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce in Toronto.Lower immigration may represent a third strike against Canada’s economy, on top of the widespread business shutdown due to the virus and collapsing prices for crude oil, a major export.Newcomers have powered the country’s growth in recent years, providing a major source of new demand in cities like Toronto and Vancouver, where new arrivals tend to congregate. The surge has spurred a housing boom, driving up prices and fueling construction.

If social distancing measures and business closures last for one year, the reduced flow of foreigners will not only hit the real estate market.

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Morning walkers arrested in Maharashtra for violating COVID-19 lockdown orders Twelve people from Navi Mumbai township were arrested on Wednesday for going out on morning walk in violation of the lockdown guidelines, police said.

These people were spotted by police on roads in Navi Mumbai’’s Panvel area near here early in the morning.

“We arrested 12 morning walkers from various locations, including the Thane Naka,” senior police inspector Ajay Kumar Landge said. They were booked under Indian Penal Code Section 188

(disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and later released on bail, the official said. “From today onwards, retail outlets of Big Bazaar, Reliance Mart, and fruit, vegetable, fish and mutton shops, and restaurants accepting takeaway orders here will remain open till 5 pm while chemist shops and Agriculture Produce Market Committees (APMCs) will function as usual,” he said.

India says lockdown has spared it from overwhelming number of COVID-19 cases The Indian govet claimed initial success in its fight against the coronavirus epidemic, saying it would have been hit with 820,000 cases by next week had it not imposed a nationwide lockdown. The number of people infected with the virus stood at 5,865 including 169 dead, far smaller than other countries such as the United States, Italy

and Spain. PM Modi’s decision to order 1.3 billion Indians indoors for three weeks in the world’s biggest lockdown has helped slow the infection rate, foreign ministry additional secretary Vikas Swarup said, even though it has exacted a heavy toll on the economy and on the hundreds of million of poor.

Sugar exports at near standstill as COVID-19 lockdown bites India’s white sugar shipments have been brought to a near standstill by the coronavirus lockdown, depriving the global market of key supplies after a poor harvest in Asia’s top exporter Thailand.

Most of India’s private ports have declared force majeure and

while government ports are operating, they face labour shortages as Indians have been ordered to stay home and avoid spreading the coronavirus under a 21-day lockdown. “Ports are functioning for clearing backlogs rather than executing new business,” Rahil Shaikh, managing director of trading company MEIR Commodities India, said. “Container traffic has virtually stopped, there’s no courier services, no buses, and no

India shuns Gulf producers, diverts refiners’ oil to SPR India will divert 19 million barrels of Gulf oil from staterun firms to strategic petroleum reserves (SPRs) skipping direct purchases from producers to help

refiners get rid of extra oil as their storage is full, three sources said. India’s decision to divert cargoes meant for state refiners will not soak up excess oil from the market following the demand collapse caused by the coronavirus pandemic, but it will help local companies to avoid demurrage charges at a time of expensive freight. It also secures purchases at a low price.

To help small businesses, India seen unveiling second COVID-19 stimulus worth $13 billion A second stimulus package India is poised to announce in coming days will be worth around 1 trillion rupees ($13 billion) and focus on help for small and medium businesses weathering the coronavirus outbreak, two senior officials said on Wednesday. Last month, India outlined a 1.7-trillion rupee ($22.6-billion) economic stimulus plan providing direct cash transfers and food security measures to give relief to millions of poor hit by an ongoing 21-day nationwide lockdown.

PUNJAB

Saturday, April 11, 2020

Sikh community shuts down Gurdwara in Pakistan’s Khyber province Sikh community in Pakistan has shut down Gurdwaras in northern district of Swat in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province after the provincial government banned gathering of more than five people for worship in religious places to stop the spread of the coronavirus which has infected nearly 4,000 people and killed 55 in the country.

The Sikh community leaders in the province, where around 500 people have been tested positive, have asked worshippers to pray inside their homes. The step has been

taken to prevent spread of the pandemic as some cases of the COVID-19 has been reported in Swat district, a community leader said. The Swat district administration has also ordered to shut Mosques for congregation of prayers and only five people can offer prayer at a time in the Mosque. Meanwhile, the evacuee property trust board and Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandak Committee conducted disinfection spray in Bhai Biba Singh Gurdwara in Peshawar.

Ludhiana police launch ‘Covid Commandos’ to deal with coronavirus threat In the wake of COVID-19 threat, the Ludhiana police have made a team of twenty constables as an emergency response team called “Covid Commandos”.These commandos have been selected based on their physical fitness and self motivation from the district police.They’ve been given training by the DMC doctors. They will ensure that proper protocols are followed while dealing with corona positive patients.

This will reduce the chances of infection catching up with police personnel in dealing with corona positive suspects.

Virus victims’ kin shun last rites The family of a retired superintending engineer of Amritsar Municipal Corporation who died of Covid-19 yesterday refused to cremate his body.

The administration had to step in to perform 65-year-old Jaswinder Singh’s last rites and cremation.

The transmission of Covid-19 is mainly through droplets. There is unlikely to be an increased risk of Covid infection from a dead body to health workers or family members who follow standard precautions. Only the lungs of dead Covid patients, if handled during an autopsy, can be infectious.This is the second incident in the last two days in the state where families have refused to cremate Covid victims out of fear of contracting the infection. In Ludhiana yesterday, the district administration had to come forward to cremate a 69-year-old woman after her family refused to do so.

Hospitality industry in Punjab on verge of collapse Amid COVID-19 the 21-day lockdown, in Punjab the hospitality and tourism industry is facing severe crisis like other sectors.

Experts believe that the distressed hospitality sector would have adverse implications, leading to loss in national exchequer, large-scale bankruptcy and unemployment.

Punjab Hotel and Resort Association president Satish Arora said though the hotel industry stood by the country under the prevailing circumstances, it was also a fact that around 5,000 small, medium and large hotels and restaurants, including national and international chains, had suffered a monthly loss of Rs 960 crore in the state.“No basic economy can survive if the influx of foreign currency is hampered.

The hospitality and tourism sectors not only attract foreign currency, but also generate employment opportunities.

In Punjab, the livelihood of at least 3 lakh families is dependent on the hotel industry only,” he said.

Ludhiana police formed four teams of five members each. Each team also has a woman member. Earlier, Mohali police also launched a similar initiative with the help of 19 policemen.

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20 Coronavirus cases reported in a day, highest numbers so far in Punjab In a sharp jump, 20 new confirmed cases were reported in the past 24 hours in the state. The total number of confirmed cases has reached 99 in Punjab.

After the first case was reported on March 8 in the state, this was the largest single-day rise in the tally. As per the state’s media bulletin, seven cases have been reported from SAS Nagar, six from Pathankot, four from Moga, two from Mansa and one from Amritsar. The seven cases reported at Jawaharpur village of Mohali district were contacts of a patient admitted to GMCH, Sector 32, here. The DC said 118 samples of the further contacts of those found positive had been taken. As part of the immediate starting of the containment protocol, residents of 522 houses were checked for symptoms.

The village has already been sealed as a

precautionary measure. With the new cases, now Mohali is the worst-affected district in the state with 26 cases.

Panic gripped Pathankot city as six persons tested positive, following which the administration has decided to initiate strict measures, including asking the police to clamp down on people not following the social distancing norms. The persons who tested positive include husband of Raj Rani, who died two days ago at Guru Nanak Dev Hospital, Amritsar.

As per the local health authorities, the cases might pertain to ‘community spread’ wherein a patient neither has any travel history nor has been in touch with anybody who has come from abroad recently. Raj Rani did come in contact with a Canadian citizen, but that was about two months ago.

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Saturday, April 11, 2020

INDIA Next 7 days crucial to decide on lockdown exit plan: Naidu Amid indications that the Central government in actively considering suggestions from some states to extend the lockdown, Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday stressed that primacy to concerns over health should determine exit strategy over revival of economy.

“Between the considerations of the health of the people and stabilisation of our economy being debated, the former shall take precedence over the latter. In my view, while the concerns of economy can wait for another day, that of health can’t,” he said in a statement as the country enters into the third-week of the 21-day lockdown.

Urging people to abide by any decision the leadership takes in this regard, Naidu said the next seven days would be critical in deciding on the exit from the present nationwide restrictions in force from March 25 with data on the extent and rate of spread of virus infection having a bearing on such a strategy.

Sonia’s five suggestions on Covid-19 Congress President Sonia Gandhi has given five recommendations to the government in the face of the increased burden on the exchequer and economic slowdown due to COVID-19.

No. 1: The government and Public Sector Units must stop spending on ads in print and electronic media for two years. This will save Rs 1,250 Cr per year.

No. 2: Suspend the Central Vista Project, whose layout is Rs 20,000 Cr. No. 3: Put all foreign visits of all MPs, Ministers and bureaucrats on hold unless it’s an emergency.

No. 4: Reduce government expenditure by 30% by cutting down on expenditure budget (barring on salaries, pensions and central sector schemes).

No. 5: Transfer PM-CARES funds to PMNRF. The Government is likely to suspend the Central Vista Project. It will most definitely not implement No. 1, and No. 5. No. 4 is highly debatable because if expenditure on, say NREGA, is cut down, it will lead to unforeseen, undesirable consequences. No. 3 might see some progress. No. 2 may already have been under consideration.

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FIJI

Saturday, April 11, 2020

Five more test positive for COVID-19, total up to 12

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Fiji’s biggest rise in COVID-19 cases in a day has just been announced with five people testing positive. This takes our total number of patients to 12. The latest cases are two from Labasa, one each from Suva, Nadi and Lautoka. Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama said on Thursday, he had told the nation that the officials had a strong suspicion of how the sixth and seventh cases of COVID-19 in Fiji contracted the virus.

The father of the gentleman – case number seven – stayed with the couple for several days after returning from India on the 22nd of March. Bainimarama says it turns out as they

suspected the father-in-law has indeed tested positive for the virus. It is highly likely he became infected at a large religious gathering he attended while overseas in India.Upon returning to Fiji, the man spent five days in the Nabua Settlement, and he then made his way by boat to Vanua Levu. He then travelled to his home in Soasoa, Labasa. The Prime Minister says he is currently in stable condition in the isolation ward at Labasa Hospital. PM says this patient did not declare any symptoms when returning from travel, and did not follow the directive of entering into government-mandated home

1,778 people in evacuation centres There are 69 evacuation centres open around Fiji tonight with 1,778 evacuees. The Western Division has the highest number of evacuees with 1,086 people taking shelter in 40 centres while there are 569 people in 22 centres in the Central Division Ninety people are taking shelter in 5 evacuation centres in the Eastern Division while in the Northern Division there are 33 people in 2 centres. Divisional Advisory Councillors, Turaga ni Koros and Mata ni

Tikinas have been advised to ensure the practice of COVID 19 restriction in their communities, especially social distancing and hand washing.

In Lautoka all COVID-19 patients have been moved to the designated isolation area within the Lautoka Hospital while patients admitted at the top level of the Hospital have been evacuated to the ground floor as a precautionary measure.

Nasivi River in Tavua has broken its banks.

Keep Connected With The Latest Ne

People who found loitering will be arrested: Qiliho People found loitering during the restriction of movement in Viti Levu will be arrested.

This is the directive from the Fiji Police Force Commissioner Brigadier General Sitiveni Qiliho. Qiliho says before the restriction this morning, people were found walking the streets while families were seen driving around to see the impact of Tropical Cyclone Harold.

“I had to put extra police officers out there to be able to control this and putting police officers in harms ways as well for the safety of the general public. People have been very irresponsible and in regards to dealing with them yes if they are loitering, we will deal with them with the provisions of the law that are already there for us to utilize.”

Heavy rains damage crops in Bua province Heavy rains and strong winds brought about

by TC Harold has caused damage in some villages in the Bua province.

Kubulau District Representative Paulo

Kolikata says they started experiencing the heavy rain and strong winds from early this morning. The strong winds destroyed most of their cassava plantation as well as plantain and banana trees.

NRI

Saturday, April 11, 2020

PAKISTAN Govt determined to keep balance between lockdown & economy Prime Minister Imran Khan said that the federal govt is trying to keep balance between the economy and lockdown enforced to stop the spread of novel coronavirus While addressing to the media in Islamabad, he said that the government is bent upon making life easier for the lowincome group who were hit the hardest in the ongoing lockdown. “We have decided to open

the construction industry as most of the labour-class belong to this sector. We have also let our agriculture sector to fully function as we need to feed the people too.”

Sindh govt to introduce ordinance for financial relief PM Khan said that even in USA there’s a difference between the lockdowns of different states, justifying the federal government’s move of not enforcing the lockdown immediately until a sharp surge in COVID-19 case in the country.

Pakistan puts off Vaisakhi celebrations amid COVID-19 crisis Pakistan has cancelled the Baisakhi celebrations at Gurdwara Punja Sahib in Punjab province from April 14, in which around 2,000 Sikhs from India were to participate, due to the coronavirus pandemic, authorities said on Monday. The number of the coronavirus cases in Pakistan on Monday reached 3,277 with the infections in the worst-hit Punjab

province approaching 1,500. “The government has cancelled both Baisakhi and Sadhu Bela festivals scheduled to be held in April and May, respectively, because of coronavirus,” said Mir Hashmi, the Evacuee Trust Property Board spokesperson. He said the Pakistan government was to issue over 2,000 visas to Indian Sikh yatrees for Vaisakhi celebrations.

Pakistan grapples with increasing coronavirus cases, tally reaches 4,322 Pakistan on Thursday saw a jump of 248 new coronavirus cases, taking the tally to 4,322, as the authorities grappled to contain the fastspreading disease despite over a two-week partial lockdown in the country.According to the Ministry of National Health, 63 people have died due to the infection, including 5 in one day. A total of 572 people have recovered.

Thirty one people are in critical condition. The number of COVID-19 patients in Punjab was 2,171, Sindh 1,036, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) 560, Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) 213, Balochistan 212, Islamabad 102 and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir 28. The govt is concerned over the steady rise in the cases despite more than two weeks of partial lockdown in the country.

Hundreds of caged pets found dead amid COVID-19 lockdown Hundreds of caged pets have been found dead inside pets market in Karachi amid COVID-19 lockdown. Some animals were still alive in the pets market, they were rescued after an activists appealed to the authorities for the access. Two

weeks into the shutdown, the activist Ayesha Chundrigar could hear the voices of pets from outside the shop, which together housed up to 1,000 animals.

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Indian-origin cardiac surgeon dies in UK An Indian-origin cardiac surgeon who had tested positive for the novel coronavirus has died at a hospital in Cardiff in the UK, where a number of medics have lost their lives on the frontlines of the pandemic. Jitendra Kumar Rathod, Associate Specialist in cardiothoracic surgery at the University Hospital of

Wales (UHW), was described as an “incredibly dedicated surgeon” by his National Health Service (NHS) workplace. Cardiff and Vale University Health Board posted a tribute to the medic, who had studied for his medical degree in India.

Ireland’s PM returns to medical practice to help patients amid COVID-19 crisis Ireland’s prime minister Leo Varadkar has re-registered as a medical practitioner and will work one shift a week to help out during the coronavirus crisis, a spokesman for his office

said on Sunday.Varadkar worked as a doctor for seven years before leaving the profession to become a politician and was removed from the medical register in 2013.According to a report

UK and USA aarranged two special flights for NRIs UK and USA governments have arranged two special flights to facilitate the return of NRIs.Amritsar DC Shivdular Singh Dhillon said the embassies of the two countries

arranged a flight each to evacuate 300 Britons and Americans. They boarded a Delhi-bound flight from Amritsar on Tuesday; from there, they will board flights to their home countries.

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Saturday, April 11, 2020

SOUTH ASIA South-East Asia countries need to strengthen nurses’ cadre: WHO Lauding tireless efforts being made by frontline health workers in tackling COVID-19, the World Health Organization on Tuesday said countries in South-East Asia need to redouble efforts to strengthen and expand their nurses and midwives’ cadre by 1.9 million to achieve health for all by 2030.

Nurses and midwives are central to quality health services for all, for preventing illness, promoting health throughout the life-course, caring for mothers, newborns and children to giving life-saving immunizations, health advice, and looking after older people, said Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director, WHO South-East Asia, on the occasion of the World Health Day. “We must redouble our efforts to ensure the nursing and midwifery workforce has the strength, skills and support to meet all people’s health needs,” she said.

The theme of the World Health Day, which marks the foundation of World Health Organization, is support and strengthen the nursing and midwifery workforce. In 2015, WHO South-East Asia embarked on a Decade for Health Workforce Strengthening aimed at overcoming shortages and skill-gaps in the

Trump says ‘WHO biased towards China’, announces to put hold on funding US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said he would put a hold on America’s funding to the World Health Organisation, accusing it of becoming China-centric during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

“We’re going to put a hold on money spent to the WHO. We’re going to put a very powerful hold on it and we’re going to see.

It’s a great thing if it works. But when they call every shot wrong, that’s no good,” Trump told reporters at his daily White House news conference. Geneva-headquartered World Health Organisation, receives vast amounts of money from the United States. “We pay for a majority or the biggest portion of their money. They actually criticized and disagreed with my travel ban at the time I did it. They were wrong. They’ve been wrong about a lot of things. They had a lot of information early and they didn’t want to -- they’re very -- they seem to be very China centric,” Trump charged during his news conference.

Trump said his administration is going to look into the US funding to the WHO. “We give a majority of the money that they get, and it’s much more than the USD58 million. USD58 million is a small portion of what they’ve got over the years.

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Saturday, April 11, 2020

Sending everyone Heartfelt Wishes on the Auspicious Occasion of Vaisakhi and The Birth of Khalsa

Happy Vaisakhi

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