Coronavirus Update: 100 days and 100,000 cases later, why have Canadians become complacent?

Good evening, here are the coronavirus updates you need to know tonight.

Top headlines:

1. It has been 100 days since the WHO declared COVID-19 a pandemic. Knowing what we know now, 100,000 cases later, why have Canadians replaced their coronavirus anxieties with complacency?
2. Quebec and Ontario have opened up, but the daily number of new cases continues to drop in these provinces. Health officials explain what may be happening.
3. Canada will be launching a voluntary contact tracing app but it is raising privacy concerns

In Canada, there have been at least 100,148 cases reported. In the last week 2,618 new cases were announced, 31% fewer than the previous week. Health officials have administered at least 2,403,530 tests.

Worldwide, 8,349,950 cases have been confirmed; with 448,959 deaths reported.

Sources: Canada data is compiled from government websites, Johns Hopkins and COVID-19 Canada Open Data Working Group; international data is from Johns Hopkins University.

Coronavirus explainers: Updates and essential resources • Coronavirus in maps and charts • Lockdown rules and reopening plans in each province

Photo of the day

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Number of the day

100,000 in 100 days

Canada’s coronavirus caseload surpassed 100,000 today. Canada places in the top 20 countries by confirmed cases.

• Health experts say the virus has not run its course, and urge caution amid reopening efforts.
• Robust testing – a key feature missing in the early days – is necessary to endure an inevitable second wave, one expert said.

June 18 marks 100 days since the WHO declared the COVID-19 pandemic. André Picard answers the question, “What we have learned?”

Coronavirus in Canada

• A made-in-Canada mobile app to alert Canadians who may have been exposed to a person infected with COVID-19 is ready for testing in Ontario, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday. Beginning July 2, residents in Ontario can voluntarily sign up to use it. The app is created by developers affiliated with Shopify, using Apple and Google technology, was evaluated from a security perspective by BlackBerry. The app will not store any personal information, Premier Ford said.
• Nova Scotia will allow 10-person gatherings without two metres distancing in place. Gatherings up to 50 people, with physical distancing, are allowed for faith gatherings, cultural events, or sports.
• Newfoundland and Labrador has no known active cases. If the situation remains stable, the province will lift many restrictions on gatherings, businesses and activities next week, officials said.

And: Quebec and Ontario have opened up, so why are COVID-19 cases going down?

In Ottawa, the PBO announced the federal deficit this year could top $256-billion, up from an April estimate of $252.1-billion. The new figure does not include the recent CERB updates, extending eligibility from 16 weeks to 24.

• Today’s report forecasts Canada’s GDP to decline by 6.8 per cent this year, compared to a 12 per cent fall projected in April.
• The revised GDP added $19.5-billion in revenue forecast – $24.5-billion increase in projected spending owing to new announcements and revised estimates for previously announced programs.

The report cautions its figures outline “one of many possible outcomes.”

Coronavirus around the world

• Watch: In the U.S., officials in Tulsa, Okla., worry that U.S. President Donald Trump’s first rally in three months on Saturday night could potentially exacerbate a new spike in cases.
• The European Commission is in advanced talks with U.S. pharmaceuticals giant Johnson & Johnson to reserve or make an up-front purchase of its coronavirus vaccine under development, officials said.
• Watch: The British government will switch to Apple and Google technology for its previously troubled test-and-trace app, ditching its current system.
• Beijing reported a drop in new COVID-19 cases today, while India recorded its highest one-day increase with 12,281 new cases.

Coronavirus and business

The Bank of Canada expects a two-phase economic recovery: an initial “reopening” phase where lockdown restrictions lift, and a more unpredictable “recuperation” phase. [For subscribers]

• Consumer behaviour will be a key metric, which makes up – with housing – about two-thirds of economic activity in Canada, the bank said.
• Early data shows a “partial” rebound in consumer spending, incomes and consumer confidence.
• The “recuperation” phase could be bumpy, given the evolution of the virus is uncertain, the bank said.

And: The 2008-09 recession was an awesome time to buy house. This time, there isn’t enough juice in the economy to sustain a similar housing rally. Here are five numbers that make the case from Rob Carrick.

Globe opinion

• Derek Ruths: “While ... debate is worthy and warranted, not every approach being proposed under the broad umbrella of “contact-tracing apps” has [privacy] issues; in fact, some carry virtually no risk of surveillance. Because these apps have huge potential in the fight against COVID-19, widespread confusion about privacy issues threatens to lead us to broadly reject reasonable solutions – which include COVID Alert. This must not happen.”
• David Johnston and Jennifer Lee: “Living in Canada can be a blessing. Its values, institutions and people enable many of us to enjoy a rewarding life. Yet that experience is not shared by all Canadians. The pandemic brought this reality into even sharper relief by laying bare the inadequacies of our country, especially our failure to protect the most vulnerable among us. "

Some good news

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Unable to fly home to be with his parents during the pandemic, Juan Manuel Ballestero decided to make the cross-Atlantic trip to Argentina from Portugal by sailboat, a three-month odyssey.

Ballestero was in the Portuguese archipelago of Madeira when the lockdowns in Spain and Argentina took effect. He grabbed the 200 euros he had saved, loaded his sailboat “Skua” with food and set sail from Porto Santo.

Ballestero said fearsome storms threatened along the journey and he almost lost his life off the coast of Brazil when he encountered heavy winds and waves that tossed the small boat around.

“Now I am calm, anchored here in the middle of this port,” the experienced sailor said. “There is no storm to bother me or boat to run me over.”

“I’ll plant a garden and buy three chickens. I’ll make it through the winter with the old people,” he said. “I want to be with the family.”

Have you witnessed or performed acts of kindness in your neighbourhood? Email audience@globeandmail.com

Distractions

👟 For the at-home athlete: How to train your core and reap the benefits

• Rectus Abdominis: Crunches can strengthen your abs: The McGill Curl Up and plate crunches are staples. Ory try the plank, and its many variations.
• Obliques: Try the kettlebell windmill to work the obliques, and the hips and the lower back. Or try the Pallof Press.
• Spinal Erectors: Back extensions and Romanian deadlifts can help strengthen those postural muscles that run the length of the back. Or try the dead bug and the bird dog.

Information centre

• Pandemic personal finance: Rob Carrick’s 10-point checklist of things you should have done by now to protect or improve your money situation. Tips for minimizing damage to your credit score; how to manage retirement anxiety during difficult times; and things to think about if you’re considering home delivery.
• Here are the expectations for self-isolation; tips for managing anxiety and protecting your mental health; and what to do if you think you have the virus, and what you can do to help slow the spread of coronavirus. How to break a bad habit (like touching your face).
• The best foods to eat to maintain an immune system-friendly diet; and how to keep a healthy diet while working from home; four eating tips when working from home; and five mistakes that might cause you to gain unwanted weight. Here are the essentials to stock up on and how to shop safely for groceries; the best pantry staples and how to stop stress-eating. What to cook with rhubarb (aside from pie).
• Here’s what you should do if you are newly laid off; how to apply for CERB, EI, and other financial benefits; how the CRA might identify CERB fraud; and other coronavirus and employment questions answered. What to do if your employees don’t return to work because they want to collect CERB.

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