Coronavirus Update: Quebec imposes new restrictions, tightens testing criteria

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Top headlines:

1. Quebec imposes new restrictions; Ontario declares second wave as cases mount
2. Federal government moves to shut down debate on new income supports
3. Picard: COVID-19 deaths may be down, but those outdated stats are no excuse for complacency

In Canada, there have been at least 155,301 cases reported. In the last week 9,886 new cases were announced, 36% more than the previous week.

There have also been at least 132,607 recoveries and 9,278 deaths. Today, 10 new deaths were reported, compared to six yesterday.

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Worldwide, there have been at least 33,077,724 cases confirmed and 997,734 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: Coronavirus in maps and charts • Lockdown rules and reopening • Mask-wearing rules • Back to school guide • Essential resources

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2020-21

The National Hockey League and the NHL Players' Association will meet soon to discuss the possibilities for the 2020-21 season, but there is no desire to stage it entirely within quarantined bubbles.

“Certainly not for a season, of course not,” said NHLPA executive director Don Fehr. “Nobody is going to do that for four months or six months or something like that. Whether we could create some protected environments that people would be tested and they’d be clean when they came in and lasted for some substantially shorter period of time with people cycling in and out is one of the things I suspect we will examine.”

Coronavirus in Canada

• Ontario reported 700 new COVID-19 cases today, the highest daily figure since the start of the pandemic, prompting Premier Doug Ford to say the province is in a second wave. The Premier also said he hopes participants at a car rally in Wasaga Beach face the maximum fine for disregarding COVID-19 rules.
• Quebec has moved three regions, including Greater Montreal and Quebec City, to its highest COVID-19 alert level, imposing new restrictions on residents and businesses as cases climb. Premier François Legault said that under the new alert level, bars, concert halls, cinemas, museums and libraries in the affected regions will close while restaurants will be limited to takeout from Oct. 1 to Oct. 28. Shops can remain open.

In Ottawa, The Liberal government is moving to limit debate on legislation that would approve tens of billions of dollars in new pandemic-related spending and expand eligibility for a national sick leave benefit.

Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough introduced a revised bill on Monday afternoon that reflects a deal the minority Liberal government negotiated to secure the support of the NDP. Also on Monday, the Liberals proposed a motion that, if approved, would allow the government to pass the bill through all stages of the House of Commons in a single day.

The government has yet to deliver a 2020 budget, but projected in a July fiscal “snapshot” that the deficit for the current year would be $343-billion. The Parliamentary Budget Officer will release a report Tuesday updating its projections for the federal deficit based on spending announcements made since July.

Busting the social bubble: Under the new system of cohorting in schools, students in much of Canada are now expected to learn, eat lunch and play exclusively with one group for the duration of the term. While well-meaning, the new system is also complicating family life beyond the classroom.

Coronavirus around the world

• At Rome’s Fiumicino airport, arriving passengers from five “hot spot” European countries can take a 30-minute coronavirus test instead of going to a local health authority within 48 hours of their arrival. The goal of testing arriving passengers is to prevent those with positive results from turning into superspreaders in Italy.
• The U.S. health regulator has put a hold on Inovio Pharmaceuticals Inc.’s plans to start final trials of its coronavirus vaccine as the agency seeks more information, including details on a delivery device used to inject genetic material into cells.

Coronavirus and business

Fewer businesses reported closings in June compared to May, however 44 per cent more businesses were still closed in June compared to February, Statistics Canada data shows.

• The number of business closings in June was down 5.6 per cent nationally compared with May. Only Quebec reported an increase in closings, while Nova Scotia reported the biggest decrease in closings (down 29.3 per cent or 403 fewer).

There were also 52,723 business openings nationally in June, 33 per cent more than Statscan recorded in May.

Also today: The federal government is giving $200-million worth of assistance to Gateway Casinos & Entertainment Ltd., including the first loan to be advanced under a federal program designed to keep large employers afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Globe opinion

• André Picard: “Hospitalizations and deaths are indeed lower than in the spring; that’s a good thing. But that can’t be an excuse to let cases spread wildly, to resist imposing stronger public-health measures to rein in this spike, or to throw caution to the wind with economic reopening."
• Rachel Marmer: “All families deserve a safe learning option at home that does not leave children isolated or on a device all day. Learning pods are a workable solution because they provide children with education and socialization in a safe framework. So why haven’t the Ontario government and Ministry of Education recognized this option as legitimate and, for many, necessary?”
• Warren Fernandez: On World News Day, why real news matters amid the twin pandemics of COVID-19 and fake news

More reporting

• The price of oil falls as surging coronavirus cases cloud demand outlook
• The European Central Bank’s policy makers are divided over how to steer economy through second wave of COVID-19, sources say
• The cost of the Muskrat Falls hydroelectric project in Labrador goes up by $435-million because of pandemic-related delays

Distractions

For the big-picture thinker: Join the world’s sharpest minds for a series of live Q&As about our changing world. The next forum will be with Maggie Haberman, White House correspondent for The New York Times, who will talk about U.S. President Donald Trump’s re-election prospects.

• When: Sept. 30 at 8 p.m. (ET)
• Where: Watch on the Globe’s website.
• Questions: Readers can submit questions by e-mailing audience@globeandmail.com.

Information centre

• 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. Wash your hands. How to break a bad habit (like touching your face). Is flying safe?
• 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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