Coronavirus Update: Scientists warn rise in cases among young Canadians creating risk of severe outbreak

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

Top headlines:

1. Health experts warn rising infections in Canadians aged 20 to 29 could spark new outbreaks
2. Women accounted for three-fifths of new applicants for CERB since late June, pointing to a widening gender gap in the jobs market
3. Toronto wants mandatory face coverings for staff and patrons of restaurants and bars for Stage 3 of reopening

In Canada, there have been at least 110,329 cases reported. In the last week, 2,517 new cases were announced, 16-per-cent fewer than the previous week. There have also been at least 97,049 recoveries and 8,852 deaths. Health officials have administered more than 3,711,033 tests.

Worldwide, there have been at least 14,288,689 cases confirmed and 602,138 deaths reported.

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

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

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61%

According to weekly data released by the federal government, female applicants made up 61 per cent of those receiving the Canada Emergency Response Benefit for the first time between June 28 and July 12, with male respondents accounting for 38.8 per cent and gender-diverse respondents for the remainder.

Women accounted for three-fifths of new applicants for CERB since late June, the latest indication of a widening gender gap in the jobs market as the economy begins to bounce back from its unprecedented plummet in the spring.

There is a similar split between women and men in how quickly participation rates are rebounding, and in other data. They all point to a labour market in which men are benefiting more, and sooner, than women.

The gender gap is emerging as a significant challenge for Ottawa and the provinces, as policy makers try to square public-health measures aimed at containing the coronavirus with the need to fully reopen daycares and schools so that parents – primarily women – are able to return to work.

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Coronavirus in Canada

• Among five other requests, Toronto is asking Premier Doug Ford for mandatory face coverings in restaurants, bars as part of Ontario’s Stage 3 reopening order.
• Quebec is the first province in Canada to introduce mandatory masks in indoor public spaces; some residents carried out anti-mask protests over the weekend.
• New Brunswick reported a new case on Sunday in the Fredericton area, the province’s second in the past week.

National update

More young Canadians are being infected with COVID-19, creating the potential for a severe outbreak, scientists warn. The change in demographics could be attributed to lockdown fatigue, increased testing or feelings of invincibility.

• Data from British Columbia, Ontario, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Quebec, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island show an increase in infections in the 20-29 age groups.
• Numbers from the Public Health Agency of Canada show that during the second week of July, the largest proportion of new cases reported – 22 per cent of female cases and 28 per cent of male cases – was among the 20-29 age group.
• The younger age groups are now making up a higher percentage of positive tests, while older age groups are falling overall, the data show.

Young people should be wary in social settings such as bars or large get-togethers, as they can carry and spread the virus even while showing little to no symptoms, researchers said.

A scientist at the University of Guelph said he was most concerned with increased infections in the under-20 age group observed in the Toronto and Peel regions in May, as asymptomatic children can spread the virus to parents or grandparents in their home.

Coronavirus around the world

• In the United States, Florida reached a record 156 deaths reported in a single day as the state continues to see a swift rise in cases. Officials in the hard-hit Miami area were weighing another blanket lockdown. Meanwhile, NFL players are publicly pleading with the league to address several health and safety concerns on the eve of training camp.
• Some Chinese companies are reportedly using Uyghur labour to produce personal protective equipment through a contentious government-sponsored program that experts said often puts people to work against their will. Uyghurs are a largely Muslim ethnic minority primarily from the Xinjiang region of northwest China.
• Russia’s ambassador to Britain said Sunday that there was “no sense” in the allegations made last week by the United States, Britain and Canada that Russia’s intelligence services sought to steal information about a vaccine.

Coronavirus and business

Canada’s biggest telecom companies are expected to report lower wireless revenue and stalled subscriber growth for the second quarter, as the pandemic temporarily shuttered stores and travel restrictions caused roaming-fee income to plummet.

• Analysts expecting a weak quarter in terms of adding new wireless and Internet subscribers across the telecom industry, while sharp drops in advertising delivered a blow to media operations. “From a subscriber growth point of view it’s going to be pretty ugly,” Edward Jones analyst Dave Heger said.
• The bottom line may be insulated by lower customer-acquisition costs, which could help profit margins. “With lower activity you end up with lower costs,” Mr. Heger noted.

Desjardins analyst Maher Yaghi predicts a 3.3-per-cent year-over-year decline in wireless-service revenue for the industry.

And: General Motors Chairman and CEO Mary Barra expects coronavirus to ebb, economic recovery by early 2021

More Globe reporting and opinion

• Mathew Lella: “According to our current understanding of COVID-19, it seems that the movement of air plays a crucial role in experiencing any indoor event safely.”
• In photos: B.C. drive-in takes viewers back to the heyday of outdoor movie-watching
• As the fitness industry prepares to reopen, a look at how businesses have coped during the pandemic

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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