A new poll reveals just how many Canadians aren't staying home
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A new poll reveals just how many Canadians aren't staying home

Welcome to the Maclean's daily newsletter. As the coronavirus disrupts life in Canada, and Canadians get used to the notion of "social distancing" and "flattening the curve," Maclean's has expanded this newsletter to include everything you need to know about the global pandemic. You'll still find our best stories of the day at the bottom of the newsletter, but we'll also catch you up on news and notes from around the world.


QUOTE OF THE DAY: "If we winter this one out, we can summer anywhere."—Irish poet Seamus Heaney, in a 1972 interview


More than 7,300 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Canada, while the number of deaths rose to 70. Worldwide, there are more than 770,000 cases with 37,000 deaths.

There are still cruise ships trying to dock to offload their passengers, though many nations are refusing to accept them. Two such ships, the MS Zaandam, which has had four coronavirus deaths so far, and its sister ship, the MS Rotterdam, have in total 2,520 passengers, including 248 Canadians. The Globe and Mail reports the ships are expected to dock in the next few days in Florida. The state’s governor has said he doesn’t want sick passengers being treated in Florida.

As the pandemic spreads, so do power grabs by autocrats and other political leaders. Today in Hungary, Prime Minister Viktor Orban, whose party controls the parliament, was just handed the authority to suspend existing laws. His new powers are so extreme that Matteo Renzi, a former prime minister in Italy, said in a tweet that the European Union should kick Hungary out if it doesn’t abandon the new law.

Just as Prince Charles finished his self-isolation after testing positive last week, news came that Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, the papal vicar for Rome and a senior aide to Pope Francis, tested positive. As well, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is self-isolating after a close aide tested positive.

One of the most popular sites for clear, concise coronavirus data from around the world is the Financial Times. In particular, its Coronavirus Trajectory Tracker, which plots up-to-date COVID-19 data from nations and cities around the world, has made the newspaper’s data expert John Burn-Murdoch (or at least his charts) famous. As lots of people have queries about how and why they are created, he’s made a handy video answering the five most popular questions.

Getting bored? Check out the online options available for free through your local library system. For example, the Toronto Public Library has a guide to 38 different ways to use its digital services, including activities and contests for the little ones, and free movie, music, news and learning services for the adults. Most public libraries have beefed up their digital offerings in recent years. All you need is a library card.

So many people are baking bread at home that yeast can be hard to find in grocery stores. Have no fear: you can make it using supplies found in any kitchen. Sudeep Agarwala, a self-styled “frumpy yeast geneticist,” posted a step-by-step set of instructions on Twitter. It’s as funny as it is informative.

Music is everywhere online. Check out four choristers at Wells Cathedral in England who sing in their front garden every evening. And yup, that’s the historic cathedral in the background.

—Patricia Treble


As of the latest update, this is the number of confirmed cases in Canada. We're updating this chart every day.

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What to do if you're laid off because of the coronavirus

What to do if you're laid off because of the coronavirus

What workers in Canada need to know about applying for benefits and looking for a new job

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COVID-19: Canada layoff tracker

COVID-19: Canada layoff tracker

We're tracking reported layoffs from the coronavirus pandemic as they happen across Canada

Isolation: Old habits are proving dangerously hard to break

Isolation: Old habits are proving dangerously hard to break

Paul Wells: A new poll shows the number of people playing fast and loose with urgent pleas to isolate is falling, but it's a still sizeable number among young Canadians

This week, we'll see if Canada's curve actually starts to flatten

This week, we'll see if Canada's curve actually starts to flatten

Politics Insider for Mar. 30: Cracking down on domestic travel, additional funding for vulnerable Canadians and a reluctantly postponed Tory race

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338Canada: Confidence in the Liberals runs high. But for how long?

338Canada: Confidence in the Liberals runs high. But for how long?

Philippe Fournier: The Liberals have surged ahead in voting attentions, even as coronavirus cases double every three days and the America problem looms large

How science is accelerating to try and catch up with COVID-19

How science is accelerating to try and catch up with COVID-19

Canada needs its own vaccine for the novel coronavirus, says virologist Alyson Kelvin. “If all countries are experiencing this at the same time, no one is going to be able to share with us.”

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