Why Trudeau should bring Scheer and Singh into the loop

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: “I don’t want this to sound too hyperbolic, but it feels like we’re going into war and we’re just preparing ourselves for that.”—Dr. Michael Detsky, an intensive care physician at Mt. Sinai Hospital

As of today, there are at least 569 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Canada, while more than 50,000 have been tested. As of now, nine deaths have been reported.

As the Canada-U.S. border shuts down to non-essential traffic and Ottawa unveils billions in support to Canadians, Scott Gilmore makes the case for a national unity government.

Hospitals could soon face critical shortages in essential medical equipment. A detailed Toronto Star story explains the demands being placed on ICU units and supplies; as of last August, Ontario had 209 ventilators stockpiled in 14 regions.

Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s chief public health officer, acknowledged “there are global challenges in securing supplies,” while announcing Canada had secured 800,000 of the swabs needed for coronavirus testing. Right now, the government, which has a national stockpile, is meeting 75 per cent of requests for personal protective equipment, though Tam cautioned, “We have to be really careful in the hospitals as to how we use those supplies.” The worry is that they will run out, as has happened elsewhere.

With countries closing their borders and flights being cancelled by the thousands, so many Canadians abroad are trying to reach Foreign Affairs that the ministry’s Emergency Watch and Response Centre (EWRC) is asking those who need emergency help but can’t get anyone on the phone to leave a voice message or contact the EWRC by email at sos@international.gc.ca.

“A significant disinformation campaign by Russian state media and pro-Kremlin outlets regarding COVID-19 is ongoing,” claims a European Union report seen by Reuters. The document says that Russia is “pushing fake news online in English, Spanish, Italian, German and French, [using] contradictory, confusing and malicious reports to make it harder for the EU to communicate its response to the pandemic,” says Reuters.

Participants in the latest Big Brother Germany contest have been in a home in Cologne, sealed off from the world since February. Four new contestants were recently added but told not to tell the others about the coronavirus pandemic, which has locked down most of Germany. The show’s producers will tell them soon, no doubt with cameras capturing their reactions.

On Feb. 19, a group started a 25-day rafting trip through the Grand Canyon with no access to news. They came back to a world transformed, explains the New York Times.

Donald Trump’s comments on the coronavirus crisis continue to be controversial. “Trump claims China travel restrictions prove he took coronavirus ‘very seriously.’ There are two major problems with that,” says this Washington Post headline.

Why are NBA stars being tested for the coronavirus even if they have no symptoms, given there is such a shortage of tests in the United States? CNN’s Jake Tapper took New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to task: “I know we have a health care system where those with means enjoy much better care than those without, but this seems really obscene.”

On the other hand, there are sport stars like Gary Neville. The Manchester United player just handed his two hotels over to the National Health Service to use as housing during the crisis. He’ll pay his staff throughout.

Yesterday, New York state announced 1,008 new confirmed cases, bringing its total to 2,382. The numbers are expected to keep climbing as people with suspected cases get results. So far the state has conducted only 14,000 tests.

Living 24/7 at home? Kids getting bored? Check your cable company to see what is on offer because of the current situation. For instance, Rogers is waiving data overages for home usage and offering TV customers free access to popular kids channels such as Disney and Treehouse as well as CBC News Network.

—Patricia Treble

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