Trudeau announces sweeping border closures

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 will now expand 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: "We have a simple message for countries: test, test, test." — World Health Organization director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus

As of the morning of March 16, there were 324 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Canada, per the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC). By the end of the day, the CBC was reporting that the number of infections in Canada was above 400.

Dr. Howard Njoo, the deputy chief public health officer of Canada also said that some 34,000 COVID-19 tests had been administered to date. B.C. reported three more deaths today, all from the long-term care home where the first death in the nation occurred.

Self-assessment tools are being rolled out by the provinces to alleviate the strains being placed on provincial health information telephone lines. There are currently tools for Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario and more are in development.

Public Health Safety Minister Bill Blair promised today that air travel passengers will receive advice regarding self-isolation upon arrival in Canada, and that airports will ensure proper social distancing. On Monday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced sweeping new border restrictions, including denying entry to almost anyone who is not a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or a U.S. citizen, and restricting international flights to four airports.

Theclosures and recommendations are coming so fast that it’s almost impossible to keep up. Maclean’s has a list of provincial and territorial announcements that is updated daily.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford also announced that “his government was drafting legislation to protect the jobs of workers forced into quarantine or self-isolation by the COVID-19 pandemic, as well the jobs of those who need to care for children locked out of schools or daycares,” the Globe and Mail reports. By the end of the day, American stock markets were all down more than 12 per cent. The TSX was down by nearly 10 per cent.

THE INTERNATIONAL SCENE: In Italy, the death toll jumped 349 in the last 24 hours, a rise of 19 per cent, according to Reuters. One glimmer of good news is that the number of new cases increased just 13 per cent to 27,980, the slowest growth rate since Feb. 21. The New York Times reported on the overwhelmed state of morgues in Italy, where people are dying alone and victims buried without funerals.

In the United States, local governments are taking the lead in announcing closures and restrictions as more Americans test positive. Nearly seven million residents of the greater San Francisco area were ordered to shelter-in-place, according to the Associated Press. The Trump administration released new guidelines recommending the closing of schools and telling citizens to avoid non-essential travel, groups of more than 10 people, and going to restaurants and bars.

The New York Times also reported that President Donald Trump told governors they should buy ventilators and respirators themselves when they could and not wait for the federal government: “The suggestion surprised some of the governors, who have been scrambling to contain the outbreak and are increasingly looking to the federal government for help.”

INNOVATION: In Italy, Venturi valves—which connect oxygen masks to respirators—are in short supply. A local firm printed a 3-D valve prototype, and, after a hard-hit hospital tested and approved the device, the company created 100 more.

CELEBRITY NEWS: On Monday, actor Idris Elba announced on Twitter that he’s tested positive, saying, “I feel okay, I have no symptoms so far but have been isolated since I found out about my possible exposure to the virus. Stay home people and be pragmatic. I will keep you updated on how I’m doing. No panic.”

—Patricia Treble

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