COVID-19 Ottawa:
Ottawa Public Health says two more people have died from COVID-19 in our city.
Nine deaths have now been reported in the capital. 29 new COVID-19 cases have been confirmed Thursday, with the city’s total now up to 458.
Essential Long Weekend Closures:
A reminder that the Easter long weekend will mean some closures to essential services.
Premier Doug Ford has ordered that all grocery stores close Friday and on Easter Sunday to give staff a break, though select pharmacies will be open. Restaurants offering take out and delivery will be allowed to stay open.
COVID-19 Ontario:
Ontario is reporting 26 more deaths bringing its total to 200.
The province says there are 5,759 cases in Ontario, up 483 from Wednesday.
More than 23-hundred cases have been resolved, which is 40 per cent of the provincial total.
Ontario Testing Guidelines:
Ontario’s top doctor has issued new instructions for testing health-care workers and first responders for COVID-19.
In a new memo, Doctor David Williams says they should all be tested as soon as they develop any symptoms, even atypical ones. Williams adds anyone newly admitted to a long-term care home should be tested, as well as any residents who have been in contact with a confirmed case — even if they don’t show symptoms.
Federal Numbers:
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canada is at a crossroad.
He says it will take months of continued and determined efforts to avoid the worst-case scenarios for the COVID-19 pandemic. This morning, federal health officials predicted the number of Canadians who will die from the novel coronavirus will double over the next week, even with strict rules on physical distancing in place.
Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam estimates the pandemic could kill at least 45-hundred Canadians. Trudeau says a return to normal is still a long way away.
Job Losses:
Statistics Canada has released job figures for last month…and the numbers are staggering.
The data shows Ottawa lost 15,300 jobs, while 1,900 were lost in Gatineau. Unemployment in the capital climbed to 4.9 per cent from 4.2 in February.
Six Nations Death:
A southwestern Ontario First Nation is grieving after its first death from COVID-19.
Six Nations of the Grand River had its first confirmed case two weeks ago. It says there are now eight coronavirus cases in the community.