Italy took a page from China’s playbook Sunday, attempting to lock down 16 million people — more than a quarter of its population — for nearly a month to halt the relentless march of the novel coronavirus across Europe.
The latest:
- WHO says more than 100 countries have reported lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19.
- Stock markets tumble amid fears about the widening coronavirus outbreak.
- Italy attempts to lock down north as cases rise to 7,375, with 366 deaths.
- Canadians aboard Grand Princess cruise ship to be flown to CFB Trenton for 2-week quarantine.
- Read more about how Canada will cope with community transmission of COVID-19.
Italy took a page from China’s playbook over the weekend, attempting to lock down 16 million people — more than a quarter of its population — for nearly a month to halt the relentless march of the novel coronavirus across Europe.
Weddings and museums, movie theatres and shopping malls are all affected by the new restrictions, which focus on a swath of northern Italy but are disrupting daily life around the country.
Confusion reigned after the quarantine was announced, with residents and tourists from Venice to Milan trying to figure out how and when the new measures would be put into practice. Travellers crammed aboard standing-room-only trains, tucking their faces into scarves and sharing sanitizing gel.
After mass testing uncovered more than 7,300 infections, Italy now has registered more cases of the virus than any country but China, where the disease is in retreat. The death toll in the country rose to 366.
On Monday, the Italian government urged the European Union to adopt a package of measures to counter the impact of the coronavirus outbreak on the economies of the block.
Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said Monday the government would further increase spending in a “massive shock therapy” to offset the economic impact of the epidemic.
Around the globe, more and more events were cancelled or hidden behind closed doors, from the Pope’s Sunday service to a Formula One car race in Bahrain to a sumo competition in Japan, where wrestlers arrived at the arena in face masks and were required to use hand sanitizer before entering.
Here’s a look at what’s happening in Canada, the U.S. and hard-hit regions around the world.
Here’s what’s happening in Canada
In Canada, as of early Monday morning health officials in four provinces had reported 67 confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19.
Ontario’s health ministry on Sunday reported three new cases of COVID-19. Peel Public Health, which covers a large area north and west of Toronto, announced a man in his 50s who had recently returned from Germany had tested positive for COVID-19.
Quebec has reported a total of four confirmed and presumptive cases. The most recent patient — reported in the Montérégie region, southeast of Montreal — had recently returned from a cruise, officials said.
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Alberta has reported three presumptive and one confirmed case of COVID-19. Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta’s chief medical officer of health, has said all of the cases of COVID-19 in the province to date are travel-related.
B.C. has reported 27 cases.
“We’ve seen the progression around the world, we’ve seen what’s happened in other communities, and we’re preparing as best we can for that,” Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.’s public health officer, said on Saturday.
Here’s what’s happening in the U.S.
Questions grew about whether to maintain U.S. presidential campaign rallies and other potential “super-spreading” gatherings, as the virus enters new states.
In Oregon, Gov. Kate Brown declared a 60-day state of emergency on Sunday as coronavirus cases in the state doubled to 14.
In the United States, where more than 500 infections have been report