The decision-making body of the World Health Organization is meeting today for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic began, and Canada is among several countries urging that Taiwan be given observer status.
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The decision-making body of the World Health Organization is meeting today for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic began in China late last year, and Canada is among several countries urging that Taiwan be given observer status.
A letter to the organization signed by diplomats from Canada, Australia, France, Germany, New Zealand, Britain, Japan and the United States says the World Health Assembly’s exclusion of Taiwan has created a serious public health concern during the COVID-19 crisis.
The letter to WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus points to Taiwan’s early success at controlling the pandemic.
China sees Taiwan as a breakaway province and wants the world to heed its “one-China policy.” Beijing has blocked Taiwan from attending the meeting since the 2016 election of independence-leaning Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen.
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That policy continues as the World Health Assembly meets over video conference for two days.
The assembly will discuss efforts to develop a COVID-19 vaccine and concerns over whether enough was done to stop the virus from spreading.
The European Union and Australia are expected to call for an independent review into the origins of COVID-19 and the world’s response to the respiratory illness caused by a novel coronavirus.
Tragedy marks Operation Inspiration
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued a statement Sunday night expressing condolences following the crash of a Snowbirds jet that was part of Operation Inspiration, a series of flyovers across the country to salute Canadians and front-line workers during the pandemic.
“For the past two weeks, the Snowbirds have been flying across the country to lift up Canadians during these difficult times,” Trudeau said.
Please read my full statement on today’s tragic aircraft crash: https://t.co/mYQDc9fxFw
“Every day, they represent the very best of Canada and demonstrate excellence through incredible skill and dedication. Their flyovers across the country put a smile on the faces of Canadians everywhere and make us proud.”
The pilot, Capt. Richard MacDougall, survived Sunday’s crash. But public affairs officer Capt. Jennifer Casey was killed when the plane went down shortly after takeoff in Kamloops, B.C.
The Defence Department said the flyovers have been suspended until further notice.
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Trudeau is on a two-day break from his daily briefings on the pandemic, but will resume the updates on Tuesday.
He will speak with the Queen on Monday, as well as participate in a roundtable over the phone with small business operators from his Papineau riding in Montreal to discuss the impacts of COVID-19, the Prime Minister’s Office said.
Statistical milestone with recoveries
The number of COVID-19 cases in Canada has increased over this holiday weekend, but there appear to be some positive signs. The number of new daily cases has averaged less than 1,200 for the past week, a rate not seen since early April.
In addition, more than half of all known cases of COVID-19 in the country had either been recovered or resolved as of Sunday, according to a tally by CBC News.
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As of early Monday morning, Canada has had a total of 77,022 cases since the start of the pandemic, including 38,563 recoveries, according to a CBC News tally. That’s based on provincial health data, regional information and CBC’s reporting.
The death toll from the novel coronavirus in Canada is 5,887. There are two known fatalities of Canadians abroad.
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As Canada reached the statistical milestone on Sunday regarding recoveries, provinces were preparing to ease more restrictions in the coming week.
Ontario will enter its first stage of reopening on May 19 by lifting restrictions on certain retailers and the construction industry. Some surgeries will also resume.
As part of the province’s reopening plans, retail stores outside of shopping malls with street entrances can begin reopening with physical distancing measures in place.
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Pet care services, such as grooming and training, and regular veterinary appointments can also begin again in Stage 1.
British Columbia’s government will also allow a partial reopening of the province’s economy starting Tuesday. However, the reopenings are contingent on organizations and businesses having plans that follow provincial guidelines to control the spread of COVID-19. While many provincial parks in B.C. are now open for day use, officials are still discouraging unnecessary travel.
