Canada’s coronavirus death toll passes 2,000
Provinces, Ottawa will learn from U.S. reopening efforts, Trudeau says Relaxing rules in one province could hurt others, experts warn
TORONTO—Canada’s COVID-19 death toll passed the 2,000 mark on Thursday as scientists across the country scrambled to find a treatment or vaccine for coronavirus disease and Saskatchewan became the first province to announce detailed plans for easing up on the economically devastating restrictions imposed to fight the pandemic.
The grim milestone came as Ontario announced that 54 more people had died from the disease — a slightly bigger increase than on Wednesday. Quebec reported 109 new deaths. At least half the country’s fatalities have been in nursing homes.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canadians have been failing our parents and grandparents in long-term care homes. To help them, the government planned to send the military to nursing homes in Ontario and Quebec, but Trudeau said it should never have come to this.
“We shouldn’t have soldiers taking care of seniors,” he said. “We will all have to ask tough questions about how it came to this.”
The prime minister’s comments came as Nova Scotia reported three more deaths at a Halifax-area long-term care home and another at a care home in Sydney, N.S.
An emotional Ontario Premier Doug Ford, whose mother-in-law has tested positive at a seniors home in Toronto, said, “The system needs to be changed and we’re changing the system.”
The economic fallout from the pandemic has prompted anxiety over when restrictions might ease. Canadian governments would be watching closely — but make their own decisions — as U.S. jurisdictions moved toward easing their isolation measures, Trudeau said. The U.S. is approaching 50,000 confirmed coronavirus deaths, with a known caseload exceeding 850,000. Canada has reported about 41,700 cases and more than 2,100 deaths.
With a wary eye on getting normal life on track, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe on Thursday offered a detailed five-phase plan to reopen parts of the province’s economy: starting May 4, dentist offices, optometry clinics and physical therapy providers can open, while some retail stores might be allowed to operate as of May 19. Prince Edward Island has said some outdoor activities and elective surgeries could restart in early May.
To help combat the coronavirus scourge, the federal government announced further measures aimed at mobilizing scientists and researchers.
Trudeau said Ottawa would roll out $1.1 billion for a national medical and research strategy, with $662 million earmarked for clinical trials to test vaccines and treatments as they are developed. A vaccine is the longterm solution, the PM said, but until then, Canadians need to slow the spread so the economy can get going again.