Good evening, here are the coronavirus updates you need to know tonight.
Top headlines:
- Alberta to adopt national COVID-19 exposure app
- Brazil nears 100,000 COVID-19 deaths
- Toronto District School Board considers shorter school days, as more Ontario public-health units call for small classes
In Canada, there have been at least 118,984 cases reported. In the last week 2,672 new cases were announced, 14 per cent fewer than the previous week. There have also been at least 103,433 recoveries and 8,970 deaths. Health officials have administered more than 4,631,614 tests.
Worldwide, there have been at least 19,097,149 cases confirmed and 714,940 deaths reported.
Sources: Canada data is compiled from government websites, Johns Hopkins and COVID-19 Canada Open Data Working Group; international data is from Johns Hopkins University.
Coronavirus explainers: Updates and essential resources • Coronavirus in maps and charts • Lockdown rules and reopening plans in each province
Photo of the day
A woman jogs past crosses and balloons placed by members of the NGO Rio de Paz in tribute to the one hundred thousand mortal victims of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the country, at the Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil August 8, 2020.RICARDO MORAES/Reuters
Number of the day
100,000
Brazil leaped toward a grim milestone on Saturday: 100,000 deaths from COVID-19.
- The nation of 210 million people has been reporting an average of more than 1,000 daily deaths since late May and has reported 99,572 as of Friday night.
- The Health Ministry said there has been a total of 2,962,442 confirmed infections with the new coronavirus — death and infection tolls second only to the United States.
In a tribute to COVID-19 victims, the non-governmental group Rio de Paz placed crosses on the sand on the famed Copacabana beach Saturday and released 1,000 red balloons into the sky.
Coronavirus in Canada
- The Alberta government will adopt the national COVID-19 exposure app. The decision reversed the province’s earlier insistence that Ottawa should help Alberta fix its own smartphone contact-tracing system that had been beset by technical limitations and user complaints, while ensuring that the two apps work together.
- While British Columbia is seeing a flood of local visitors, many of its tourism providers — especially those that cater more toward international visitors — are struggling to stay afloat. They face other issues such as lower operational capacity due to health regulations, limited staff and a lack of government support tailored to their often-seasonal businesses.
- A Whitehorse resident tested positive for COVID-19, becoming the first confirmed case in Yukon since April 20. Yukon residents who were in Dawson City between July 20 and Aug. 7 are advised to monitor themselves for any symptoms of COVID-19.
- The Toronto District School Board says it is considering a shorter school day or reassigning teachers to achieve lower elementary class sizes. Toronto Public Health said this week that maintaining normal class sizes in elementary schools, as the provincial government plans, means children will not be physically distanced and will face an increased risk of spreading coronavirus.
Canadian hospitals have seen a sudden drop in premature births during the coronavirus pandemic. One theory is that more pregnant women have stayed at home because of physical-distancing measures, instead of carrying on with their regular, stressful lives. It’s also possible that less air pollution has contributed to the drop in preemies. But with many uncertainties, researchers are still investigating the cause.
Coronavirus around the world
- In the United States, President Donald Trump has signed executive orders extending COVID-19 financial support measures as negotiation in Congress broke down. But since Congress has authority over federal spending, Trump’s move to bypass this body’s approval will likely draw legal challenges.
- In central Jerusalem, thousands of people protested Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and corruption allegations.
People take part in a performance as part of a protest against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's alleged corruption and economic hardship stemming from the coronavirus lockdown, near his residence in Jerusalem August 8, 2020.RONEN ZVULUN/Reuters
- Havana is back on strict lockdown after COVID-19 cases surged over the past two weeks. Cuba has once again ordered restaurants, bars and pools in its capital to close, has suspended public transportation and is banning access to beaches.
- Starting Monday, Paris will follow a number of other French cities in requiring mandatory mask-wearing in busy outdoor areas for anyone aged 11 and above. Those breaching the order face a fine of 135 euros (around $210 CAD).
Which countries do and don’t require face masks? The Globe reports on mask-wearing around the world and how it has changed: U.S. • Brazil • U.K. and Europe • South Africa • India • Russia • Asia-Pacific
Globe opinion
Even this lifelong hiker has to admit we should limit the numbers in our provincial parks
Adrienne Tanner: “Vancouver hikers seeking a nature experience will have to rise early to book a park trail or drive further to places less travelled. That’s just life in the big city.”
COVID-19 will make the global baby bust even worse – but Canada stands to benefit
John Ibbitson and Darrell Bricker: “The good news is that once the border reopens, we will be uniquely situated to bring in the brightest and the best from around the world, even as the United States and Europe close their doors. The next million new Canadians could be the most important immigrants of all.”
Distractions
Illustration by Salini Perera
Trading one bunker for another: Finding a respite from the pandemic on the golf course
This summer, Ian Brown explores how Canadians are reclaiming their lives from quarantine. This time, he’s finding a respite on the golf course.
“We had decided to play golf in defiance of the severe storm and lightning warnings on our – may I say this? – exceptionally accurate cellphone weather apps. After all: We had a Sunday tee time at the only privately owned public golf course in the city of Toronto in the summer of COVID-19. That is not a thing to throw away simply to stay alive,” Brown wrote.
Information centre
- Pandemic personal finance: Rob Carrick’s 10-point checklist of things you should have done by now to protect or improve your money situation. Tips for minimizing damage to your credit score; how to manage retirement anxiety during difficult times; and things to think about if you’re considering home delivery.
- Here are the expectations for self-isolation; tips for managing anxiety and protecting your mental health; and what to do if you think you have the virus, and what you can do to help slow the spread of coronavirus. How to break a bad habit (like touching your face).
- The best foods to eat to maintain an immune system-friendly diet; and how to keep a healthy diet while working from home; four eating tips when working from home; and five mistakes that might cause you to gain unwanted weight. Here are the essentials to stock up on and how to shop safely for groceries; the best pantry staples and how to stop stress-eating. What to cook with rhubarb (aside from pie).
- Here’s what you should do if you are newly laid off; how to apply for CERB, EI, and other financial benefits; how the CRA might identify CERB fraud; and other coronavirus and employment questions answered. What to do if your employees don’t return to work because they want to collect CERB.
What are we missing? Email us: audience@globeandmail.com. Do you know someone who needs this newsletter? Send them to our Newsletters page.