Good evening, here are the coronavirus updates you need to know tonight.
Top headlines:
- Patience: The World Health Organization warned on Monday there might never be a “silver bullet” for COVID-19 in the form of a perfect vaccine and that the road to normalcy would be long, with some countries requiring a reset of strategy.
- Expanded testing: Alberta’s health authority has opened a new COVID-19 testing facility in Calgary, added more staff to co-ordinate with patients, and expanded testing in pharmacies after a spike of infections in recent weeks overwhelmed the system.
- Delayed planes: Replacement aircraft for search-and-rescue missions have been delayed because of the pandemic, forcing the Canadian military to continue flying its roughly 50-year-old planes.
In Canada, there have been at least 116,856 cases reported. In the last week 2,675 new cases were announced, 24 per cent fewer than the previous week.
There have also been at least 101,558 recoveries and 8,945 deaths. Health officials have administered more than 4,386,211 tests.
Worldwide, there have been at least 17,849,843 cases confirmed and 685,054 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 worker in a protective suit sprays to disinfect the Amazonas Theatre ahead of its reopening after the Amazonas state government eased isolation measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease in Manaus, Brazil, August 2, 2020. The WHO said today that the road to normality will be long and requires rigorous enforcement of health measures, such as physical distancing and mask-wearing.BRUNO KELLY/Reuters
Coronavirus in Canada
- Quebec is trying to assure people that the new guidelines allowing certain gatherings of up to 250 people are less risky than smaller, private gatherings where people are less likely to physical distance. The province reported another 123 new cases in the past 24 hours, and two more deaths.
- In Ontario, postsecondary students are struggling to make rent on or near campuses that have yet to announce whether they’ll hold in-person courses.
Alessandro and Adelina Busato (with Grandson, Lorenzo) earlier this year, at Richview Manor. The pandemic has taken a devastating toll on the lives of elderly people, including the Busatos.Courtesy of Paolo Busato
- The impact of COVID-19 in long-term care facilities has many human faces – reporter Jill Mahoney interviews the family of a couple married for 64 years adapting to isolation and COVID-19 in their Vaughn, Ont., retirement home.
In Ottawa, national updates.
- The Canadian military has been forced to continue flying its roughly 50-year-old search-and-rescue planes as the pandemic has delayed the delivery of replacement aircraft. The Defence Department is playing down the effect of the delay, saying it will not interfere with its ability to conduct missions.
And: The pandemic has also delayed the construction of a military port in the Arctic, which was first promised by former prime minister Stephen Harper in 2007. The military refuelling station in Nanisivik, Nunavut, won’t be operational until at least 2022.
Coronavirus around the world
- Manila under lockdown: The Philippines president has agreed to place the capital and outlying provinces back under a lockdown after medical groups warned the country was waging “a losing battle” against the coronavirus amid an alarming surge in infections.
- Expedited vaccine plans: Russia plans to launch a nationwide vaccination campaign in October with a coronavirus vaccine that has yet to complete clinical trials, raising international concern about the methods the country is using to compete in the global race to inoculate the public.
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.