The latest news on the COVID-19 global pandemic (all times Eastern):
3:30 p.m.
British Columbia is reporting 15 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the provincial total to 2,330 positive cases of the virus.
Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says two people have died, which brings the death toll to 129.
She says the two deaths are people who were residents of long-term care homes in the Vancouver area.
Henry says the number of people who have recovered from COVID-19 has increased to 1,659, which amounts to 71 per cent of those who tested positive for the virus.
Henry says on Mother’s Day, she is asking families to honour their mothers by keeping them safe by avoiding close physical contact and staying away if sick.
2:40 p.m.
The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in New Brunswick remains at 120 — and the province has yet to report any deaths.
The province has only two active cases.
As a result, the province has started reopening businesses and loosening restrictions on certain activities.
Stores, offices, restaurants, libraries, museums and campgrounds can open — but only if they have a plan that explains how they are meeting public health guidelines, including physical distancing, hand hygiene and allowing staff to remain home when ill.
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1:40 p.m.
Health officials in Newfoundland and Labrador are reporting no new cases of COVID-19.
The total number of confirmed cases remains at 261, the majority of which are in the province’s eastern region.
Four people remain in hospital, two in intensive care — and 244 people have recovered.
The province has reported a total of three deaths related to the viral infection.
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1:05 p.m.
Premier Doug Ford announced today that provincial parks will reopen Monday.
He says camping grounds, beaches and playgrounds will still be closed inside the parks.
The government says visitors must continue physical distancing and wants people to only visit parks that are local to them.
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1:05 p.m.
Nova Scotia is reporting one additional death related to COVID-19, bringing the province’s total to 47.
The death was reported at the Northwood long-term care home in Halifax, the site of the province’s worst outbreak.
Nova Scotia now has 1,011 confirmed cases of COVID-19, which includes three new cases reported today.
Seven individuals are currently in hospital, two of those in intensive care — and 743 patients have recovered from the viral infection.
12 p.m.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canada will not pay the full price for medical masks that do not live up to medical standards.
About eight million of 11 million N95 respirators shipped to the government from China through a Montreal-based supplier failed to meet specifications, federal officials said Friday.
Trudeau says the discovery speaks to the government’s “rigorous verification system” overseen by the Public Health Agency of Canada.
The prime minister did not name the price the government will pay for the sub-standard respirators, which are used to protect against the COVID-19 virus.
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10:45 a.m.
Ontario is reporting 346 new cases of COVID-19 and 59 new deaths.
There are now a total of 19,944 cases of COVID-19 in the province, and the rate of growth in cases dropped below two per cent for the first time since March.
The province has a total of 1,599 deaths and 14,383 cases have been marked as resolved.
The Canadian Press
