Tag: COVID-19

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World News

Halifax police seize vehicle, issue ticket to woman violating COVID-19 emergency order

Halifax Regional Police have seized a vehicle and issued a ticket after finding a person violating the province’s emergency measures act in Point Pleasant Park on Sunday.

Nova Scotia’s parks and beaches are closed to the public under the province’s emergency measures act in order to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Halifax Regional Police (HRP) say at 1:12 p.m., officers were patrolling Point Pleasant Park when they located an unoccupied Toyota Yaris the park.

At approximately 1:53 p.m., a police service dog and handler located a 44-year-old woman on the shoreline of the park.

The woman, who is the owner of the vehicle, was determined to be violating the emergency measures act.

The fine associated with the ticket is $697.50.

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HRP are reminding residents to educate themselves on the restrictions under the act and to be mindful of the “unprecedented COVID-19 crisis we are facing as a community.”

They say they thank the “vast majority” of citizens who are complying with the rules.

Questions about COVID-19? Here are some things you need to know:

Health officials caution against all international travel. Returning travellers are legally obligated to self-isolate for 14 days, beginning March 26, in case they develop symptoms and to prevent spreading the virus to others. Some provinces and territories have also implemented additional recommendations or enforcement measures to ensure those returning to the area self-isolate.

Symptoms can include fever, cough and difficulty breathing — very similar to a cold or flu. Some people can develop a more severe illness. People most at risk of this include older adults and people with severe chronic medical conditions like heart, lung or kidney disease. If you develop symptoms, contact public health authorities.

To prevent the virus from spreading, experts recommend frequent handwashing and coughing into your sleeve. They also recommend minimizing contact with others, staying home as much as possible and maintaining a distance of two metres from other people if you go out.

For full COVID-19 coverage from Global News, click here.

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World News

Telling the story of a shared global calamity

Everywhere, the world is facing one of the worst health, economic and political crises it has seen in decades. Sadly, this is a shared reality, a calamity that has hit, and unites, us all.

One-third of the world’s people are now in lockdown, isolated and confined to their homes.

In Singapore, a tiny city-state in Asia where I live, usually a busy aviation and transport hub, we feel this especially keenly, as we have once again become, literally, an island.

Across the globe, hospitals are being overwhelmed and death tolls are rising. Markets and economies are in freefall. Governments are rushing to roll out massive financial packages to jump-start businesses and industries, to try and keep people from losing their jobs.

Millions are engaged in the biggest work-from-home experiment, totally unplanned and unprepared for. The 1980s hit, Don’t Stand So Close To Me, by British rock band The Police, might well serve as the anthem of these times of social distancing, now enforced and policed to varying degrees from India to Italy.

Amid these days of fear and anxiety as the world fights the coronavirus, newsrooms have strived to keep going to continue to bring the latest developments to the communities they serve.

Some have had to do so despite sudden shutdowns when a member of staff is hit by the bug; many are working from home as a precaution, pulling the product together virtually, and arduously, determined to keep the presses running and the platforms updated, come what may.

The World Editors Forum (WEF) has been supporting our members, sharing information about the situation around the world, as well as advice and tips from fellow editors on how to manage our newsrooms under these trying circumstances, and enable our reporting teams to continue to do their jobs while staying safe.

Many of our newsrooms, including The Straits Times, have opted to make our coverage of the coronavirus freely available as a public service at this critical time.

We greatly appreciate the support of the community and thank all our loyal subscribers, supporters and advertisers, without whom we would not be able to continue to keep playing our part in this collective fight against Covid-19, as well as that other virus that threatens our societies and democracies – fake news.

Several of our WEF member newsrooms have come together in a collaborative editorial project to share their insights into how this battle is playing out in their parts of the world. We offer this to you in solidarity with all who are working tirelessly, everywhere, to help bring this devastating pandemic under control.

Stay safe, everyone.

Warren Fernandez

President

World Editors Forum

Have a question on the coronavirus outbreak? E-mail us at [email protected]

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United Way Regina creates community fund for COVID-19 pandemic, helping city’s most vulnerable

United Way Regina is reaching to out the public to help provide essentials to the city’s most vulnerable during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The organization launched its COVID-19 Community Response Fund on Friday. Money raised will go towards supplying basic needs including food, mental health support and financial security.

“We will work with key partners to fill gaps and remove barriers in the communities we serve in this time of great need,” said Robyn Edwards-Bentz, United Way Regina CEO.

“We’re calling on our community to demonstrate their local love in a global crisis.”

United Way Regina is working in collaboration with Regina Education and Action on Child Hunger, both on board to ensure those in need have that extra help during COVID-19.

“Many of our clients experience financial barriers. But we are also getting healthy food to the extremely immune compromised at what I’m sure is a terrifying time for them and their families” said Dana Folkersen, REACH executive director.

“REACH has had to modify and expand virtually all of their programs including the Good Food Box, Convenience Meals and their lunch programs, traditionally offered to children over the summer months, to help address urgent needs for children and families with school closures due to COVID-19.”

For more information or to donate visit the United Way Regina website.

Questions about COVID-19? Here are some things you need to know:

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Health officials caution against all international travel. Returning travellers across Canada are legally obligated to self-isolate for 14 days, beginning March 26, in case they develop symptoms and to prevent spreading the virus to others. In Saskatchewan, international travellers are already required to self-isolate for 14 days upon their return to the province.

Symptoms can include fever, cough and difficulty breathing — very similar to a cold or flu. Some people can develop a more severe illness. People most at risk of this include older adults and people with severe chronic medical conditions like heart, lung or kidney disease. If you develop symptoms, contact public health authorities.

To prevent the virus from spreading, experts recommend frequent handwashing and coughing into your sleeve. They also recommend minimizing contact with others, staying home as much as possible and maintaining a distance of two metres from other people if you go out.

For full COVID-19 coverage from Global News, click here.

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Public health indicates COVID-19 case at Burnside garage carries ‘no risk’ to public

The president of the union representing Halifax Transit workers says the public should have been made aware of a maintenance worker testing positive for COVID-19 before buses were back on the road.

Ken Wilson, president of the Halifax Transit union, says he learned at 10 p.m. Wednesday that a bus maintenance worker was diagnosed with COVID-19.

Wilson was told the transit service would be shutting down its Burnside maintenance facility immediately for deep cleaning.

“As far as operations was concerned at 11:30 last night, buses and operators were safe to continue on this morning,” Wilson said.

According to a notice sent to Halifax Transit staff from director Dave Reage, the agency learned of the positive case on Wednesday. All maintenance staff on the evening shift were sent home, while staff scheduled to work Thursday morning were told not to come in.

“Thorough disinfection of the Burnside Maintenance Department workspace is currently underway, with a particular focus on high-touch surfaces such as doorknobs, work surfaces, tools, etc.,” Reage said in the notice.

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Sports

Netball: Netball Super League play-offs called off

While the cancellation of the Netball Super League (NSL) two weeks before the competition wrapped up left teams disappointed, they also felt it was the best option amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Netball Singapore (NS) announced yesterday that the tournament, which was suspended indefinitely on Tuesday, would be aborted owing to the Covid-19 outbreak, making it the first major local sports competition to be called off.

The semi-finals, preliminary final and play-offs for fifth place were supposed to take place this weekend while the final was scheduled for next Saturday at Our Tampines Hub.

Mission Mannas vice-captain Vanessa Lee said: “There’s a lot of uncertainty as to when all this will end so if we’re just going to keep it to an open date and not know when it’ll take place, it’s going to be hard to train and prepare for it, so cancelling it is a good call.

“We’re all disappointed that it’s cancelled because we can’t complete what we started and we are only two weeks away from the final. But in light of the current situation, it’s the best thing to do.”

Mannas were set to play Sneakers Stingrays in today’s semi-finals.

The two round-robin stages started on Feb 8 and were completed last Sunday. With the season ending prematurely, Stingrays, who amassed 28 points, have been crowned champions, with Mission Mannas (18) runners-up and two-time defending champions Blaze Dolphins (16) finishing third.

Stingrays coach Goh Seck Tuck said: “Of course we always hope we can play till the last game and rightfully win the championship but we’ve shown that we have been quite consistent.

“It’s quite a shame that the whole team couldn’t complete it on a high note but in this present situation, it’s the best that can happen.”

Most of the games this season were played behind closed doors.

On Monday, the six international players who had joined the league in the second round were forced to fly back to their native Fiji following uncertainty over flights owing to the Covid-19 outbreak.

The NSL was then postponed indefinitely after the Ministry of Health announced on Tuesday that all sporting events, regardless of size, must be deferred or cancelled, with the measure taking effect until at least April 30.

However, NS decided to halt the competition completely, with chief executive Cyrus Medora saying: “While the current decision is that all sports stop until April 30, we understand that could very well be extended with the large number of Singapore citizens and long-term residents still to return.”

Other local events have also been disrupted by the virus, with the Singapore Premier League football competition, along with all its clubs’ training sessions, suspended on Tuesday.

The Singapore Swimming Association (SSA) has also postponed the May 14-17 Singapore National Swimming Championships and June’s 51st Singapore National Age Group Swimming Championships indefinitely. The May 29-31 Fina Diving Grand Prix Singapore has been also cancelled.

All national youth training (youth club/affiliates) will cease until April 30 and youths will also be excused from national team training.

Training sessions for the national team may proceed if limited to 10 people and with appropriate screening measures.

Athletes and coaches will maintain at least one metre spacing between each other while ensuring that there is only one person per 16 sq m of usable space, said the SSA.

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World News

Coronavirus: N.L. recalls legislature for ‘urgent’ protections for employees, tenants

Newfoundland and Labrador’s legislature is being recalled as the province looks to implement a series of legislative protections for residents during the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The legislation is being introduced in the province’s House of Assembly on Thursday and will include a series of amendments that will complement other initiatives to “support residents, families and businesses,” according to a release from the province.

“This an extraordinary time in our province and around the world,” said Premier Dwight Ball in the press release.

“It has never been more important to work together as legislators to advance legislation that supports the social and economic well-being of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.”

Only 10 of the province’s 40 members of the House of Assembly — just enough for quorum — will sit to pass the legislation on Thursday.

“It has never been more important for all of us to work together. Even as legislatures to advance significant legislation, said Ball during an update Thursday afternoon.

“Collaboration is at the forefront, politics is set aside.”

Chief among the amendments is protection for employees against losing their jobs if they must take time off as a result of COVID-19.

That includes circumstances in which the employee:

  • has returned from travel and must self-isolate
  • is under medical investigation or treatment for COVID-19
  • is in isolation or quarantine
  • is acting under direction from public health officials
  • is directed by their employer to not work due to COVID-19
  • needs to provide care to a person as a result of COVID-19, such as a school or daycare closure,
  • is affected by travel restrictions and cannot reasonably be expected to travel back to the province

The amendment also makes it clear that the employee will not be required to provide a medical note if they take leave.

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Another amendment states that tenants cannot be evicted if they have lost income resulting from the novel coronavirus pandemic and are unable to pay rent.

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World News

Coronavirus: Peterborough COVID-19 cases reach double-digits, 13 confirmed

Peterborough now has 13 confirmed cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, according to the region’s health unit.

On Friday morning, Dr. Rosana Salvaterra, Peterborough Public Health’s medical officer of health, announced four new cases.

On Thursday the health unit revealed it had its first hospitalized case at the Peterborough Regional Health Centre and its first case at a long-term care facility with a resident at St. Joseph’s at Fleming.

The new cases announced Friday morning include:

  • 10th case: A man in his 60s who has a history of travel to Portugal. He is currently hospitalized at PRHC. Investigating his close contacts.
  • 11th case: A man in his 50s with travel history to the Middle East. He is in self-isolation at home. Investigating his close contacts.
  • 12th case: A woman in her 50s;  investigating her travel history or contact with others. She is at home in self-isolation. She was reported just an hour before the 11 a.m. media briefing.
  • 13th case: A man in his 40s who recently returned from Mexico. He is at home in self-isolation. Investigating his close contacts.

Salvaterra said 528 people have been tested to date, with 279 confirmed negative cases. Another 236 people are still waiting for test results and remain under investigation.

The health unit continues to investigate the COVID-19 outbreak at St. Joseph’s at Fleming.

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“We haven’t been able to complete the investigation so we aren’t able to make a conclusion yet (whether there is an exposure history),” said Salvaterra. “I need more time to complete our investigation.”

The health unit’s first confirmed case of COVID-19 — a man in his 30s who travelled to Europe and was associated with Trent University’s Peterborough campus — has been resolved.

Cases can be considered resolved if a person is no longer showing symptoms 14 days after the onset of showing symptoms.

 

The other remaining cases all remain at home in self-isolation, Salvaterra said.

More to come.


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M.I.A. under fire after posting anti-vaccine message amid coronavirus pandemic

M.I.A. is facing a wave of criticism online after revealing she’s an anti-vaxxer as the world grapples with the new coronavirus pandemic.

On Wednesday, the British rapper, born Mathangi Arulpragasam, took to Twitter, saying she’d rather “choose death” over “the vaccine or chip.” The comment came as researchers around the world work to develop a vaccination against COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, which has killed more than 22,000 people as of March 25.

“If I have to choose the vaccine or chip I’m gonna choose death — YALA,” she wrote, referencing her own 2013 hit, Y.A.L.A, which stands for You Always Live Again.

“Have a healthy life,” M.I.A. wrote. “Don’t live in fear!”

The 44-year-old’s comment prompted a major backlash from both fans and haters.

After responses flooded in, M.I.A. came back an hour later, telling people not to panic.

“You are OK. You are not gonna die,” she tweeted.

“You can make it without stressing the medical systems. Just breathe. You are going to be OK,” the Paper Planes singer continued. “You can make it through without jumping in the frying pan. You are fine. All the vaccines you’ve already had is enough to see you through.”

Half an hour later, she returned to Twitter to address some social media users who had suggested she was either “cancelled” or “irrelevant.”

“Cancelling is irrelevant,” she wrote.

In response, one user tweeted: “Anti-vaxxers don’t get cancelled, they die, sis.”

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After being labelled an anti-vaxxer, M.I.A. reportedly responded to a user in a since-deleted tweet claiming that getting her child vaccinated was “the hardest thing” she had ever done.

In another deleted tweet, M.I.A. tried to validate her reasoning for opposing vaccinations altogether.

“As an adult you have choice,” she wrote, according to NME, adding: “By then you’ve built your immune system.”

Here’s what some other Twitter users had to say in response to M.I.A.’s comments:

“M.I.A. being an anti-vaxxer is kind of perfect,” tweeted another social media user. “It’s like her common sense on the subject is… missing in action…”

Questions about COVID-19? Here are some things you need to know:

Health officials caution against all international travel. Returning travellers are legally obligated to self-isolate for 14 days, beginning March 26, in case they develop symptoms and to prevent spreading the virus to others. Some provinces and territories have also implemented additional recommendations or enforcement measures to ensure those returning to the area self-isolate.

Symptoms can include fever, cough and difficulty breathing — very similar to a cold or flu. Some people can develop a more severe illness. People most at risk of this include older adults and people with severe chronic medical conditions like heart, lung or kidney disease. If you develop symptoms, contact public health authorities.

To prevent the virus from spreading, experts recommend frequent handwashing and coughing into your sleeve. They also recommend minimizing contact with others, staying home as much as possible and maintaining a distance of two metres from other people if you go out.

For full COVID-19 coverage from Global News, click here.

—

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Sports

Boxing: IOC criticised after Turkish boxers get coronavirus

LONDON (REUTERS) – The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has been accused of irresponsibility after two Turkish boxers and a trainer caught the coronavirus during a qualifying event in London this month.

According to the Turkish Boxing Federation website, athlete Serhat Guler and trainer Seyfullah Dumlupinar contracted the virus at the European qualifying tournament.

“While the world was taking extreme measures to deal with the virus, I am baffled that an IOC taskforce and the British government allowed the tournament to start even though many of us had concerns and almost every other sport had shut down,” federation President Eyup Gozgec was quoted as saying in the Guardian.

London’s Copper Box arena hosted the official Olympic qualifying tournament, featuring boxers from 40 nations.

It continued for three days despite virtually every other sport being suspended because of the pandemic.

In a letter to other boxing federations, seen by the Guardian, Gozgec, who is also vice-president of the European Boxing Confederation, said: “Unfortunately, two of our athletes and our Turkish head coach have tested positive for the new type Covid-19 coronavirus after returning to Turkey from London.

“All of them are in treatment now and thankfully they are in good condition. This is the disastrous result of the irresponsibility of the IOC taskforce.

“This virus has been around since December 2019. Therefore, it is inevitable to ask why the European qualification event was not postponed before it took place?

“They did not consider anyone’s health, which led them to organise this horrible event.”

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Coronavirus: Unemployed workers lining up outside Service Canada locations in Winnipeg

Lineups have been forming outside Service Canada locations around Winnipeg, as the COVID-19 global pandemic leaves many unemployed.

A group of about 15 people, lined up outside the Service Canada location on St. Marys Avenue Wednesday morning, told Global News they had been waiting for about 20 to 30 minutes.

Omow Atiku says she came to the physical location because she was having trouble applying for unemployment insurance through Service Canada’s website, and the webpage wasn’t loading.

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“I was trying to fill out E.I. only and it’s just been completely impossible to do that right now, so I just came here to see if I could get help,” Atiku said.

“The website is not loading at all right now, so you couldn’t even get to the page to apply.”

She says it’s frustrating to have to come to the physical location, when she should be practicing social distancing.

“I just hope this whole system could just get simplified soon,” Atiku said.

Service Canada was not available for comment on Wednesday, but signs on their doors said they were limiting the amount of people allowed inside due to COVID-19.


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