Dr. Vera Etches, Ottawa's medical officer of health, says community transmission of the COVID-19 respiratory illness is likely and is urging people to only leave their homes if absolutely necessary

Community spread of COVID-19 in Ottawa likely, says OPH - 5 new local cases

Community transmission of the COVID-19 respiratory illness is likely taking place in Ottawa, according to the city's chief medical officer of health.

That pronouncement from Dr. Vera Etches comes as the province's Ministry of Health reported five new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa Sunday morning, bringing the city's total to 10.

The ministry said Ontario has 39 new cases of the respiratory illness, increasing the total infected to 142.


https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/pacific-dental-conference-attendees-exposed-covid19-1.5499437
Thousands of attendees at Vancouver dental conference told to self-isolate immediately

Dr. Bonnie Henry says at least 4 new cases of COVID-19 in B.C. related to Pacific Dental Conference

Nearly 15,000 people who attended a dental conference in Vancouver in early March have been told to self-isolate immediately by B.C.'s provincial health officer who said multiple cases of coronavirus have been traced to the event.

On Monday, Dr. Bonnie Henry said 30 additional cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in B.C. since Saturday, bringing the total in the province to 103.

Henry said at least four of those new cases are related to an infected person who attended the Pacific Dental Conference, held at the Vancouver Convention Centre March 5 to 7.

Henry said cases of COVID-19 identified in other areas of the country have also been traced back to the Vancouver conference.


3,800 leave cruise ship unscreened after former passenger tests positive:

Some 3,800 passengers were allowed to disembark from a cruise ship in Miami Sunday unscreened for coronavirus, even though a previous passenger had tested positive for the illness, The Miami Herald reported. Many of those passengers went directly to Miami International Airport to head home.

According to the Herald, the former passenger departed from the MSC Meraviglia in Miami on March 8 after taking a Caribbean cruise, leaving behind the crew and 103 passengers for the next voyage. The ship then picked up thousands of additional passengers.

On March 12, Canada’s Public Health Agency informed the cruise line that the passenger had tested positive for the new coronavirus, the newspaper reported.


https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-51910748
Coronavirus spreading more rapidly in London, PM says

Addressing the UK, Boris Johnson said London is weeks ahead of other regions in terms of the virus curve, meaning transmission is happening more rapidly.

He told Londoners to pay special attention to the advice to work from home and to avoid unnecessary social contact.

Pubs, clubs and theatres should no longer be visited, he added.

As of 16 March, London has 480 confirmed coronavirus cases. A total of 55 people have died in the UK due to Covid-19 - 14 of those were from London.


https://www.thenewamerican.com/world-news/item/35146-coronavirus-fading-in-china-all-apple-stores-now-open-for-business
Coronavirus Fading in China; all Apple Stores Now Open for Business

According to a company spokesman, Apple has reopened all of its mainland China stores. It took less than one month for the coronavirus to subside and for Apple to get back to full operations.

On February 12 there were, according to the Johns Hopkins website dashboard, 15,200 new cases of the virus reported. Less than a month later, March 6, there were 103 new cases reported.

In a few months, the coronavirus will be a distant memory, says Gordon Wysong. Writing in the American Thinker, he said, “The coronavirus’s effects will become so small that they will be lost in the noise in the day.”


China sends doctors to Italy

With Italy’s health system under severe pressure from the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak, help is being flown in from China.


Coronavirus: Canada to bar entry for most foreigners - Trudeau

Canada will be closing its borders to anyone who is not a citizen or a permanent resident, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced.

The new measure to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus in Canada does not include US citizens.

Additionally, air operators will be "formally mandated' to prevent symptomatic travellers from boarding flights to Canada, Mr Trudeau said.

The prime minister said he has informed G7 partners of the new rules.

Only four Canadian airports - in Montreal, Toronto, Calgary, and Vancouver - will be accepting international flights beginning Wednesday.

"As the virus continues its spread, we've decided to take increasingly aggressive steps to keep you and your families safe," Mr Trudeau said.

Mr Trudeau said these "far reaching" measures will help save lives.

What is the situation in Canada?

Canada had at least 324 confirmed cases of Covid-19 across all 10 provinces as of Monday morning. There are an additional 17 presumptive cases.

Three new deaths linked to the virus were reported, bringing the total fatalities in Canada to four, all in the province of British Columbia.

Mr Trudeau addressed Canadians outside his residence. He is in self-isolation after his wife, Sophie, tested positive last week for the coronavirus.


https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/covid-19-coronavirus-alberta-hinshaw-test-1.5499332
Alberta's chief medical health officer in self-isolation, gets coronavirus test

Dr. Deena Hinshaw is experiencing symptoms of a cold.

Hinshaw will deliver her update on COVID-19 Monday afternoon via video-conferencing.

"She is currently experiencing mild syptoms [sic] consistent with the common cold, likely due to the long hours that she has been working in recent weeks," a news release said. "Her symptoms do not appear to be consistent with COVID-19."

Alberta currently has 56 cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, and is undertaking broad isolation measures to halt the spread.

There are to be no large gatherings of 250 or more. Classes in schools and post-secondary institutions have been suspended and daycares have been closed.

Albertans are asked not to travel outside Canada and to self-isolate for 14 days if returning from out-of-country travel.


https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/16/us/coronavirus-fatality-rate-white-house.html
White House Takes New Line After Dire Report on Death Toll

Federal guidelines warned against gatherings of more than 10 people as a London report predicted high fatalities in the U.S. without drastic action.




Ottawa: Community spread of COVID-19 in Ottawa likely, says OPH - 5 new local cases
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/5-new-covid-cases-ottawa-1.5498489


bc dentists: Thousands of attendees at Vancouver dental conference told to self-isolate immediately
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/pacific-dental-conference-attendees-exposed-covid19-1.5499437


cruise: 3,800 leave cruise ship unscreened after former passenger tests positive:
https://www.aol.com/article/news/2020/03/16/3800-leave-cruise-ship-unscreened-after-former-passenger-tests-positive-report/23951474/


london: Coronavirus spreading more rapidly in London, PM says
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-51910748


china: Coronavirus Fading in China; all Apple Stores Now Open for Business
https://www.thenewamerican.com/world-news/item/35146-coronavirus-fading-in-china-all-apple-stores-now-open-for-business


italy: China sends doctors to Italy
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/03/coronavirus-covid-19-italy-china-supplies/


canada: Coronavirus: Canada to bar entry for most foreigners - Trudeau
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-51861980


alberta cmo: Alberta's chief medical health officer in self-isolation, gets coronavirus test
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/covid-19-coronavirus-alberta-hinshaw-test-1.5499332


us: White House Takes New Line After Dire Report on Death Toll
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/16/us/coronavirus-fatality-rate-white-house.html