Coronavirus Update: Second wave will disproportionately impact Indigenous communities, minister says

Good evening, here are the coronavirus updates you need to know tonight.

Top headlines:

1. Canada’s Indigenous Services Minister says second wave will hit Indigenous communities harder than the rest of Canada
2. Trump, just days out of a COVID-19 diagnosis, declares himself ready to rally again
3. Urback: Beating COVID-19 is as easy as being strong, unafraid, and the President of the United States

In Canada, there have been at least 175,559 cases reported. In the last week 14,536 new cases were announced, 27% more than the previous week.

There have also been at least 147,508 recoveries and 9,557 deaths. Today, 16 new deaths were reported, compared to 12 yesterday.

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Worldwide, there have been at least 36,156,226 cases confirmed and 1,055,683 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: Coronavirus in maps and charts • Lockdown rules and reopening • Mask-wearing rules • Back to school guide • Essential resources

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Coronavirus in Canada

• In Quebec, the Premier encouraged people to stay home over Thanksgiving as the province tries to increase its contact tracing capacity. The province reported 1,078 new cases and nine deaths today.
• Ontario’s patient ombudsman released recommendations for reforms to long-term care in advance of a second wave, including calling for backstops and contingency plans, and better protection for whistle-blowers. The province reported four deaths and a record-high 797 new cases today. Meanwhile, data from the Toronto District School Board found that more public elementary schools in the city’s Scarborough area are losing teachers to virtual learning than elsewhere in the city.
• Yesterday, Saskatchewan reported six people have tested positive after attending a series of gospel events in Prince Albert, with more positive results expected.
• Alberta Health Services says two units at an Edmonton hospital are dealing with a COVID-19 outbreak. It says 29 health care workers are self-isolating as a result.

In Ottawa, Canada’s Minster of Indigenous Services, Marc Miller, said he believes the second wave will hit Indigenous communities harder than the rest of Canada.

Miller explained that during the first months of the pandemic, infection rates on reserves were relatively low compared to the general public. But in the past six weeks, there have been outbreaks in Indigenous communities across the country.

• There are 123 active cases of COVID-19 on reserves – the majority in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
• A First Nation in northern Saskatchewan went into lockdown and closed its schools Thursday over concerns of COVID-19 transmission following a series of religious services where participants were unmasked.

Regional epidemics across the country will require a tailored response, said Theresa Tam, Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer. It will also require every person to stay vigilant and ready to adapt to changes, Dr. Tam said.

Coronavirus around the world

• U.S. President Donald Trump insisted Thursday that he is ready to resume campaign rallies and feels “perfect,” but the White House has offered little information about his condition one week after his diagnosis with the coronavirus that has killed more than 210,000 Americans.
• The British government is considering new restrictions in England, potentially in the big northern cities such as Liverpool and Manchester, amid mounting fears that hospitals in coronavirus hot spots may soon be overwhelmed by growing numbers of patients.
• Coronavirus cases in Ukraine began surging in late summer, and the ripples are now hitting towns such as Stebnyk in the western part of the country, where the town’s chief physician says there is a “catastrophic shortage” of doctors.

Coronavirus and business

Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem warned that the next several months will be “crucial” in gauging how Canadian households and business weather the economic strains caused by the pandemic.

• Macklem pointed to existing heavy debt loads and overvalued housing markets as potential weaknesses as income supports and deferral programs expire.
• In March, some 800,000 households deferred their mortgage payments. Those deferrals are beginning to expire, but the central banker said relatively “few” are being deferred for a second time, and there are even fewer delinquencies. The bank will continue to watch deferrals closely as mortgages make up the bulk of Canadian household debt.
• In March, the central bank lowered its key interest rate to 0.25 per cent, and promised to maintain that rate “until economic slack is absorbed” and the economy returns to full capacity – which is unlikely to happen before 2022.

Also today: It’s called capacity destruction; it means if widespread lockdowns return in the second wave, some parts of the economy just won’t come back.

And: If you are struggling with debt as payment deferrals end, it’s best to seek help sooner rather than later.

Globe opinion

• Globe Editorial: “Yes, it’s great to have an Ontario premier who makes nice with the federal government, often meets criticisms with compliments and who can’t stop dishing out encouraging words. Honey always goes down better than vinegar. And for all that, the Ford government is botching the job, badly.”
• Robyn Urback: “The takeaway from U.S. President Donald Trump’s historic – dare I say, heroic? – three-day battle with COVID-19 is that the way to conquer the virus is to be unafraid. To face it head-on, like a proud citizen drafted to serve his country in warti – uh, I mean, like ... someone who is brave enough to call out your enemies from behind a computer screen. Yes, that’ll do.”

More reporting

• York Catholic District School Board has scrapped virtual classes in favour of hybrid model – with in-person students and remote-learning students taught together
• The COVID-19 pandemic is accelerating digital privacy risks, privacy commissioner Daniel Therrien warned in his annual report
• Inside the market: How investors can benefit from ‘COVID-19 and The New Age of Copper’
• NFL’s Tennessee Titans have had another positive test result to raise their outbreak to 23 cases.
• Cruise line Carnival reports smaller-than-expected loss, says cruising still in demand
• Princess of Wales Theatre welcomes audiences back with Blindness ‘sound installation’
• McDonald’s global sales bounce back in third quarter after COVID-19 disruptions
• François Legault’s message to Quebeckers: Stay home
• COVID-19 vaccine to be distributed free: Trudeau

Distractions

Inspiration: Candies Kotchapaw had a vision to mentor Black youth. This year, it’s taken flight.

• “I want every young Black person in Canada to be able to get access to DYLOTT [ the Developing Young Leaders of Tomorrow, Today incubator], to get access to a mentor,” said Ms. Kotchapaw. “We want to prepare these young people to be tomorrow’s leaders.”

This is part of Stepping Up, a series introducing Canadians to their country’s new sources of inspiration and leadership. Previously, we profiled an eco-tourism ship captain cleaning up plastic debris, a 14,000 step a day walk getting his community moving, and a Vancouver fire department officer doing more than reversing overdoses.

Information centre

• 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. Wash your hands. How to break a bad habit (like touching your face). Is flying safe?
• 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.

Sources: Canada data are compiled from government websites, Johns Hopkins University and COVID-19 Canada Open Data Working Group; international data are from Johns Hopkins.

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