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COVID-19 news update for 3/7/2020
Hello again everybody who reads these. It's been a very busy day as some of my private charts for tracking this virus ran out of room! I had to make new charts for North America, Washington state, and the Middle East! It gives me something to do and I become quite familiar with the numbers of when, where, and what. I'm going to check newspapers from around the world (that have no paywall I know of) and I invite you to come along.
The Times of Israel:
Netanyahu calls virus ‘pandemic’ as Israel plans restrictions on some US flights
Decision expected within hours on planes arriving from New York, Washington, California; PM wants security forces, youth to disinfect public places; 25 Israelis infected
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday that the coronavirus was a pandemic more severe than any disease outbreak in the past century, as a senior official said Israel was likely hours away from placing restrictions on flights arriving from some parts of the United States.
“First of all, this is a global pandemic, whether the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) calls it such or not. It is a matter of days or hours. It is doubtful whether there has been a similar pandemic in the last 100 years. It seems that the rate of infection is greater than we figured.”
He went on: “The assumption that the virus will disappear or evaporate in hot weather is unproven. At the moment, this has no basis that we can build on. The virus is currently spreading to Africa. There is no vaccine and anti-viral drugs are ineffective. Economies are starting to be hurt. Governments are ordering their gates closed. This is important for the supply of products for all economies. Nobody knows how the pandemic will end.”
...The prime minister said that the virus did not seem to infect youth and children. He said he wanted members of security forces and youth groups to disinfect public places.
...First, “we must disinfect public installations. This virus is sensitive to bleach and we must act in an orderly way to disinfect railway stations, bus stations, etc. To this end, over the vacation period, which may be extended, I will mobilize young people, both in schools and in youth movements, in a very meticulous way, to help with the disinfection. I will also ask the IDF to take care of certain installations.”
https://www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-calls-virus-pandemic-as-israel-plans-restrictions-on-some-us-flights/?utm_source=Breaking+News&utm_campaign=breaking-news-2020-03-07-2254641&utm_medium=email
Israel reportedly decides on self-quarantine for arrivals from NY, Wash., CA
Formal announcement on latest rules to fight coronavirus expected within hours; no flights from US to be banned; Holland added to list of restricted countries
...The director-general of the Health Ministry, Moshe Bar Siman-Tov, indicated Saturday night that Israel was about to place restrictions on flights arriving from some parts of the US. Israel would not take action against all flights from the US, but would act on a state-by-state basis, he said.
Specifying flights from New York, Washington state, and California, he said a decision would be announced later Saturday or Sunday.
Israel has already required returning Israelis from several countries to self-quarantine, and barred foreigners from a slew of European and Asian countries. Some 80,000 Israelis are now reported to be in self-quarantine, and large events such as concerts and sporting matches have been canceled.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-reportedly-decides-on-self-quarantine-for-ny-dc-california-arrivals/
My family is among 80,000 Israelis living in quarantine. Here’s what it’s like
Coping with confinement involves scared delivery drivers, visits from friends, calls from the health authorities and a fear of returning to the outside world
MODIIN (JTA) — When our seventh day of quarantine began with a knock on the door from a guy in a hazmat suit, it was almost a relief finally to have a visitor at the house.
He had come to test my wife and I for coronavirus. My four children eyed the man warily as he unpacked the testing kits at our dining room table.
Barely halfway through a mandatory 14-day quarantine, we were beginning to go a little stir crazy. Our kids, who range in age from 2 to 10, could not attend school or leave home. Our living room was littered with board games, Legos and the remains of half-finished art projects. We were starting to run low on some essentials, and I realized with dismay one day at lunchtime that I somehow had forgotten to change out of my pajamas.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/my-family-is-among-the-80000-israelis-living-in-quarantine/
Decision expected within hours on planes arriving from New York, Washington, California; PM wants security forces, youth to disinfect public places; 25 Israelis infected
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday that the coronavirus was a pandemic more severe than any disease outbreak in the past century, as a senior official said Israel was likely hours away from placing restrictions on flights arriving from some parts of the United States.
“First of all, this is a global pandemic, whether the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) calls it such or not. It is a matter of days or hours. It is doubtful whether there has been a similar pandemic in the last 100 years. It seems that the rate of infection is greater than we figured.”
He went on: “The assumption that the virus will disappear or evaporate in hot weather is unproven. At the moment, this has no basis that we can build on. The virus is currently spreading to Africa. There is no vaccine and anti-viral drugs are ineffective. Economies are starting to be hurt. Governments are ordering their gates closed. This is important for the supply of products for all economies. Nobody knows how the pandemic will end.”
...The prime minister said that the virus did not seem to infect youth and children. He said he wanted members of security forces and youth groups to disinfect public places.
...First, “we must disinfect public installations. This virus is sensitive to bleach and we must act in an orderly way to disinfect railway stations, bus stations, etc. To this end, over the vacation period, which may be extended, I will mobilize young people, both in schools and in youth movements, in a very meticulous way, to help with the disinfection. I will also ask the IDF to take care of certain installations.”
https://www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-calls-virus-pandemic-as-israel-plans-restrictions-on-some-us-flights/?utm_source=Breaking+News&utm_campaign=breaking-news-2020-03-07-2254641&utm_medium=email
Israel reportedly decides on self-quarantine for arrivals from NY, Wash., CA
Formal announcement on latest rules to fight coronavirus expected within hours; no flights from US to be banned; Holland added to list of restricted countries
...The director-general of the Health Ministry, Moshe Bar Siman-Tov, indicated Saturday night that Israel was about to place restrictions on flights arriving from some parts of the US. Israel would not take action against all flights from the US, but would act on a state-by-state basis, he said.
Specifying flights from New York, Washington state, and California, he said a decision would be announced later Saturday or Sunday.
Israel has already required returning Israelis from several countries to self-quarantine, and barred foreigners from a slew of European and Asian countries. Some 80,000 Israelis are now reported to be in self-quarantine, and large events such as concerts and sporting matches have been canceled.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-reportedly-decides-on-self-quarantine-for-ny-dc-california-arrivals/
My family is among 80,000 Israelis living in quarantine. Here’s what it’s like
Coping with confinement involves scared delivery drivers, visits from friends, calls from the health authorities and a fear of returning to the outside world
MODIIN (JTA) — When our seventh day of quarantine began with a knock on the door from a guy in a hazmat suit, it was almost a relief finally to have a visitor at the house.
He had come to test my wife and I for coronavirus. My four children eyed the man warily as he unpacked the testing kits at our dining room table.
Barely halfway through a mandatory 14-day quarantine, we were beginning to go a little stir crazy. Our kids, who range in age from 2 to 10, could not attend school or leave home. Our living room was littered with board games, Legos and the remains of half-finished art projects. We were starting to run low on some essentials, and I realized with dismay one day at lunchtime that I somehow had forgotten to change out of my pajamas.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/my-family-is-among-the-80000-israelis-living-in-quarantine/
Kuwait Times:
Prayers overshadowed by virus fears
JERUSALEM: From Jerusalem to Makkah, Muslims across the Middle East held Friday prayers under the shadow of the new coronavirus, with some gatherings cancelled and others subdued because of the deadly outbreak. The highly contagious disease is believed to be transmitted through close contact and authorities globally have moved to restrict large gatherings, including public prayers.
In Makkah, Islam’s holiest site was uncrowded after reopening on Friday following disinfection. “The fact that it is empty is very scary,” an Egyptian worshipper who has lived in Makkah for more than 20 years said. “I had a very strange and difficult feeling as I was headed to the mosque. I felt deprived of the Kaaba,” he said. The area around the Kaaba – a large black cube structure inside Makkah’s Grand Mosque – was closed Thursday for sterilization.
Friday prayers at the Grand Mosque normally attract hundreds of thousands of worshippers, while this week only tens of thousands attended. The mosque’s imam prayed for an end to the epidemic during his sermon, while praising Saudi Arabia’s decision to suspend the year-round umrah pilgrimage over fears of the new coronavirus. “God, I seek refuge in you from the calamity and the epidemic,” said Sheikh Abdullah Awad Al-Juhani.
Regional epicenter
In Iran, which has the most COVID-19 cases in the region, authorities have faced accusations of mismanaging the response to the outbreak. In total 4,747 cases have been reported in the country, with 124 deaths. Authorities cancelled weekly prayers in Tehran and provincial capitals. In Iraq, prayers were cancelled in the holy Shiite city of Karbala, home of the mausoleum of the grandson of the Prophet Mohammed.
https://news.kuwaittimes.net/website/prayers-overshadowed-by-virus-fears/
JERUSALEM: From Jerusalem to Makkah, Muslims across the Middle East held Friday prayers under the shadow of the new coronavirus, with some gatherings cancelled and others subdued because of the deadly outbreak. The highly contagious disease is believed to be transmitted through close contact and authorities globally have moved to restrict large gatherings, including public prayers.
In Makkah, Islam’s holiest site was uncrowded after reopening on Friday following disinfection. “The fact that it is empty is very scary,” an Egyptian worshipper who has lived in Makkah for more than 20 years said. “I had a very strange and difficult feeling as I was headed to the mosque. I felt deprived of the Kaaba,” he said. The area around the Kaaba – a large black cube structure inside Makkah’s Grand Mosque – was closed Thursday for sterilization.
Friday prayers at the Grand Mosque normally attract hundreds of thousands of worshippers, while this week only tens of thousands attended. The mosque’s imam prayed for an end to the epidemic during his sermon, while praising Saudi Arabia’s decision to suspend the year-round umrah pilgrimage over fears of the new coronavirus. “God, I seek refuge in you from the calamity and the epidemic,” said Sheikh Abdullah Awad Al-Juhani.
Regional epicenter
In Iran, which has the most COVID-19 cases in the region, authorities have faced accusations of mismanaging the response to the outbreak. In total 4,747 cases have been reported in the country, with 124 deaths. Authorities cancelled weekly prayers in Tehran and provincial capitals. In Iraq, prayers were cancelled in the holy Shiite city of Karbala, home of the mausoleum of the grandson of the Prophet Mohammed.
https://news.kuwaittimes.net/website/prayers-overshadowed-by-virus-fears/
DW:
Italy mulls region-wide coronavirus quarantine in Lombardy
Italy has witnessed a surge in new coronavirus cases, prompting considerations for a region-wide quarantine. Sweeping restrictions could limit mobility and assembly in Lombardy and 11 nearby provinces.
The Italian government is considering containment measures spanning the Lombardy region and nearby provinces, including the cities of Milan, Venice and Modena, according to a draft resolution seen by media organizations in Italy.
Under measures put forward in the draft decree, the Lombardy region's population of 10 million would be subjected to sweeping restrictions on mobility and assembly in a bid to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Other areas targeted by the measures include the provinces of Alessandria, Asti, Modena, Padua, Parma, Piacenza, Pesaro and Urbino, Reggio Emilia, Rimini, Treviso and Venice.
https://www.dw.com/en/italy-mulls-region-wide-coronavirus-quarantine-in-lombardy/a-52679158
A coronavirus vaccine isn't coming very quickly
The development of vaccines against the SARS-CoV-2 is in full swing. Nevertheless, it will still take at least a year before one is available on the market. The question is: Will the virus still be prevalent?
Just a month has passed since Chinese scientists decoded the genetic information of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 and made it available to the global research community. Numerous research-based pharmaceutical companies, universities and other research institutions then immediately got to work.
In the meantime, the number of labs working at full speed on the development of a vaccine to combat SARS-CoV-2 has grown to such an extent that it is difficult to maintain an overview.
In addition to the large research institutes, such as the National Institute for Viral Control and Prevention in mainland China, researchers in Hong Kong, the USA, Germany, France, Australia, Canada and Israel are busy developing vaccines.
https://www.dw.com/en/a-coronavirus-vaccine-isnt-coming-very-quickly/a-52652107
How does testing for the coronavirus work?
Who should be tested for the coronavirus — and how? Here's what you need to know about being tested for COVID-19, and what testing may look like in the future.
https://www.dw.com/en/how-does-testing-for-the-coronavirus-work/a-52633616
Italy has witnessed a surge in new coronavirus cases, prompting considerations for a region-wide quarantine. Sweeping restrictions could limit mobility and assembly in Lombardy and 11 nearby provinces.
The Italian government is considering containment measures spanning the Lombardy region and nearby provinces, including the cities of Milan, Venice and Modena, according to a draft resolution seen by media organizations in Italy.
Under measures put forward in the draft decree, the Lombardy region's population of 10 million would be subjected to sweeping restrictions on mobility and assembly in a bid to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Other areas targeted by the measures include the provinces of Alessandria, Asti, Modena, Padua, Parma, Piacenza, Pesaro and Urbino, Reggio Emilia, Rimini, Treviso and Venice.
https://www.dw.com/en/italy-mulls-region-wide-coronavirus-quarantine-in-lombardy/a-52679158
A coronavirus vaccine isn't coming very quickly
The development of vaccines against the SARS-CoV-2 is in full swing. Nevertheless, it will still take at least a year before one is available on the market. The question is: Will the virus still be prevalent?
Just a month has passed since Chinese scientists decoded the genetic information of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 and made it available to the global research community. Numerous research-based pharmaceutical companies, universities and other research institutions then immediately got to work.
In the meantime, the number of labs working at full speed on the development of a vaccine to combat SARS-CoV-2 has grown to such an extent that it is difficult to maintain an overview.
In addition to the large research institutes, such as the National Institute for Viral Control and Prevention in mainland China, researchers in Hong Kong, the USA, Germany, France, Australia, Canada and Israel are busy developing vaccines.
https://www.dw.com/en/a-coronavirus-vaccine-isnt-coming-very-quickly/a-52652107
How does testing for the coronavirus work?
Who should be tested for the coronavirus — and how? Here's what you need to know about being tested for COVID-19, and what testing may look like in the future.
https://www.dw.com/en/how-does-testing-for-the-coronavirus-work/a-52633616
BBC:
Coronavirus: Dozens trapped as China quarantine hotel collapses
bout 47 of the 70 had been pulled from the rubble of the five-storey Xinjia Hotel by Sunday, state media says.
Videos posted online show emergency workers combing through the building's wreckage in the southern province of Fujian.
It is not clear what caused the collapse or if anyone has died.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-51784167
Coronavirus: China's classrooms without students
All schools and colleges in China have been closed for more than two weeks in the fight against coronavirus.
There are now signs that the coronavirus in China is being controlled, with new infection figures and numbers of deaths beginning to stabilise.
John Sudworth looks at the impact of China's efforts to deal with the virus across education - taking classes online - and some of its unexpected advantages.
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-asia-china-51774536/coronavirus-china-s-classrooms-without-students
Coronavirus: Are women and children less affected?
Women seem to be less likely to die from coronavirus than men; and children appear to be less likely to die than other age groups.
Most people will get a mild infection, but the pattern is clear in the most severe cases. So, what is going on?
All the information we have is coming from a massive study by the Chinese Centres of Disease Control.
It looked at 44,000 people and showed 2.8% of infected men died compared with 1.7% of women.
And 0.2% of children and teenagers died compared with nearly 15% of people over the age of 80.
https://www.bbc.com/news/health-51774777
bout 47 of the 70 had been pulled from the rubble of the five-storey Xinjia Hotel by Sunday, state media says.
Videos posted online show emergency workers combing through the building's wreckage in the southern province of Fujian.
It is not clear what caused the collapse or if anyone has died.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-51784167
Coronavirus: China's classrooms without students
All schools and colleges in China have been closed for more than two weeks in the fight against coronavirus.
There are now signs that the coronavirus in China is being controlled, with new infection figures and numbers of deaths beginning to stabilise.
John Sudworth looks at the impact of China's efforts to deal with the virus across education - taking classes online - and some of its unexpected advantages.
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-asia-china-51774536/coronavirus-china-s-classrooms-without-students
Coronavirus: Are women and children less affected?
Women seem to be less likely to die from coronavirus than men; and children appear to be less likely to die than other age groups.
Most people will get a mild infection, but the pattern is clear in the most severe cases. So, what is going on?
All the information we have is coming from a massive study by the Chinese Centres of Disease Control.
It looked at 44,000 people and showed 2.8% of infected men died compared with 1.7% of women.
And 0.2% of children and teenagers died compared with nearly 15% of people over the age of 80.
https://www.bbc.com/news/health-51774777
CBC:
Italy, France report biggest spike of COVID-19 cases since outbreak
Italy has seen its biggest daily increase in coronavirus cases since the outbreak broke out in the north of the country on Feb. 21.
In its daily update, Italy's civil protection agency said the number of people with the coronavirus rose by 1,247 in the last 24 hours, taking the total to at least 5,883.
Another 36 people also died as a result of COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, taking the total to 233.
Italy has now reported more deaths from COVID-19 than both Iran and South Korea, the leading two hot-spots for the outbreak after China.
Officials said people in intensive care with ailments other than coronavirus in the hardest-hit region of Lombardy would be transferred to neighbouring regions, all of which have greater availability of hospital beds.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/covid-19-coronavirus-march-7-1.5489784
6 new COVID-19 infections in B.C. as virus spreads inside care home
Six more people in B.C. have tested positive for COVID-19, including two residents at a long-term care home, provincial health officials have confirmed.
Two residents at the Lynn Valley Care Centre in North Vancouver are infected. The facility is now considered the site of an outbreak, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said on Saturday. The virus spread after a worker contracted the virus earlier this week.
Another pair were infected while aboard a previous cruise on the Grand Princess and are now back in the province. The other two new infections are related to travel from Iran.
"We are by no means near the end of this," said Henry. "We've seen the progression around the world, we've seen what's happened in other communities, and we're preparing as best we can for that."
...The coronavirus spread into the care home through a worker who is infected. She was the province's first case of community transmission.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/6-new-covid-19-infections-in-b-c-as-virus-spreads-inside-care-home-1.5489921
Tim Hortons scraps Roll Up The Rim contest cups amid coronavirus fears
Tim Hortons says it is getting rid of Roll Up The Rim cups due to the novel coronavirus and is moving much of the annual contest to its app.
The coffee-and-doughnut chain is removing all of the contest's paper cups over health concerns around staff handling items recently gripped and sipped by customers who are returning them for prizes.
Tim Hortons does not identify COVID-19 as the catalyst, but said in a news release Saturday "the current public health environment" means "it's not the right time for team members ... to collect rolled up tabs that have been in people's mouths."
https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/tim-hortons-scraps-roll-up-the-rim-contest-cups-amid-coronavirus-fears-1.5490071
'We're just lost': Why the U.S. still lags on COVID-19 testing
...Critics say testing issues began in January when the CDC chose not to use the German-engineered test being distributed by the World Health Organization and instead worked on developing its own.
In February, the CDC sent out test kits to state and local labs, but those turned out to be faulty. A replacement took weeks.
There's also criticism over the narrow criteria for who got tested. The CDC limited to only those who had travelled to a hotspot, potentially missing a large number of cases and allowing the virus to circulate undetected along a larger population for weeks, critics say.
The rules were only relaxed this week. A congressional committee has said it will investigate.
On Thursday, a nurse in Northern California said she was refused testing by the CDC even though she developed symptoms after caring for a patient that later tested positive for COVID-19.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/we-re-just-lost-why-the-u-s-still-lags-on-covid-19-testing-1.5488886
Iranian new year celebrations in Saskatoon postponed, changed due to coronavirus concerns
A new year's celebration for Saskatoon's Persian community has been postponed due to concerns about the outbreak of the Coronavirus.
The event, which was set to celebrate the Iranian New Year on March 20 at Prairieland Park, has now been pushed back to the summer as a precautionary measure.
"We take the safety of our guests, vendors and talents very seriously," event organizers said in a Facebook post.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/iranian-events-rescheduled-coronavirus-precaution-1.5489948
Snow crab fishery worries COVID-19 outbreak could be bad for business
...Next to the lobster industry, snow crab is the biggest fishing industry in the province, as millions of dollars worth of New Brunswick snow crab is sold internationally.
About 85 per cent of snow crab products are sold to U.S. markets, particularly casinos, restaurants, and all-you-can-eat buffets, popular in states like Florida, Georgia and Maryland.
The New Brunswick delicacy is also popular on cruise ships.
"That's a worry for us because right now the cruise ship industry is in a panic mode because, of course, COVID-19."
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/snow-crab-fishing-market-coronavirus-1.5488110
'Shocked and disappointed': Arctic Winter Games cancelled due to coronavirus concerns
The Whitehorse 2020 Arctic Winter Games have been cancelled due to concerns about novel coronavirus.
"It has been determined that cancelling the 2020 Arctic Winter Games is the most responsible precautionary measure," reads a statement issued Saturday by the City of Whitehorse, the Yukon government and the competition's host society.
The Arctic Winter Games are a high-profile sporting competition for northern athletes. The participants come from around the world, including Russia, Greenland, Finland and Norway, as well as Yukon, Nunavut, Nunavik, Northwest Territories, northern Alberta and Alaska.
Almost 2,000 athletes, plus coaches, organizers and spectators were expected to be at the Whitehorse games.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/arctic-winter-games-cancelled-coronavirus-1.5490055
Italy has seen its biggest daily increase in coronavirus cases since the outbreak broke out in the north of the country on Feb. 21.
In its daily update, Italy's civil protection agency said the number of people with the coronavirus rose by 1,247 in the last 24 hours, taking the total to at least 5,883.
Another 36 people also died as a result of COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, taking the total to 233.
Italy has now reported more deaths from COVID-19 than both Iran and South Korea, the leading two hot-spots for the outbreak after China.
Officials said people in intensive care with ailments other than coronavirus in the hardest-hit region of Lombardy would be transferred to neighbouring regions, all of which have greater availability of hospital beds.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/covid-19-coronavirus-march-7-1.5489784
6 new COVID-19 infections in B.C. as virus spreads inside care home
Six more people in B.C. have tested positive for COVID-19, including two residents at a long-term care home, provincial health officials have confirmed.
Two residents at the Lynn Valley Care Centre in North Vancouver are infected. The facility is now considered the site of an outbreak, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said on Saturday. The virus spread after a worker contracted the virus earlier this week.
Another pair were infected while aboard a previous cruise on the Grand Princess and are now back in the province. The other two new infections are related to travel from Iran.
"We are by no means near the end of this," said Henry. "We've seen the progression around the world, we've seen what's happened in other communities, and we're preparing as best we can for that."
...The coronavirus spread into the care home through a worker who is infected. She was the province's first case of community transmission.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/6-new-covid-19-infections-in-b-c-as-virus-spreads-inside-care-home-1.5489921
Tim Hortons scraps Roll Up The Rim contest cups amid coronavirus fears
Tim Hortons says it is getting rid of Roll Up The Rim cups due to the novel coronavirus and is moving much of the annual contest to its app.
The coffee-and-doughnut chain is removing all of the contest's paper cups over health concerns around staff handling items recently gripped and sipped by customers who are returning them for prizes.
Tim Hortons does not identify COVID-19 as the catalyst, but said in a news release Saturday "the current public health environment" means "it's not the right time for team members ... to collect rolled up tabs that have been in people's mouths."
https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/tim-hortons-scraps-roll-up-the-rim-contest-cups-amid-coronavirus-fears-1.5490071
'We're just lost': Why the U.S. still lags on COVID-19 testing
...Critics say testing issues began in January when the CDC chose not to use the German-engineered test being distributed by the World Health Organization and instead worked on developing its own.
In February, the CDC sent out test kits to state and local labs, but those turned out to be faulty. A replacement took weeks.
There's also criticism over the narrow criteria for who got tested. The CDC limited to only those who had travelled to a hotspot, potentially missing a large number of cases and allowing the virus to circulate undetected along a larger population for weeks, critics say.
The rules were only relaxed this week. A congressional committee has said it will investigate.
On Thursday, a nurse in Northern California said she was refused testing by the CDC even though she developed symptoms after caring for a patient that later tested positive for COVID-19.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/we-re-just-lost-why-the-u-s-still-lags-on-covid-19-testing-1.5488886
Iranian new year celebrations in Saskatoon postponed, changed due to coronavirus concerns
A new year's celebration for Saskatoon's Persian community has been postponed due to concerns about the outbreak of the Coronavirus.
The event, which was set to celebrate the Iranian New Year on March 20 at Prairieland Park, has now been pushed back to the summer as a precautionary measure.
"We take the safety of our guests, vendors and talents very seriously," event organizers said in a Facebook post.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/iranian-events-rescheduled-coronavirus-precaution-1.5489948
Snow crab fishery worries COVID-19 outbreak could be bad for business
...Next to the lobster industry, snow crab is the biggest fishing industry in the province, as millions of dollars worth of New Brunswick snow crab is sold internationally.
About 85 per cent of snow crab products are sold to U.S. markets, particularly casinos, restaurants, and all-you-can-eat buffets, popular in states like Florida, Georgia and Maryland.
The New Brunswick delicacy is also popular on cruise ships.
"That's a worry for us because right now the cruise ship industry is in a panic mode because, of course, COVID-19."
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/snow-crab-fishing-market-coronavirus-1.5488110
'Shocked and disappointed': Arctic Winter Games cancelled due to coronavirus concerns
The Whitehorse 2020 Arctic Winter Games have been cancelled due to concerns about novel coronavirus.
"It has been determined that cancelling the 2020 Arctic Winter Games is the most responsible precautionary measure," reads a statement issued Saturday by the City of Whitehorse, the Yukon government and the competition's host society.
The Arctic Winter Games are a high-profile sporting competition for northern athletes. The participants come from around the world, including Russia, Greenland, Finland and Norway, as well as Yukon, Nunavut, Nunavik, Northwest Territories, northern Alberta and Alaska.
Almost 2,000 athletes, plus coaches, organizers and spectators were expected to be at the Whitehorse games.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/arctic-winter-games-cancelled-coronavirus-1.5490055
Well, that about wraps up our little trip around the world. I put the article about the US in this one because it shows that this administration is deliberately not testing people who need tested in this country. Further on in that article is a headline 'We have no clue how widespread this virus is in America' which makes me embarrassed for my country. Have I ever mentioned how much I hate 45 and all his shenanigans? Until next time.
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I'm doing fine. Pretty much staying home these days.
