Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland is asking Canadians for patience as the Liberal government hammers out the details of the major moves they are making to respond to the global pandemic of COVID-19. She says officials are doing things that would normally take several months in a matter of days and that they are aiming for speed, rather than perfection. She says that sometimes means making an announcement about the actions they are taking and then filling in the details after the fact. Freeland says that is not how they would normally operate, but she hopes Canadians understand the extra

Alberta has reported 49 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total in the province to 195. Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta's chief medical officer of health, says 10 people are in hospital. Three of those patients are in intensive care. She says three people who tested positive have since recovered. Alberta reported its first death on Thursday.

British Columbia still has the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the country. Health Minister Adrian Dix is reporting 77 new cases bringing the total to 348. That surpasses the 318 being reported in Ontario today. Dix says 22 patients are in acute care and the province will spare no effort to ensure it has the equipment in place to protect health care and other essential workers. BC's provincial health officer is ordering restaurants to cease all operations except take out and delivery to help slow the spread of the coronavirus. Dr. Bonnie Henry says she decided on the order because it's cl

There are 1,085 confirmed and presumptive cases in Canada. British Columbia: 348 confirmed (including 8 deaths, 5 resolved) Ontario: 318 confirmed (including 2 deaths, 5 resolved) Alberta: 195 confirmed (including 1 death) Quebec: 139 confirmed (including 1 death, 1 resolved) Saskatchewan: 8 confirmed, 18 presumptive Manitoba: 9 confirmed, 8 presumptive Nova Scotia: 5 confirmed, 10 presumptive New Brunswick: 7 confirmed, 4 presumptive Canadians quarantined at CFB Trenton: 10 confirmed Newfoundland and Labrador: 3 confirmed, 1 presumptive Prince Edward Island: 2 confirmed The Territories: No c

Liquor stores in British Columbia are adjusting their hours but will remain open as Vancouver ordered restaurants to stop offering dine in services at midnight. The provincial government says hours are changing at BC Liquor Stores so that staff can do additional cleaning to minimize the risk to employees and customers from COVID-19. When necessary, the number of customers allowed in stores will also be limited to maintain self-distancing. The government says there are no shortages of beer, wine or spirits but the stores have not been able to keep shelves stocked because of an increase in sale

The head of the World Health Organization wants young people to know they are not invincible when it comes to the novel coronavirus pandemic. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says older people are hardest hit by COVID-19, but data from many countries shows people aged 50 and under make up a ``significant proportion'' of patients who need hospitalization. He is also advising people to be mindful of mental health at a time of rising anxiety about the outbreak.

The Saskatchewan government plans to open daycares for children of workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 23-hundred spaces will be made available and the change will take effect starting Monday. Meantime, Ontario is rolling out an online learning plan while the province's schools are closed amid the outbreak of COVID-19. The resources offer interactive activities for elementary students and a focus on STEM courses for high school students.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canada and the United States have reached a reciprocal agreement under which they will now be sending back migrants who attempt to cross illegally anywhere at the border. Trudeau called it an exceptional measure that will protect Canadians amid the pandemic. It addresses concerns about the difficulty of screening refugee claimants for the new virus. Thousands of migrants have fled north to Canada since 2017. Trudeau also confirmed that all non essential travel between Canada and the United States will end at midnight Friday. The two countries announ

A regional airline that connects 16 airports around BC, from Cranbrook to Prince George, Massett and Tofino is suspending all operations effective Tuesday because of concern about COVID-19. Pacific Coastal Airlines says the delay until Tuesday gives travellers a chance to get home or make other plans, and the suspension will continue until at least May 3rd, when it will be reassessed, if conditions allow. President Quentin Smith says there was no other choice, given the rapidly deteriorating situation and the need to be socially responsible about halting the spread of the new coronavirus. Pac