British Columbia has recorded an eighth death from COVID-19 as the number of infections climbs to 271 cases. Health Minister Adrian Dix says the latest death is a man who was a resident of the Lynn Valley Care Centre in North Vancouver, where six others have died. The province also announced 40 new cases today. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says the majority of cases are in the Vancouver Coastal and Fraser health regions. She says precautions everyone must take to protect each other are ``not optional'' but that maintaining social distance must come with keeping a social connecti

Alberta has recorded its first death from COVID-19. Chief medical officer Dr. Deena Hinshaw says the man who died was in his 60s and had underlying health conditions. She says it appears he contracted the virus in the community and not through travel. Alberta is reporting 27 new cases of the infection for a total of 146. Alberta is the fourth province to record a death. British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec have all had people die from COVID-19.

The federal government is suspending its passport services until further notice. Canadians will only be able to obtain or renew passports if they need to travel for urgent reasons. This includes serious illness, the death of friend or family member, humanitarian work or would otherwise lose a job or business. Service Canada says anyone who does not meet the criteria for urgent travel, or is experiencing symptoms such as a fever, coughing, having trouble breathing, will have to wait. So would anyone who is in self-isolation. Social Development Minister Ahmed Hussen says that with travel restri

There are 871 confirmed and presumptive cases in Canada. British Columbia: 271 confirmed (including 8 deaths, 5 resolved) Ontario: 257 confirmed (including 2 deaths, 5 resolved) Alberta: 146 confirmed (including 1death) Quebec: 121 confirmed (including 1 death) Saskatchewan: 8 confirmed, 12 presumptive Manitoba: 9 confirmed, 8 presumptive Nova Scotia: 5 confirmed, 9 presumptive New Brunswick: 2 confirmed, 9 presumptive Canadians quarantined at CFB Trenton: 9 confirmed Newfoundland and Labrador: 1 confirmed, 2 presumptive Prince Edward Island: 2 confirmed The Territories: No confirmed cases Tot

Italy has surpassed China as the country with the most coronavirus related deaths. Officials in Rome say 3,405 people in the country have died of COVID-19. That's as the epicentre of the pandemic, Wuhan, China, recorded no new infections. Italy has recorded 41,035 infections, more than half of the world's positive cases.

The Toronto Transit Commission says one of their employees has tested positive for COVID-19. The agency says the employee worked at a TTC maintenance workshop for buses. It says between 130 and 170 employees are in self-isolation as a result. The TTC says the employee worked one shift on March 11 after returning from vacation.

There have now been 10 COVID-19 related deaths in the country.The Halton Region Public Health unit west of Toronto reports a man in his 50s with an underlying health condition died after receiving treatment at Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital and Milton District Hospital.Two of the 10 deaths have been in Ontario while the others have been in British Columbia.Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says it could be weeks or even months before the government will be able to lift measures designed to slow the spread of the virus.

The Canada-U.S. border will likely be closed to all non-essential travel in both directions as of Friday night.Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the expected timing of the closure Thursday morning after leaders of the two countries revealed details of the plan Wednesday.Both countries have been in talks in recent days to negotiate a mutual ban on recreational travel without restricting the flow of two-way trade and commerce.Essential cross-border workers like health care professionals, air crews and others are to be permitted to cross.Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland says it was

A trans-Atlantic cruise ship carrying several COVID-19 cases among its passengers and with dozens of Canadians aboard has docked in the French Mediterranean port city of Marseille.Global Affairs Canada says at least 77 Canadians are on the Costa Luminosa.The ship has more than 1,400 passengers.French authorities have allowed the ship to stay for up to four days under strict conditions.It is not known whether passengers will be allowed off, given the current stringent restrictions imposed in France amid the coronavirus pandemic.Global Affairs Canada has said officials are standing ready to pro