US President Donald Trump is hoping the United States economy will be reopened by Easter as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread. Trump's optimism contradicted the warnings of some public health officials who called for stricter not looser restrictions on public interactions. Trump says any move to reopen the U-S for business will be rooted in facts.

There are 2780 confirmed and presumptive cases in Canada. Quebec: 1,013 confirmed (including 4 deaths, 1 resolved) British Columbia: 617 confirmed (including 13 deaths, 173 resolved) Ontario: 588 confirmed (including 7 deaths, 8 resolved) Alberta: 358 confirmed (including 1 death) Saskatchewan: 72 confirmed Nova Scotia: 51 confirmed Newfoundland and Labrador: 4 confirmed, 20 presumptive Manitoba: 11 confirmed, 10 presumptive New Brunswick: 17 confirmed Canadians quarantined at CFB Trenton: 13 confirmed Prince Edward Island: 3 confirmed The Territories: 3 confirmed Total: 2780 (30 presumptive;

BC is reporting 145 new cases of COVID-19 but no new deaths. Provincial medical officer of health Dr. Bonnie Henry says that brings the total cases in the province to 617 most in the Lower Mainland. Henry says the good news is that 173 people or 28 per cent have now fully recovered. But she says cases are escalating across the province and social distancing is crucial to break chains of transmission.

Alberta says a second person in the province has died of COVID-19. The woman was a resident at a long-term care centre in Calgary, where two other residents and a staff member have also tested positive for the virus. Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta's chief medical health officer, says 11 other residents at the facility are also showing symptoms. The province reported 57 new cases today, bringing the total to 358.

Ontario is reporting 85 new COVID-19 cases today, bringing the provincial total to 588. The large increase includes one more death, meaning seven people have now died in the province. Complete information is not listed for most of the new cases, but the latest death is a man in his 90s from Durham Region.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canadians have his ``unwavering commitment'' to uphold the country's democratic principles. The comment follows Opposition anger over draft legislation that promised $82 billion in emergency aid for those struggling the COVID-19 pandemic, but also gave the federal cabinet extraordinary powers to control taxes and spending. Trudeau says the pandemic is moving extremely quickly, which is why the government was looking at measures to respond just as fast. However, he also says Canada has a ``Parliament that works'' and the government is working with opposition

Ukrainian Ambassador Andriy Shevchenko says about 250 Canadians are scheduled to return to Canada on a flight from Kyiv to Toronto that is scheduled for Wednesday. The Ukraine International Airlines flight was organized by the Canadian and Ukrainian governments. Shevchenko says the plane will then load up with Ukrainians, some of whom are on their way to Toronto Pearson International Airport from as far as Vancouver, and return to Kyiv on Thursday. He says future flights are possible depending on demand.

Quebec now has 1,013 confirmed cases of COVID-19, but no additional deaths to report today, with the provincial tally steady at four. Premier Francois Legault says 67 people are hospitalized, including 31 in intensive care. Legault says about 2,500 people are awaiting test results while 12,200 have received negative tests. The premier sought to reassure Quebecers that measures in place to prevent the spread of the virus are temporary and necessary to save lives.

Canada's chief medical health officer says there's now a pretty equal ratio of travel related to community transmission of COVID-19. Dr. Theresa Tam says this represents a fundamental shift in the spread of the virus in Canada. She also notes it's a common misconception that the virus only affects the elderly or people with underlying health issues. She says younger people can get very sick too. Nearly 120,000 Canadians have been tested for the coronavirus, with an average of 10,000 people tested per day.