By Pete McIntyre

PM Trudeau says Canada not at stage where national state of emergency needed

Mar 21, 2020 | 8:56 AM

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says his government has not ruled out any options for dealing with the Covid-19 crisis, but at this time, they do not see the need to declare a federal state of emergency.

Trudeau told a Saturday news conference outside his home in Ottawa, millions of Canadians have been self-isolating and practicing social distancing.

“That is the fundamental thing that we all can do — and need to do — to prevent the spread of this virus,” he said. We have not removed from the table any options. We’re looking at a broad array of measures we can move forward with. At this time we do not see the federal emergencies act as an essential tool today, but we’re continuing to look at the situation and will make decisions based on the best recommendations of science.”

Trudeau said that decision will come down if there are things the government needs to do that they can’t do with existing regulations.

The PM also announced the government is working with airlines to bring home Canadians stranded in countries like Morocco, Peru and Spain.

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The first Air Canada flight will leave Morocco this week.

The number of Covid-19 cases is at 1,146 in Canada, with 13 deaths.

That includes 348 cases and nine fatalities in B.C.

Nineteen of the B.C. cases are in the Interior Health region which includes the Okanagan.

“This has been a tough week for a lot of Canadians,” said Trudeau. People are concerned about their health and the economy.” Let’s be kind to each other, and let’s stand up against discrimination wherever you see it,” he said on the International Day to Eliminate Racial Discrimination.

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The COVID-19 situation in British Columbia is continually evolving and the information below is current as of 3 p.m. on Friday, March 20, 2020.

Cases:

* Total confirmed cases in B.C.: 348

* New cases since March 19, 2020: 77

* Hospitalized cases: 22

* Intensive care: 10

* Deaths: 9

* Recovered: 6

Confirmed cases by region:

* Vancouver Coastal Health: 200

* Fraser Health: 95

* Island Health: 30

* Interior Health: 19

* Northern Health: 4

Testing:

* 17,912 individuals tested as of March 20, 2020.

* At least 50,000 Canadians have been tested.

* Testing is available for all who need it, but not everyone requires a test.
* If you have no symptoms, mild symptoms or you are a returning traveller self-isolating at home, you do not require a test.

* For each of these situations, the public health advice remains the same, regardless of test results: self-isolate for 14 days to monitor for the development of symptoms or until your symptoms are completely gone.

* Those who have severe illness, require hospitalization, are residents of long-term care facilities or are health-care workers will continue to be tested.
* Anyone part of an active investigation or outbreak cluster will be tested so they can be appropriately monitored.

* If symptoms appear, call your health-care provider or 811 for guidance.

by Pete McIntyre

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