Coronavirus: What’s happening in Canada and around the world Friday

With 386,452 new cases, India now has reported more than 18.7 million since the pandemic began, second only to the United States. The health ministry on Friday also reported 3,498 deaths in the last 24 hours, bringing the country’s total to 208,330. Experts believe both figures are an undercount, but it’s unclear by how much.

India’s pandemic response has been marred by insufficient data. The online appeal signed by more than 350 scientists Friday afternoon asks government to release data about the sequencing of virus variants, testing, recovered patients and how people were responding to vaccines.

The appeal says that “granular” data on testing was inaccessible to non-government experts and some government experts, too.

Modelling work to predict future surges was being done by government-appointed experts with insufficient information. Similarly, scientists had failed to get information that would allow them to predict how many beds, oxygen or intensive care facilities would be needed, it said.

Meanwhile, several Indian states have run out of COVID-19 vaccines a day before a planned widening of a nationwide inoculation drive, authorities said on Friday, as new infections surged to another daily high.

Families continued to flood social media and messaging apps with pleas for help: oxygen, beds, medicines, intensive care units and wood for funeral pyres.

India’s army chief, M.M. Naravane, said the sick can approach their nearest army hospitals for help. Troops were also assisting with imported oxygen tankers and vehicles where specialized skills are required, a government statement said.

India has set a daily global record for more than a week with an average of nearly 350,000 infections. Daily deaths have nearly tripled in the past three weeks, reflecting the intensity of the latest surge.

-From The Associated Press and Reuters, last updated at 7:05 a.m. ET

What’s happening across Canada

Statistics Canada reported Friday that Canada’s economy expanded at a 6.5 per cent pace in the first three months of 2021.

Canada’s gross domestic product expanded by 0.4 per cent in February alone, the agency reported. Coupled with preliminary data for March showing 0.9 per cent growth, that puts Canada on track for healthy growth for the quarter as a whole, though parts of the country saw coronavirus restrictions put in place in April.

Retail sales jumped 4.5 per cent, following two months of contraction in December and January as lockdowns started up again, while the food and accommodation sector expanded by 3.5 per cent. On the flip side, manufacturing shrank for the second month in a row, this time by 0.9 per cent.

Nova Scotia was the first province in Atlantic Canada to provide updated information on Friday as health officials reported 67 new cases of COVID-19.

As of early Friday morning — before Nova Scotia’s update — Canada had reported 1,211,089 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with 83,452 considered active. A CBC tally of deaths stood at 24,169.

Health officials in New Brunswick reported 10 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, with two new travel-related cases reported in Newfoundland and Labrador.

In Quebec, health officials reported 1,042 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday and 10 additional deaths. COVID-19 hospitalizations stood at 623, with 165 people in intensive care. The update came as the province expanded its vaccine eligibility, allowing people between 50 and 59 to begin booking appointments Friday.

“The sky is starting to clear and we’re seeing rays of sunshine,” Health Minister Christian Dubé said Thursday, as the province unveiled its plan for making the vaccine eligible to all adults.

WATCH | May will be ‘transformative’ month in Ontario for COVID-19 shots, says doctor:

Significantly more people are going to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in Ontario in May because of a big boost in supply, broader eligibility and targeted programs, says infectious diseases specialist Dr. Isaac Bogoch. 4:39

In Ontario, meanwhile, officials are forecasting everyone over the age of 18 will be able to book a shot by May 24. The province planned to lower the age eligibility for mass vaccination clinics to 55 and older starting on Friday.

Ontario reported 3,887 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday and 21 additional deaths. COVID-19 hospitalizations decreased by 47 since the last report, for a total of 2,201. There was virtually no change in the intensive care numbers, with 883 people in ICU due to COVID-related illness.

Across the Prairies on Thursday, Manitoba reported 230 new cases and two additional deaths. The update came as Premier Brian Pallister announced that teachers in the province will be able to get their vaccine — in North Dakota.

In Saskatchewan, health officials reported 205 new cases of COVID-19 and one additional death. 

Alberta is targeting COVID-19 hot spots with tighter restrictions that include at-home learning for junior and senior high school students and a ban on indoor fitness and sports. Alberta reported 2,048 new cases and three additional deaths.

In British Columbia, health officials reported 853 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday and one additional death. COVID-19 hospitalizations stood at 503, with 178 patients in intensive care.

Across the North, Nunavut reported 12 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday. There were no new cases reported by health officials in Yukon or the Northwest Territories.

WATCH | Why it’s difficult to pinpoint when herd immunity will be reached:

Health officials say Canadians should expect more freedoms once roughly 75 per cent of adults have received one dose of vaccine, but they also say determining when there will be COVID-19 herd immunity is a trickier milestone to pinpoint. 2:02

-From CBC News and The Canadian Press, last updated at 9:30 a.m. ET

What’s happening around the world

As of early Wednesday morning, more than 150.5 million cases of COVID-19 had been reported worldwide, according to a coronavirus tracking database maintained by Johns Hopkins University. The reported global death toll stood at more than 3.1 million.

In the Americas, a record surge in COVID-19 infections in Costa Rica forced the government to announce new restrictions Thursday that will dial back the country’s economic reopening. Health Minister Daniel Salas said that in the prior 24-hour period, Costa Rica had tallied 2,781 new infections, the highest daily total since the country’s first case was confirmed in March 2020.

WATCH Signficant need to speed up vaccination in Latin America: experts

Latin America is seeing a dramatic rise in COVID-19 infections and needs vaccines and other supports to help swamped health systems, says the Pan American Health Organization. 1:06

Countries should share spare vaccine doses with hard-hit Brazil to help the global fight against COVID-19, including the spread of new variants, Brazilian Health Minister Marcelo Queiroga told a World Health Organization briefing on Friday.

Queiroga said Brazil had given out 41 million vaccine doses but needed more supplies to meet a target of 2.4 million doses per day. Countries should contribute spare doses as soon as possible “so we can broaden our vaccination campaign and contain the pandemic at this critical time and avoid the proliferation of new variants.”

In the Asia-Pacific region, Pakistan’s minister for planning and development warned that the number of critically ill COVID-19 patients is rapidly increasing and the next few weeks will be crucial. Asad Umar, who oversees Pakistan’s response to the coronavirus, said as many as 5,360 patients with COVID-19 were on oxygen support at hospitals.

Residents in Cambodia’s capital gathered to demand food from the government, outraged at what they called inadequate aid distribution during a tough lockdown that bars people from leaving their homes.

In Europe, Italy is nearing its goal of administering half a million COVID-19 vaccines a day.

In Africa, Uganda has detected the variant associated with India, stirring fears the East African nation could suffer a resurgence of cases just when its outbreak has waned, a senior health official said.

In the Middle East, the number of reported COVID-19 cases was approaching 2.5 million, with more than 71,300 reported deaths.

-From The Associated Press and Reuters, last updated at 9:30 a.m. ET

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