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

India on Wednesday reported over 180,000 new coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours, about a third in Maharashtra state, and a total of 13.9 million cases in the pandemic.

The scenes playing out in Maharashtra in the past week mirror those developing in other parts of the country: patients gasping for air turned away from hospitals that are running out of oxygen and weeping families waiting their turn to bid farewell to their loved ones at crematoria.

Top Maharashtra state officials stressed that the closure of most industries, businesses, public places and limits on the movement of people didn’t constitute a lockdown. Last year, a sudden, harsh, nationwide lockdown left millions of people in India jobless overnight. Stranded in cities with no income or food, thousands of migrant workers walked on highways to get home.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said that most public places, shops and establishments will be shut starting 8 p.m. Wednesday, except for essential services like grocery stores and banks.

Although the state has announced a relief package that will include assistance for the poor, industry experts said that the new restrictions might prove fatal for businesses that were only just recovering from last year’s economic recession.

“Livelihoods are important, but life is more important,” Thackeray said, echoing a difficult choice faced by other states in India.

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

What’s happening across Canada

WATCH | N.B. Premier Blaine Higgs talks about the decision to delay the reopening of the Atlantic bubble:

New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs joins Power & Politics Tuesday to discuss the decision to delay the reopening of the Atlantic bubble until at least May 3. 4:11

As of early Wednesday morning, Canada had reported 1,078,568 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with 78,296 considered active. A CBC News tally of deaths stood at 23,392.

In Atlantic Canada, the reopening of the regional travel bubble has been delayed to early May amid worries about case numbers and more transmissible variants of concern. The news came as provinces in the region reported 11 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, including:

• 6 cases in Nova Scotia, where an infectious disease expert is calling for more testing in the face of variants of concern.
• 4 cases in New Brunswick, one in the Saint John region and three in the Edmundston area, which is under lockdown.
• 1 new case in Newfoundland and Labrador, bringing the province’s active case count to 11.

In Quebec, Premier François Legault said he will extend a lockdown currently in effect in three Quebec regions for another week. The update came as the province reported 1,490 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday and 12 additional deaths. COVID-19 hospitalizations stood at 643, with 150 people in intensive care.

Ontario, meanwhile, on Tuesday reported 3,670 new cases and 15 additional deaths. COVID-19 hospitalizations stood at 1,822, with 626 people in ICU “due to COVID-related illness.”

WATCH | Ontario considers out-of-province help for worsening health-care crisis:

Ontario is considering asking other provinces for help with hospitals overwhelmed by the third wave of COVID-19. The province continues to break records for hospitalizations and the number of patients in intensive care units. 1:59

In the Prairie provinces, Manitoba reported 135 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday and two additional deaths. Health officials in Saskatchewan, meanwhile, reported 288 new cases and two additional deaths as they tightened up some public health rules in the province.

Alberta on Tuesday reported 1,081 new cases of COVID-19 and three additional deaths from the virus. Chief Medical Officer Dr. Deena Hinshaw said there were 705 new cases involving more transmissible virus variants identified over the past day.

In British Columbia, the daily case count has dipped slightly to 873 after nearing 1,300 cases for several days in the last week. Premier John Horgan said any new restrictions would be discussed by members of the provincial cabinet on Wednesday and, if necessary, introduced on Thursday by Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry.

Across the North, health officials in Yukon recently reported one new case of COVID-19, prompting officials to issue exposure notices for three locations in Whitehorse.

-From CBC News and The Canadian Press, last updated at 7:50 a.m. ET

What’s happening around the world

WATCH | Bolsonaro refuses to lock down as Brazil approaches grisly milestone:

As COVID-19 cases continue to surge, experts say Brazil’s death toll from COVID-19 will likely exceed that of the U.S., but President Jair Bolsonaro refuses to implement a lockdown. 2:09

As of early Wednesday morning, more than 137.4 million cases of COVID-19 had been reported worldwide, according to a coronavirus tracking tool maintained by Johns Hopkins University. The reported global death toll stood at more than 2.9 million.

In the Americas, Brazil’s Senate on Tuesday launched an inquiry into President Jair Bolsonaro’s handling of the pandemic.

Pfizer can deliver 10 per cent more doses of its vaccine to the United States by the end of May and meet its 300 million doses supply target two weeks earlier than expected, Chief Executive Officer Albert Bourla said on Tuesday.

In Europe, German health authorities are recommending that people younger than 60 who have already received one shot of the AstraZeneca vaccine use a different vaccine for their second dose over concerns of blood clots.

Spain’s prime minister says his government is maintaining its goal of immunizing 70 per cent of the nation’s adult population, some 33 million people, by the end of the summer despite the delay in the European rollout of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

In the Asia-Pacific region, South Korea has recorded its highest daily jump in new COVID-19 infections in about three months, as officials urge the public to maintain vigilance. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said Wednesday it’s confirmed 731 new cases over the past 24 hours. They brought the country’s total to 111,419, with 1,782 deaths.

In Africa, South Africa has suspended the rollout of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine after U.S. federal health agencies recommended pausing its use because of rare cases of blood clots.

In the Middle East, Israel said it will reopen the country to vaccinated foreign tourists in May, more than a year after closing its borders to most international visitors due to the coronavirus pandemic.

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