Canada was slow to action to COVID-19, Phone companies launch corona-tracking project, Canada joins UN calls for ceasefire

Reporter: Shanellie Marie

Stories: Luca Caruso-Moro

Canada was slow to action on COVID-19

Briefing notes sourced by CBC News show that the government was slow to act on COVID-19 as the first cases began to spread in Canada. 

Documents prepared for the health minister in early March classified the risk of Corona as being low, and she was instructed to relay this information to the public if asked during a question period. 

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization had classified the global risk as high by late January. 

There are now 21 thousand active cases of COVID-19 in Canada. 

Phone companies launch corona-tracking project

Apple and Google are working together to implement new software into existing smartphones to track people who might be infected. 

Alberta has released its own plan to use wireless technologies to enforce quarantine orders. 

Premier Jason Kenney predicted social isolation measures would continue through May. 

In the months following, he says the province will scale up its testing. 

A complete strategy is yet to come. 

Canada joins UN calls for ceasefire

In world news...

Weeks ago, the UN called for a global ceasefire during the pandemic. 

Canada has now backed the call, saying people most at risk in conflict zones are also facing disproportionate lack of access to food and security as the virus spreads.