We've emerged from pandemics before, stronger than ever

Welcome to the Maclean's daily newsletter. As the coronavirus disrupts life in Canada, and Canadians get used to the notion of "social distancing" and "flattening the curve," Maclean's has expanded this newsletter to include everything you need to know about the global pandemic. You'll still find our best stories of the day at the bottom of the newsletter, but we'll also catch you up on news and notes from around the world.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "We cannot prevent every death, but we must prevent every death we can"—Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s chief public health officer, as she released the federal modelling on how the COVID-19 epidemic could progress in Canada.

The number of COVID-19 cases neared the 20,000 mark while the Canadian death toll is now more than 450. The worldwide number of cases is 1.5 million while 93,000 have died. 

The process of applying for and receiving the monthly $2,000 Canada Emergency Response Benefit went remarkably smoothly, considering how quickly the federal government put it into place and how many applied. Some got their payments within 48 hours. For those wondering about why the amounts being deposited into their accounts aren’t always a flat $2,000, here is the explanation. 

While Germany has more than 115,000 COVID-19 cases, only around 2,100 people have died. In part, that’s because Germany meticulously traces each outbreak, testing and finding every case it can, right down to finding who handled a contaminated salt shaker at an industrial canteen, Reuters reports. 

One of the key goals of physical distancing and self-isolation is breaking the chain of infection. A Washington Post story shows why that is so crucial to getting the pandemic under control: In one three-day period in February, a person who felt a bit under the weather went to a funeral and then a birthday party, infecting 16 people between the ages of five and 86, three of whom died of the coronavirus. 

Fancy having a go at baking, but unsure where to start? Robin Hood Flour has a series of favourite recipes online, as does Chatelaine. And for those who want to try something a bit more adventurous, the classic recipe for making a sourdough starter is available from King Arthur Flour. 

John Cleese approved of a physical distancing sign that had been photoshopped to include his famous Ministry of Silly Walks gait to demonstrate the two-metre rule, writing on Twitter, “In a park in Ottawa (Probably Canada, although there’s no ’Sorry’ at the end ).” For the record, the original sign, minus the Cleese images, was indeed from Ottawa.

For those who watched the eating competition between dogs Mabel and Olive, their owner presents a dramatic rematch involving a chew toy that went down to the wire.

—Patricia Treble

As of the latest update, this is the number of confirmed cases in Canada. We're updating this chart every day.