Should Canadians actually be wearing masks? We asked experts.

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.

“There is a race for protective equipment. We are all in the same situation.”—Premier François Legault, who says his biggest concern is that the province could have a shortage of essential medical equipment within five days if new supplies don’t arrive. Quebec reported a jump of 732 cases since yesterday.

There are more than 8,500 COVID-19 cases in Canada, while the death toll has climbed to 95. Worldwide, there are now 850,000 cases with more than 41,000 deaths.

Public Safety Minister Bill Blair has asked correctional and parole board leaders to consider early release for some federal prisoners, given that COVID-19 could easily spread in such confined locales.

In his daily briefing, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that the federal government is “allocating $2 billion to purchase protective personal equipment, including for bulk purchases with provinces and territories.” It’s going to be increasingly hard to get supplies from international sources, he said, revealing that Ottawa has signed deals with Canadian companies “to make supplies such as ventilators, surgical masks, and test kits.” Some 3,000 companies have stepped forward to provide all sorts of medical equipment, including 3D-printed face shields.

In a sign that the COVID-19 crisis is not expected to be over any time soon, Toronto Mayor John Tory announced the cancellation of all major events in the city until the end of June, including the city’s huge Pride celebration.

The forecasts on the economic hits coming for the U.S. economy are getting worse, though the rebound could also be higher than initially thought. Goldman Sachs just updated its predictions: two weeks ago, Goldman projected second-quarter GDP would shrink by five per cent and grow in Q3 by three per cent. Now it’s forecasting -34 per cent and +19 per cent, respectively. One big unknown is when businesses can get back to work.

In a Washington Post article, Dr. Sabreen Akhter, an emergency room doctor in Seattle, describes the exacting routine she and others take to strip off their possibly contaminated clothing when returning home at the end of shifts: “Now you are standing in your underwear and socks on your porch in the bitterly cold morning air. You are praying that none of your neighbours are watching this. You quickly grab your phone, which you have kept in a Ziploc bag during your shift and bleach-wiped about 25 times through the course of the night. You text your partner, ‘Conning in. Pleae keep rhe kids aqway. Will showee first.’ ”

Animals are taking advantage of self-isolation. In Bergamo, Italy, a family of boars went for a casual stroll, obediently moving to a sidewalk when a car approached. Then there is the situation in Llandudno, Wales, where a gang of goats is expanding its territory, and food supply, to the streets, hedges and roofs in the town of 20,000. First, read this multi-day Twitter thread that first exposed the gang’s audacious plan, then search for “Llandudno and goats” on social media.

—Patricia Treble

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